WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RECYCLING

RECYCLING is a far more complex, expensive and energy-intensive process than most of us realise.

When your recycling arrives at the processing plant, it is tipped on to a conveyor belt and workers pick out large rubbish, textiles, ‘serious contamination’ (such as medical waste — particularly needles), disposable nappies and even dead animals.

Next, the rubbish is sorted by material. Heavier items such as glass fall to the bottom, while lighter materials ‘float’ to the top. Magnets and currents separate metal packaging and plastic is sorted according to its resin type by scanners, then air jets separate it from other recycling by its weight.

Paper, cardboard, steel, aluminium, glass and plastic are all separated out for onward recycling. Paper, metal and glass are most likely to be made into recycled products similar to their original forms. (The recycling cycle for metal and glass is potentially endless.)

Plastic bottles can go on to become food packaging or completely different products. However, each time they are recycled, the plastic reduces in quality.

Bottle plastic is generally considered to be of superior quality. And though the plastic trays that come with fruit and vegetables are the same, they are not recycled into bottles and can instead appear in a surprising different form — as the bumper of your car!

According to Recycle Now, making an item from recycled plastic takes 75 per cent less energy than making it from scratch, while forming a product from recycled metal uses 95 per cent less energy.

But, ultimately, plastics have a limited tolerance of the recycling system and will eventually end up in landfill. As long as we use it, virgin plastic will continue to be required for food packaging, so will continue to be produced.

The bottom line is that no matter how good we become at recycling, it isn’t getting rid of the problem. Yes, it eases the burden, but it’s expensive and wasteful.

Far better simply to use less plastic in the first place.