How much landfill waste is recyclable

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In , only That's only about 35 percent of the total amount, and when you take into account that only 8 percent of discarded plastics were recycled that year, things start to look more unsettling. The sad reality is that not every piece of recycling that gets thrown into the bin gets recycled. There are many reasons for this, though most have to do with the flaws in the actual process itself.

These flaws include everything from lack of return on investment to improper handling. The global pandemic and several other factors have seen things taking a turn for the worse in that regard. Much of the plastic recycling in the U. Plastic, metal, glass, and paper are the most common types of recyclable materials, but as you will see below, they all recycle differently and with varying degrees of success.

As a result, the actual recycling percentages of each also tend to be quite different. This means that only around 9 percent is being recycled. A ton of soda cans made with recycled aluminum saves an amazing 21, kilowatt hours by reducing the virgin bauxite bozite ore that would have to be mined, shipped, and refined. The San Diego County Office of Education has figured out that recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a watt light bulb for four hours.

The Steel Recycling Institute has found that steel recycling saves enough energy to electrically power the equilvalent of 18 million homes for a year. With all the energy that is saved when we recycle bottles and cans and paper, we should all recycle and buy recycled more often! A: The amount of lost energy from throwing away recyclable commodities such as aluminum cans and newspapers is equivalent to the annual output of 15 power plants.

The energy savings applies to all recycling sectors:. One ton of recycled aluminum saves 14, kilowatt hours Kwh of energy, 40 barrels of oil, One ton of recycled newsprint saves Kwh of energy, 1. Office Paper. One ton of recycled office paper saves 4, Kwh of energy, 9 barrels of oil, 54 million BTU's of energy, 60 pounds of air pollutants from being released, 7, gallons of water, and 3. One ton of recycled plastic saves 5, Kwh of energy, One ton of recycled steel saves Kwh of energy, 1.

One ton of recycled glass saves 42 Kwh of energy, 0. As you can see, by recycling you are saving energy in addition to conserving resources and reducing pollution! A: Last year alone, recycling bottles and cans saved enough energy to power up to , homes in California. Energy drinks are all the rage, and in recent years beverages that invigorate consumers have flooded the marketplace.

What many people might not realize is that the same bottles and cans that provide them with energy beverages could actually save the kind of energy needed to power their homes and televisions.

How much energy? In , the 12 billion bottles and cans recycled by Californians saved the equivalent of enough energy to power up to , homes, according to CalRecycle calculations. It takes 95 percent less energy to make an aluminum can from recycled aluminum than from processing bauxite ore, and glass furnaces can run at lower temperatures when using recycled glass, thereby saving energy and extending equipment life.

To help Californians find the recycling bin instead of the trash can, CalRecycle has some simple tips for bottle and can recycling:. Hold onto your empty beverage containers until you find a recycling bin. Keep an extra bag or box in your car so that you can collect your beverage containers without having them roll around in your car. Set up a separate bag or box for recyclable beverage containers only. Later, redeem them for cash or put them in your curbside recycling bin.

For more information about this press release and other CRV beverage container recycling related programs, please contact the CalRecycle. Q: What is the connection between source reduction and reduction in green house gas emissions? A: Reducing the amount of paper you use is not just being cost-effective, it is taking concrete steps to reduce climate change.

More so than any other waste management option - including composting, recycling, and landfilling - source reduction helps turn back the clock on climate change. Source reduction, often called waste prevention, is any changes in the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or products including packaging to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste.

Source reduction also includes the reuse of products or materials. When a material is source reduced i. In addition, when paper products are source reduced, trees that would otherwise be harvested are left standing and continue to grow, removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. GHG emissions reductions resulting from source reduction of a variety of common materials are listed in the table.