Updated 12/21

Recycling

TRASH
VS.
RECYCLING

Level 1 (Grades 3-5)

 TRASH VS. RECYCLING
What is TRASH? What is RECYCLING?

TRASH is anything we discard that we no longer want or can use. Trash is discarded with the
idea that it will eventually end up in a landfill. Many things that go into our trash can be reused
or recycled.

RECYCLING is processing used material into new products. Many items made from paper,
plastic, glass, steel and aluminum can be recycled or remanufactured into new products.
Recycling saves the natural resources and energy needed to make the product from new
material. It also saves landfill space. It is often cheaper to make a product from a recycled
product than it is to make it from a new product.

Most communities offer some type of recycling program. Because each community operates
their own program, the types of products collected in one community may not be accepted in
neighboring communities. The type of products accepted depend on how the product is
handled and sold.

Check with your local community to see what types of products you can recycle, if they are
picked up at your house, or where you can drop them off. List those items below.

NAME OF PRODUCT PICKED UP OR DROP OFF? ADDRESS OF DROP OFF LOCATION

A PLASTIC WORLD

Plastics are a very big recycling problem. They take up to 500 years to decompose (or rot away)
when in a landfill. Because of multi-layered packaging of many of the things we buy and the
many different types of plastics, separating the products is a very big job. Most commonly used
plastic containers, such as beverage containers and milk jugs are made from a single type of
plastic. This makes them easier to separate, sort, and recycle. The plastic industry has adopted
a number category recycling code that helps make the sorting process more efficient.

One of today’s most commonly used plastic container is the plastic beverage bottle. These
bottles can be recycled into carpets, twine, rope, clothes, filters, belts, webbing for lawn
furniture, sails, tire cords, strapping, scouring pads, fence posts, and, of course, more plastic
bottles. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the type of plastic used to make drink bottles, is
labeled with a number “1” inside the chasing arrows of a recycling symbol. PET can also be
used for automobile bumpers, freezer insulation, bathtubs, sinks, boat hulls, awnings, fiberfill
for cushions, pillows, and insulated outerwear.

Five two-liter bottles can produce enough fiberfill to line an adult’s ski jacket; 36 bottles can fill
a sleeping bag. About 250 million pounds of fiberfill is used per year. Recycled fiber costs
about half as much as non-recycled fiber.

Another commonly used plastic is high density polyethylene (HDPE) and is used to make milk
jugs, most detergent bottles and shampoo and conditioner bottles. These containers are
marked with the chasing arrows with a number “2” inside. These containers are used to make
plastic lumber, flowerpots, drainage pipe, trash cans, traffic barrier cones, signs, playground
equipment, and recycling bins.

Some of the other types of plastics are more difficult to recycle. Vinyl, low density
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and other layered plastics are more difficult to
recycle because they are a combination of different types of plastics or because the recycling
process needs refining. These containers are marked with the recycling industry’s chasing
arrows and the numbers 3 through 7 inside the arrows. The lower the number, the easier the
product is to recycle. There are about 50 different types of plastics.

Plastics are recycled by shredding the containers into little flakes. The flakes are cleaned, dried
remelted, and formed into pellets to be used again.

To be recycled the plastic container should be rinsed and the lids removed. The lids are not
recyclable in the same process as the bottle. The lids should be discarded. Labels do not have
to be removed.
Manufacturing bottled water uses over 1.5 million barrels of oil per year. In one year, that’s
enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.

The estimated life expectancy of plastic or composite (combination of recycled plastic and
wood scraps) is 50 years.

If everyone in New York City would give up water bottles for one week they would save 24
million bottles from going into the landfill.

STEEL

Steel is one of the most recycled materials. The steel industry recycled more than 100 billion
pounds of scrap every year, most coming from old cars, farm equipment, and major appliances.
An additional two billion pounds of scrap are exported to foreign steel manufacturers.

Steel is usually prepared for recycling through magnetic separation. Many independent
separation facilities, drop-off centers, resource recovery operations, waste-to-energy plants,
incinerators, and landfills are equipped with magnetic separators. Once this material is located,
it is crushed and baled for delivery to the detinner or mill.

Most of today’s steel products are made from recycled materials. Recycled steel has several
benefits for the environment. Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,000
pounds of coal, and 40 pounds of limestone. For every pound of steel recycled, 5,450 BTU of
energy are saved. This saved energy is enough to light a 60-watt light bulb for more than 26
hours. Steel can be recycled into bi-metal foods cans, toys, decorative items, automotive and
airplane parts, and building materials.

