Home > Waste Management Blog > Does Recycling Really Help?

RecyclingThough recycling has been around for many years, its popularity has waxed and waned. Depending on the year or place, you might find people strongly for, against, or apathetic to recycling. One argument that has resurfaced over the years deals with the question of whether or not recycling really does any good. What about all the energy it takes to pick up the separated recyclables, or to process them and turn them into new things?  Should you really take the time to recycle? Our answer is yes! Let us tell you just a few reasons why.

Many materials that are recycled certainly do help the environment based on the amount of energy they save us by being turned into something new. For instance, using recycled aluminum cans to make new cans takes 95% less energy than if you were to use new, pure materials. Some people argue that the emissions we make by sending out extra trucks to pick up recycling and to process it actually off-sets its benefits. However, studies have shown that in the end, this just isn’t true.

But are all recycled products actually used? This is a bit trickier of a question, as the market is continually changing along with the technologies we have to process and use recycled materials. While it is true that some recycled materials might eventually end up in a landfill after al due to their being unsuitable, the majority are better off being sent into a recycling facility to be sorted and saved from the landfill.  Plus, the more people who recycle, the most cost-effective it will become overall.

While recycling does cost money, so does caring for our regular waste. By being conscious and responsible of our own waste through smart purchasing choices and choosing to do things such as recycling, we can truly make a difference.