- As a general rule, wrappers of items like chips and chocolate can’t really be recycled. Neither can bioplastics (they’re not the same as biodegradable plastics) and they can only be composted if products made using them say “compostable” on them. Biodegradable plastics are materials that can naturally degrade into their constituents, therefore they can decay naturally. Bioplastics on the other hand have a lifetime slightly less than that of purely petroleum plastics and they do not help you in reducing your carbon footprint. Check those labels people!
- Recycling is actually the last stage of the 3Rs. The first stage is reduction, as in not purchasing or producing products you don’t have a need for. The second stage is reusing the same products until the very end of their life. You don’t need to throw those Nutella bottles out, they can make for pretty useful containers for things to keep; they can even be used as a pot to keep a small plant in. Its always better to reduce your usage, and then reuse a product for as long as you can even if it is recyclable. Recycling still consumes energy and other resources to work. Reuse. Reduce. Recycle. In that order.
- If you buy a product that is recyclable or is made from recycled material, you’re already making a huge contribution! Buying such a product drives the market for recyclable and recycled goods. This benefits the industry, allowing them to recycle more material and to make more recyclable products, effectively replacing non-sustainable products from the market. Next time you’re out to buy paper products, we would highly recommend you try to buy something with recycled paper.
- Recycling most materials consumes about half as much energy as making the same materials from scratch. Not to mention it costs less to acquire the raw material to do so. Recycling aluminum cans is so energy efficient that it consumes 20 times less energy than making a new aluminum can from sheets of aluminum. No, your favourite soda manufacturers do not use recycled aluminum which is alarming, especially considering they’re one of the largest polluters in terms of plastic waste globally.
5. You often see a number inside a circle or a triangle on the bottom of plastic products, mostly plastic bottles. That number is not an indication of their recyclability. In fact, it is used to identify what type of resin or plastic they are to help with sorting and packaging. In some cases, these products might contain a number within a recycling logo. That is actually an indication of what type of recycling it can undergo. If it is a 7 inside the recycling logo, however, it is usually considered as “other” in the recycling industry and is recycled by very few centers.
6. Packaging is a very big recycling issue. Most packaging is composed of thin plastic film, which cannot really be melted and can only be burnt to produce toxic gases. Other forms of packaging like styrofoam and different EPS packaging products are not recyclable. They can be reusable, however, and that is the best use for them. The transparent packaging film on boxes and such is also not recyclable. Yes popping bubble wrap is satisfying and all, but ask yourself this: Do you really have to?
7. Contrary to popular belief, paper cups used for tea and coffee are non-recyclable. I know it feels good drinking in one of those cups, thinking you’re making your contribution to the environment but its the other way around. These paper cups have a thin plastic film on the inside to keep them waterproof. Recycling them requires the separation of the paper of the cup and this plastic film which practically renders them non-recyclable. So the next time you go to your favourite coffee shop, try to drink in a ceramic cup or take your own reusable cup with you!
8. Glass and metal don’t sound like they’re materials for recycling but in actual fact they’re the best materials for this purpose. Plastic begins losing its quality each time it is recycled, and there is a set number of times it can be recycled. Glass on the other hand does not degrade in quality when melted to be blown again, and the malleability of metal ensures it is easy to recycle. Both of these materials can be recycled infinitely. This helps to cut energy costs down as producing them from scratch requires a lot of energy and resources. However, we’re pretty sure you can follow your 3Rs and find plenty of ways to reuse glass and metal objects.
9. It seems hard to find ways to recycle products and items these days. I know, I can understand the feeling. Thankfully, there are stores and establishments out there that offer in-house recycling facilities. McDonald’s for example, offers to recycle their coffee and tea cups inside their store, thus saving you the hassle and guilt of not being able to recycle your favourite cappuccino.
10. This might come out as a shocker but its true, we can vouch for it. Pakistan has recycling centers. Yes you heard that right! Pakistan has several recycling centers located across the major cities; the larger a city, the more likely it is to have an established recycling center. Islamabad has organic waste recycling centers that have been arranged by the government to, quite literally, cut out the waste. So the next time you think you have an object with no good use, ring up your local recycling center and ask them if they’ll recycle it for you.
Written by:
Muhammad Mussaub Mobeen
