recycling | Definition, Processes, & Facts | Britannica

An example of external recycling is the collection of old newspapers and magazines for repulping and their manufacture into new paper products. recycling TableofContents recycling IntroductionFerrousmetalsNonferrousmetalsRubberPaperandothercelluloseproductsGlassPlasticsConstructionanddemolitionwasteDomesticrefuseWastewater FastFacts 2-MinSummary Facts&RelatedContent Media Videos Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Science Environment recycling Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/recycling GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). 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SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/recycling Feedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency-RecyclingBasics NASA-NASARecyclingandSustainableAcquisition BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. recycling-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) recycling-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Alternatetitles:materialssalvage,reprocessing By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory TableofContents recycling Seeallmedia RelatedTopics: waterpurification thermal-heatrecovery scrapmetal secondaryrefining externalrecycling ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ Summary Readabriefsummaryofthistopic recycling,recoveryandreprocessingofwastematerialsforuseinnewproducts.Thebasicphasesinrecyclingarethecollectionofwastematerials,theirprocessingormanufactureintonewproducts,andthepurchaseofthoseproducts,whichmaythenthemselvesberecycled.Typicalmaterialsthatarerecycledincludeironandsteelscrap,aluminumcans,glassbottles,paper,wood,andplastics.Thematerialsreusedinrecyclingserveassubstitutesforrawmaterialsobtainedfromsuchincreasinglyscarcenaturalresourcesaspetroleum,naturalgas,coal,mineralores,andtrees.Recyclingcanhelpreducethequantitiesofsolidwastedepositedinlandfills,whichhavebecomeincreasinglyexpensive.Recyclingalsoreducesthepollutionofair,water,andlandresultingfromwastedisposal.recyclingbins©EvaBlanda/stock.adobe.comTherearetwobroadtypesofrecyclingoperations:internalandexternal.Internalrecyclingisthereuseinamanufacturingprocessofmaterialsthatareawasteproductofthatprocess.Internalrecyclingiscommoninthemetalsindustry,forexample.Themanufactureofcoppertubingresultsinacertainamountofwasteintheformoftubeendsandtrimmings;thismaterialisremeltedandrecast.Anotherformofinternalrecyclingisseeninthedistillingindustry,inwhich,afterthedistillation,spentgrainmashisdriedandprocessedintoanediblefoodstuffforcattle.plasticitemsbeingsortedatarecyclingcentre©DragonImages/stock.adobe.comExternalrecyclingisthereclaimingofmaterialsfromaproductthathasbeenwornoutorrenderedobsolete.Anexampleofexternalrecyclingisthecollectionofoldnewspapersandmagazinesforrepulpingandtheirmanufactureintonewpaperproducts.Aluminumcansandglassbottlesareotherexamplesofeverydayobjectsthatareexternallyrecycledonawidescale.Thesematerialscanbecollectedbyanyofthreemainmethods:buy-backcentres,whichpurchasewastematerialsthathavebeensortedandbroughtinbyconsumers;drop-offcentres,whereconsumerscandepositwastematerialsbutarenotpaidforthem;andcurbsidecollection,inwhichhomesandbusinessessorttheirwastematerialsanddepositthembythecurbforcollectionbyacentralagency. NewfromBritannica ShepherdsonLaGomeraintheCanaryIslandsuseawhistlinglanguagetocommunicateoverlongdistances.Messagescanbecarriedacrosstheisland’scanyonsasfarastwomiles. SeeAllGoodFacts ExplorehowplasticisrecycledintoinsulationandotherbuildingmaterialsEncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.SeeallvideosforthisarticleSociety’schoiceofwhetherandhowmuchtorecycledependsbasicallyoneconomicfactors.Conditionsofaffluenceandthepresenceofcheaprawmaterialsencouragehumanbeings’tendencytosimplydiscardusedmaterials.Recyclingbecomeseconomicallyattractivewhenthecostofreprocessingwasteorrecycledmaterialislessthanthecostoftreatinganddisposingofthematerialsorofprocessingnewrawmaterials. BritannicaExplores Earth'sTo-DoList Humanactionhastriggeredavastcascadeofenvironmentalproblemsthatnowthreatenthecontinuedabilityofbothnaturalandhumansystemstoflourish.Solvingthecriticalenvironmentalproblemsofglobalwarming,waterscarcity,pollution,andbiodiversitylossareperhapsthegreatestchallengesofthe21stcentury.Willwerisetomeetthem?