The Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling

For most of us, recycling has become a way of life at home and at the office, and increasingly we

expect that our industries will recycle their waste when possible as well. Recycling has been a key part

of the green revolution and has greatly extended the amount of resources that our planet has available.

However, some people wonder if there is a downside to recycling as well. Here are the advantages and

disadvantages of recycling.

Advantages 1. Recycling limits the total demand for new raw materials, meaning we destroy fewer forests for

paper and less land for mining other materials.

2. When materials are recycled they are diverted away from landfills, which has led to a decrease

in the amount of landfilled waste per capita in the US. At present, we actually have enough

space to sustainably landfill our non-recyclable waste indefinitely, thanks in large part to

recycling.

3. The total energy cost of recycling is less than that of landfilling, plus making new products

from virgin materials. The result is that recycling reduces our energy uses, moving us closer to

an energy independent future.

4. Recycling helps reduce carbon/greenhouse gas emissions, helping in the fight against climate

change.

5. Recycling has spurred scientific advancements as well as increased environmental awareness

both among citizens and in industry.

Disadvantages 1. Recycling also requires resources. Special factories must be established to recycle materials in

any given area, and bins must be created and distributed to collect recyclables. While recycling

does help us manage our resources better and ultimately save energy, it is not without its own

small cost in materials and energy.

2. Recyclables must be transported. This means that some amount of fossil fuels are consumed to

take recyclables to the recycling facility. When recyclables are pre-sorted at the point of

collection (e.g., separate bins for glass, paper, etc.) they typically take up more space in

transport vehicles, increasing the fuel used.

3. Some recycling processes create hazardous chemicals. Like any industrial process, breaking

down and re-creating materials like plastics or metals creates gas and liquid by-products that

must be managed properly.

4. Some types of recycling are not cost-effective, and have historically required subsidies to

operate effectively.

However, all in all, the advantages of recycling outweigh the disadvantages in most circumstances. At

EnviroSolutions, Inc. we’re proud to lead the way in ever more effective recycling services. For

example, our single-stream recycling program means consumers don’t have to separate their

recyclables and reduces the transportation and energy costs involved in recycling. We also focus on

highly efficient recycling processes that reduce the amount of resources recycling takes while also

reducing the recycling costs for all parties involved.

Have a recycling question? Call EnviroSolutions, Inc. today or visit us at ESIWaste.com.