What do our recyclables become?
The short answer
Recyclables become a huge variety of new items in their second lives, like new cans, bottles, and paper products, construction materials, manufacturing parts, and much more.
The long answer
To put this question into its most real-life context, I thought it'd be interesting to rifle through our own recycling to show what a typical haul of everyday items may eventually turn into. So without further ado, here are pictures of our trash:
Aluminum: Soda can
If you're going to recycle anything, recycle aluminum. Recycled aluminum is 95% less energy intensive to produce compared to new aluminum.
Recycled aluminum is used to produce: mostly new aluminum cans, but it can also be used to produce bicycle parts, airplane parts, train tracks, and pipes.
Steel: Garbanzo bean can
This bean can is likely made out of steel with a lining of tin (both of which can be recycled). Steel is a great material to recycle. It's often easier to recycle steel than to mine for new ore and it can be recycled without any degradation.
Recycled steel is used to produce: new cans, bike parts, rebar, car parts, steel beams, and appliances.
Paperboard: Oat milk carton
Milk cartons are not 100% paperboard (very thin cardboard) since they include a plastic cap and a thin lining of plastic, but the recycling process is typically able to separate the plastic from the paper material.
Recycled paperboard is used to produce: paper towels, tissues, napkins, and computer paper.
Glass: Instant coffee container
Glass is an excellent material to produce since it can be recycled endlessly by crushing and melting it down again.
Recycled glass is used to produce: new glass containers, counter tops, flooring, tile landscaping stones, sewer pipes, astroturf, sand used in construction projects, and fiberglass.
Paper: Envelopes, packets, post-it notes, receipts
Different types of paper (newspaper, computer paper, magazine paper, etc.) can be recycled to make different products. My list below combines them all because you should try to recycle all paper.
Side note: I looked into what to do with the plastic windows on the envelopes I received. Generally, the paper recycling process will be able to separate out that plastic (not recyclable) from the paper, but if you want to cut away the plastic before you recycle it, go for it!
Recycled paper is used to produce: new paper, toilet paper, tissues, magazines, napkins, loft insulation, telephone books, construction paper, newspapers, and egg cartons.
Plastic #2: Shampoo bottle
Plastic #2 is what makes things like milk jugs and bottles. Clear plastic is more easily recyclable than opaque bottles like my shampoo bottle here.
This is actually my last bottle of shampoo (I hope) – I switched to shampoo and conditioner bars to reduce my plastic consumption!
Recycled plastic #2 is used to produce: plastic crates and plastic bins (called "plastic rebar"), and new bottles and jugs.
Cardboard: Shipping box
Cardboard is very recyclable. Make sure you remove any tape stuck to the box and flatten it completely.
Recycled cardboard is used to produce: new cardboard, paperboard and paper bags.
There are other technically recyclable plastic materials* that just happened to not be in our waste this week:
Plastic #1: This includes things like water bottles, peanut butter containers, other plastic food bottles. Recycled plastic #1 can be used to produce fleece, clothing fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, and new bottles and food containers.
Plastic #3: This is also known as PVC and is used to make plastic pipes and kids toys. It is rarely recyclable.
Plastic #4: This includes things like squeezable bottles and plastic shopping bags. Most commercial recycling centers do not accept plastic #4.
Plastic #5: This includes things like takeout soup containers and other food containers. Many commercial recycling centers do not accept plastic #5. If yours does, make sure to clean out and dry the container since contaminated plastic can make the recycling process more difficult.
Plastic #6: This is styrofoam. Most commercial recycling centers do not accept plastic #6.
Plastic #7: This is miscellaneous plastic that doesn't fall into the prior six categories. Most commercial recycling centers do not accept plastic #7.
*Please check your local recycling center's website to confirm whether your recyclables can truly be recycled. Not every facility can process the materials I listed in this email. While you may have good intentions, including things you hope are recyclable (called "wishcycling") can make the sorting process more energy and cost-intensive and has the potential to even damage sorting systems and equipment.
A final note: While recycling is a good practice, the best things you can do to reduce your carbon impact are to reduce your consumption of single-use materials, re-use your trash (e.g. I keep all my jars to use as containers), and use your purchasing power to buy things made from more recyclable materials (e.g. choose a glass peanut butter jar vs. a plastic one).
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Sources
Bell, S. (2018, May 25). What Do Your Recyclables Become? Roadrunner. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/what-do-your-recyclables-become
The Best Uses for Recycled Steel. Federal Steel Supply. (2017, September 28). Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.fedsteel.com/insights/the-best-uses-for-recycled-steel/
Detwiler, L. (2023, January 2). What Happens to the Stuff You Recycle? Hendricks County Recycling District. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.recyclehendrickscounty.org/what-happens-to-the-stuff-you-recycle/
Howard, B. C., & Lake Abdelrahman, A. (2023, February 6). Exactly What Every Plastic Recycling Symbol Really Means. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/g804/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321/
O'Neill, K., & Heiges, J. (2022, January 21). What is wishcycling? Two waste experts explain. GreenBiz. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.greenbiz.com/article/what-wishcycling-two-waste-experts-explain
State of Maine. (n.d.). What Do Your Recyclables Become? Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.maine.gov/dep/waste/recycle/whatrecyclablesbecome.html
