In the face of growing climate change concerns, it’s increasingly apparent that bureaucracy is slow to adequately address the problems at hand. This leaves individuals feeling the need to do their part to protect the environment from further damage. While one person can only do so much, this shouldn’t be a deterrent, because there are options available that can help consumers improve their relationship with the planet. Recycling is one such option. While recycling is always available, it’s widely available enough to make an impact. Here’s what you need to know.

Appropriate Materials

While recycling is a powerful way of reducing waste, it’s not all powerful, and there is a relatively short list of recyclable materials. Knowing what can and can’t be recycled is essential for getting into recycling. The most common categories of recyclable products are paper, plastic, metal and glass. However, it’s important to note that even plastics are not universally accepted by recycling centers. Rigid plastic bottles and containers are recyclable, while plastic bags and wrappers are not. Polystyrene containers, also known by the brand name Styrofoam, aren’t recyclable, on the other hand. Paper products that have been used in food preparation or storage are also ineligible, purely because of the food waste component. Glass won’t be accepted if it is broken. These latter points are largely because of logistical problems. Cleaning paper of food waste is often a lost cause, and jagged, broken glass can be unnecessarily dangerous.

Methodology

The process of recycling waste is an industrial one, so you can expect a heavily automated process assisted by a RTU. This is because much of recycling mirrors the methods of production for these products to begin with. For example, plastic, glass, and metal are all melted down in a process not unlike how these materials were shaped into usable products to begin with. Likewise, recycled paper is rendered down to its component parts and fed into the same paper making process as its newer counterparts. This informs the list of applicable materials, because non recyclable materials are generally those that can’t be returned to a malleable form in the same way that recyclable products can. Plastic wrappers are stretched too thin to heat to a melting point with losing its structural integrity because even its own manufacturing process compromises its strength considerably.

Waste Reduction

In addition to using recycling to reduce the harm caused by waste, you should seek to reduce the waste that your lifestyle produces. The major problem with something like plastic wrapping is that it is a prevalent component in commercial products of all kinds, essentially meaning that many products are designed with a waste component in mind. Avoiding these products isn’t always easy, but learning to do so can reduce the presence of non recyclable products as a result of your actions. In addition to the products you buy, even some you don’t encourage the proliferation of plastic waste. Notably, the free disposal plastic bags offered by many retailers constitutes a major environmental issue, leading to the trend of using reusable alternatives. This can be taken a step further, however. For example, shopping for produce often entails putting the fruits and vegetables into plastic bags, but bringing your own reusable bags gives you the freedom to avoid this problem, and doing so can actually be much better for the longevity of your purchases. Mushrooms in particular are often packaged in plastic, but last longer in cardboard or paper packaging.

While climate change and other environmental problems abound, all hope is not lost. The government may be taking its time making the goal of reversing climate change a reality, there are still ways in which you can improve the situation with your own actions. Recycling and reducing waste can go a long way.