Products Made From Recycling

Recycled products benefit consumers and producers.

Recycling is the process of turning a used product into a raw material, according to Frank Ackerman of the Encyclopedia of Earth. This material is then processed to create new goods. Recycling is designed to limit the use of natural resources, conserve the shrinking sources of raw materials on the planet and create new and useful products out of easily recyclable materials. Many products, from garbage cans to airplanes, are manufactured from recycled materials.

Recycling Centers

Recycling centers sort and compress available recycled goods before delivering them to raw material manufacturers. These centers are located nationwide, and many of them operate free of charge. It is possible to find some recycling centers that pay cash for scrap, such as aluminum cans or old car wheels. Some cities even offer recycling pickup, usually in a manner similar to weekly refuse pickup.

Manufacturers

There are many recycled product manufacturers in the United States. The state of Pennsylvania alone reports several hundred recycled product manufacturers within state borders. Most manufacturers find that using recycled materials is more cost-effective than using virgin materials, as recycling costs less than mining or synthesizing. This keeps costs comparatively low, and the savings are often passed on to the consumer.

Products

Materials such as glass and metal can be processed again and again, while some synthesized products such as plastic typically break down or weaken with repeated reuse. Products manufactured from recycled materials range from shoes and children's toys to rubber tires and playground mulch. Recycled product fashion accessories such as rubber purses are popular items gaining a foothold in markets as manufacturers and consumers want to appear animal-friendly and ecologically responsible.

Economic Interests

The state of Pennsylvania reports economic reasons for recycling. Recycling provided 7,000 jobs, a payroll of $115 million and sales of more than $500 million annually from only one aspect (reuse and remanufacturing) of the multifaceted recycling industry in Pennsylvania alone. The total recycling industry economic gains in Pennsylvania totaled more than 90,000 jobs, a payroll totaling more than $3 billion and $20 billion in sales in just one year.

Environmental Protection

Recycling a product for use in manufacturing lowers greenhouse gas emissions, conserves natural resources, saves energy and reduces air and water contaminants, according to Pennsylvania. These benefits to the environment arrive not just from the manufacture of a recycled product but also from the conserved use of equipment and machinery used to produce raw materials around the globe, as the energy required to produce raw material greatly outstrips the energy required to recycle it.

References

• Encyclopedia of Earth: Recycling
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection: Recycling Works for You in Pennsylvania