The most commonly used metal product to consumers is the bi-metal cans found in the
supermarket. Cans have been produced for about 200 years. The first cans were made by hand
from steel. At that time, they were used to preserve food so that it could be shipped to all
parts of the world without spoiling. The American Gold Rush of 1849 created an urgent need
for food in cans because settlers needed food that could be preserved during long trips to the
western part of the United States. During the Civil War, metal cans filled with wholesome foods
were served to soldiers on the battlefronts. Carbonated beverages were put in steel cans in
1953, when technology was advanced enough to prevent fizzy drinks from exploding under
pressure, leaking, or corroding the metal can. Steel cans are 100% recyclable including the lids.
The cans should be rinsed, however the labels do not have to be removed. The labels will get
burned off in the recycling process.
ALUMINUM

Aluminum beverage cans are one of recycling’s greatest success stories. Aluminum beverage
cans were introduced in 1965. Aluminum was considered a better material for cans because it
was lighter, chilled quickly, kept beverages fresh, used less material and didn’t rust. It was also
easier to print a label directly on the aluminum can instead of pasting paper labels on them.
Aluminum is one of the most popular products consumers recycle, mainly because there are
many local markets and those markets pay directly to the consumer. Approximately 133 billion
aluminum cans are produced each year in the United States. Many individuals and charitable
organizations raise funds by collecting and selling used aluminum products. Since aluminum
recycling began in 1970. Aluminum is 100% recyclable. The most efficient way to prepare
aluminum cans to be recycled is to rinse the cans, flatten them, and place them in a box or
biodegradable garbage bag for convenient storage. About 27 cans make up one pound. A large
garbage bag with unflattened cans weighs about seven pounds; the same bag with flattened
cans weighs about 18 pounds.

Used foil, non-microwavable “heat and serve” trays, and pie plates should not be recycled with
aluminum cans. These products should be added to the metal recycling.

Scrap metal dealers often buy aluminum storm door frames, lawn chair frames, swing sets,
window frames, downspouts, gutters, automotive parts, and other items. If you are selling your
aluminum directly to a dealer, ask how they want it prepared before you deliver it to them.

Aluminum is an example of “closed-loop” recycling. That means a product is recycled and used
again in the same form. Closed-loop recycling saves energy and conserved nonrenewable
resources. The production of a recycled aluminum cans uses 95% less energy than it takes to
produce a new one. The recycling of one aluminum can saves enough energy to light a 100-watt
light bulb for 3.5 hours and the energy equivalent of one cup of gasoline.

Aluminum cans are the most commonly manufactured items on earth, yet their design and
construction is surprisingly complex. Each can consists of two different aluminum alloys.
Despite this, the cans are easily recyclable. Cans are flattened and baled at the collections
center for shipment to smelters for processing. The smelters shred or grind the aluminum into
small chips, which are then melted and poured into ingots. The ingots are sent to
manufacturing plants, where they are rolled into sheets to be made back into cans.

The estimated time it takes to recycle a can and return it to the grocer’s shelves is only 120
days.
GLASS

The glass used in containers today is recyclable. Every American uses about 85 pounds of glass
containers each year and most of them are discarded after use. Glass never decomposes. Glass
recycling plants in the United States use about 30 percent recycled glass. However, in Europe
100 percent of the glass comes from recycled materials.

Most kinds of glass containers, heavy or light, whole or broken, are acceptable for recycling
Glass can be used and reused an indefinite number of times without a loss of quality.

To prepare glass for recycling, you must be able to identify the types of glass which are
recyclable. These types are non-returnable juice bottles, ketchup bottles, wine and liquor
bottles, and food containers. The types of glass that cannot be recycled are plate glass, window
glass, mirrors, heat-resistant glass, light bulbs, lead-based glass like crystal or TV tubes,
ceramics, automotive glass, milk-white glass, and household drinking glasses. Although these
items are technically recyclable, the chemical make-up is different from what is used in bottles
and jars and may contaminate the glass needed to produce new containers. Before being put
in recycling containers, glass jars should be rinsed. Lids and labels do not have to be removed.

When recycled, the glass in broken into pieces called cullet. The cullet is run through a device
which removed the lids and metals rings. A vacuum process removes the plastic and paper
labels. When the glass is clean the cullet is added to raw materials and melted down with
them. Most bottles and jars contain at least 25% recycled glass. This batch mix melts at 2,600
degrees Fahrenheit. The re-hot molten mass is then moved into a forming machine, where it is
pressed into a new container. These containers are cooled, inspected and shipped to the
customer. The process is extremely efficient, producing virtually no waste or unwanted
byproducts. Glass recycling reduces air pollution by 20% and water pollution by 50% over glass
made from virgin materials.

