Recycling is integral to waste management and a healthy planet. Holidays like Earth Day remind us of the importance of reusing, recycling, and reducing waste. These five facts illustrate why recycling is so important and offer tips on improving recycling efforts.
5 Recycling Facts
1. Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour. (Source)
Much of this plastic ends up in oceans, damaging sea life. A major way to reduce plastic use is to replace plastic water bottles with refillable water bottles.
2. Germany recycles more than any other country. (Source)
Germany has the world’s most successful recycling campaign. They manage to recycle 47% of the waste produced through a strong culture of recycling and penalties for those who don’t sort their trash correctly.
3. In the U.S., 2.4 million tons of glass are reused for bottles and jars. (Source)
Glass is a highly recyclable material because it can be reused endlessly. Re-using more glass could drastically reduce carbon emissions.
4. Americans use 85 million tons of paper per year. (Source)
This waste amounts to 680 pounds of paper per person. A lot of that paper waste comes from offices. But recycling is key. Recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water a year.
5. Aluminum cans that sit in landfills take 500 years or more to disintegrate. (Source)
There are monetary rewards for recycling aluminum because it’s so important not to throw this material in the trash, where it will become an environmental hazard.
