The Importance of Recycling

There are a number of reasons why recycling waste in our society is important - the earth as well as people are affected by the outcomes of waste management. Let's look at some reasons why recycling is such a vital process.

What is recycling and why is it so important?

Recycling is a term used to describe re-using materials to make something new. It can involve collecting, separating, and re-manufacturing materials to create a new product. One of the most common materials that is recycled in our society is paper, cardboard  and plastic, but even electronics, batteries and metals are recycled. The main reason why recycling waste is so important is because it reduces the amount of landfill on our planet. Landfill is extremely damaging to the environment and it takes many years to decompose, so reducing it as much as possible will provide better outcomes for the environment and people. More and more waste is being generated due to increasing wealth (more products are being bought), more packaged products as technology becomes more advanced, more fast food is being consumes and more food is being wasted.

Other Benefits

Recycling also saves energy: the process of recycling takes a lot less energy than it does to manufacture new goods. Conserving energy reduces pollution which greatly benefits our environment and human health. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emmissions which helps the problem of climate change. Recycling saves millions of tonnes of CO2 per year which cuts down on pollution. Sites for landfill are rapidly decreasing which affects the amount of land available for humans to live. Also, financially it costs a lot more to manufacture new products than it does to recycle. Preserving our environment for future generations to live in and enjoy is extremely important, and recycling can help achieve this.

Recycling is something we can all do on a daily basis - the more products that are recycled, the better off our planet will be, now and in the future.