Glass can also be crushed and reused as a substitute for sand in construction projects. Crushed
glass has been used in concrete projects, backfill for septic systems and culverts, daily cover for
landfills, and ice-melt on snow-covered roads.

Glass can be used and reused to make new containers without a loss in quality, but if thrown
away it will litter the Earth forever because it never composes.
PAPER

There are several types of products that are included in the category of paper recycling. We
usually think of recycling newspaper, but we can also recycle office paper, magazines, books,
construction paper, paperboard (light cardboard like cereal boxes), paper bags, and cardboard.
Newspaper is usually recycled into more newspaper, however is can be made into paperboard,
construction paper, insulation, egg cartons, animal bedding, cat litter, and mulch. Office paper
may be made into more office paper or tissue. Cardboard and magazines are usually made into
more cardboard.

Laminated paper or other plastic-covered paper products (like juice cartons) cannot be recycled
yet.

Although paper recycling is technical in nature and requires many steps, the basic method is a
very simple process to understand. Paper is mixed with liquid. The result is a pulp. The liquid is
squeezed out of the pulp and the pulp is run through a press. When the pulp dries a new paper
is created.

Each American uses nearly 43 pounds of office paper per year. Over four million tons are
recycled each year. Extensive use of online systems and e-mailing will reduce the amount of
office paper available for recycling. From 2001 to 2007 office paper generation has declined by
750,000 tons mainly because of the increased use of personal computers.

TRASH

Americans create about 4.6 pounds of trash per person each day. Of that amount, only 1.12
pounds is recycled.

The most recycled items by weight include corrugated boxes, newspapers, office paper and
glass bottles. Lead-acid batteries, newspapers, corrugated boxes, and white goods (appliances)
have the highest recycling rates.

Most of the space in landfills is taken up by clothing and food waste.

RECYCLING IN JACKSON COUNTY

Humans depend on the environment for their survival and can affect the environment
negatively or positively. Humans consume products and affect how many resources are
available for their use. The result of those products is waste. Those waste products can be
handled in one of only a few ways; it can be sent to a landfill, burned in an incinerator, or
recycled. While each one of these solutions has its own advantages and disadvantages, we will
focus on recycling in this project.

The easiest way to reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills is not to create it in the first
place. Attention to what we buy and how much trash we generate is the easiest way to save
natural resources and preserve landfill space. The next step is to recycle any items that are
accepted in local recycling programs.

What can be recycled varies from community to community because of facilities or lack of
facilities nearby that can process various types of recyclable materials.

Most people think of plastics, metal, and paper when they recycle, however there are other
items that can be recycled through special programs. Eye glasses, cell phones, batteries,
hazardous household wastes, oil, mercury-containing items, ink jet cartridges, toner,
pharmaceuticals, tires, appliances and even clothes can be recycled through special programs.

Some communities have curbside recycling programs sponsored by their local town and cities.
These programs provide recycling pick up at the front of their homes on specific days. Other
residents can deliver their recycling to collection centers.

Contact the Jackson County Solid Waste Management (Recycling) District

1220 Bloomington Road P.O. Box 286
Brownstown, IN 47220
812-358-4277
to find out more about the recycling opportunities in your neighborhood.

Preparing recyclable items:

• Cardboard and paperboard (light cardboard like cereal boxes) should be folded flat.
Pizza boxes or other containers that contain food residue should not be included in
recycling. Wax covered boxes such as juice cartons can not be recycled.
 • Office paper, newspaper, magazines, file folders, unsolicited (junk) mail and
construction paper can be recycled. Laminated or plastic coated paper can not be
recycled.
• Plastic bottles should be rinsed. Lids are not recyclable and should be discarded. Labels
do not have to be removed. Containers that held motor oil, meat packaging, food wrap,
and most product packaging can not be recycled.
• Metal food cans should be rinsed. Labels do not have to be removed. Lids from food
cans are recyclable.
• Aluminum cans and bottles should be rinsed.
• Glass jars should be rinsed and lids removed. Labels do not have to be removed.
Window glass and ceramic glass are not recyclable. Not all programs in Jackson County
accept glass. Check the requirements for your program.

Please do not add trash or any container with food residue to your recycling. These types of
containers contaminate the recycling stream and ruin everyone’s effort to recycle.

WHAT WE CAN DO
Recycling is not the answer to all our environmental problems, but it is a start. Recycling can
become a part of everyday life, at work, school, and home. As time goes by, we will be able
to recycle more and throw away less. Each individual contribution will make a difference to
saving our natural resources and preserving landfill space.