What Happens Next
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More businesses, communities and individuals are recycling then ever before. Have you ever wondered what happens to the materials collected for recycling? Recyclables are picked up and transported from your location to a Material Recycling Facility (MRF) where they are sorted by type. Once sorted, most materials are baled into large brick-like objects for shipping to manufacturing facilities all over the world. Much of the material today goes to Asia, but a good share is sent to Mexico or used in the United States as well. Paper can be recycled up to seven times. Recycled paper and cardboard is cheaper and easier to convert to pulp than wood. Waste paper and cardboard collected for recycling is taken to a paper mill where it is pulped, processed and then converted into paper products such as newspaper and envelopes, and cardboard products such as cereal boxes. Recycled plastic is used to make many products including items such as yo-yos, kayaks, fleece pullovers, school lunch trays, park benches and railroad ties. Many of these items are made with recycled plastic that is sent to Asia. In the United States, the majority of the recycled plastic is used to make carpet for homes and businesses.
There are two types of cans, aluminum and tin. Both aluminum and tin cans are recycled today. When recycling tin cans, first the tin and steel are separated. The steel is then sold to steel mills around the world. The remaining tin is largely used by the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Aluminum cans collected during recycling are first ground or shred into small chips. The small chips are then melted and cast into moulds. The moulds are sent to a manufacturing plant where they are rolled into sheets. New products such as car bodies and drinking cans are shaped from the sheets. |
