How a Recycling Center Works

Recycling centers prepare recyclable materials for the market.

A recycling center is a location used to collect and process recyclable materials to prepare them to be sold on the market. They use a systematic method to ready residential and commercial recycling and construction debris to be made into new products.

Separation

Recyclable materials like paper, plastics, cans and bottles are separated into groups by recycling center staff members and volunteers known as "sorters." Large facilities often use advanced sorting technologies to handle tremendous amounts of recyclables.

Baling

Once the recyclable materials have been sorted and contaminants have been removed, they are compressed into bales. Industrial machines, known as size reduction equipment, are used for this task. Workers must take great care when operating these powerful machines.

Shipping

Bales of decontaminated recyclable materials are shipped on trucks to buyers from across the country. New products are made from the recycled materials and made available to consumers.

References

• Earth911: Glossary
• Waste Management Northwest: Cascade Recycling Center