Recycle Containers in Campus Recycling

Recycle Containers in Campus

Recycling involves processing used materials into new and usable products to prevent wastage, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy wastage, and reduce air pollution which conventional incineration would cause water pollution.

Ideally recycling is a process. It's a sequence of activities in a ring, that includes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "the separation and collection of materials that otherwise would be considered waste, the processing and remanufacturing of these items into new products, and the use of the recycled products to complete the cycle."

Ideally, recycling of a material should result into a fresh supply of the same material, for instance used torn clothes for new clothes. However this has proven to be expensive as compared to using raw material of the same to produce fresh product. Due to this, the alternative recycling method which involves the reuse of the product to produce different material, for instance use of waste office paper to produce cardboard and paperboards.

Another form of recycling would involve salvage of some materials from the used products. This may be due to their intrinsic value for instance lead in car batteries, gold in old computers or due to their hazardous nature like mercury from laboratory equipment and trophies.

In BC, there has been a rise in open yard disposal of used material and rampant littering in the rooms which for long has been an eyesore. It is with these in mind that the necessity of recycle bins comes up. These recycle bins can be applied in institutions in strategic areas like in employee break rooms, near printers, under desks, near vending machines and near any manufacturing processes that generate recyclable materials.

Recycle bins in BC is a concept that is highly valued as it perpetuates the safe environment idea and economic benefits at the higher levels. Public recycle bins will start from the small step bins by the desk of an individual, which enables him or her to keep the office or personal space clean. The next level rises to the trash bins on the walk paths and the lawn. Then the recycle bin concept will rise to the trash collection trucks level. This is in a larger scale which enables BC to get rid of the used material from the whole for a possible recycling in the recycle firms. These enable individuals dispose the used can, packets, papers, paper bags etc. safely to avoid environmental pollution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates an average recycling rate of 32.5% across different products and industries. The EPA puts a further 12.5% to be burned in incineration facilities, leading to atmospheric pollution, while the remaining 55%, which accounts for over half of the estimated 251 million tons of solid waste America produces in a year, are deposited in the landfills throughout the country.

Clearly this gives room for need of more recycling to be done.

Taking into account the statistical figures above, BC will in the long run contribute to the environmental conservation, reduction of inappropriate waste disposal and help in the recycling process.

There are several modes recycling waste and these depend on the particular material or substance. Some recycling techniques will prove to be higher than others. For instance it is practical that recycling aluminum cans will be more expensive that the cost incurred in recycling office paper or thin plastic bags (Pace Butler Corporation, 2007).

Economic and environmental benefits of recycling.

Recycling helps to conserve resources like coal and petroleum for coming generations. The present generation can reduce the consumption of natural resources to make new items by using recycled items, hence more resources available for the future generations.

Another benefit is that recycling waste products is that it helps cut down on the amount of green house gas emissions into the atmosphere. The manufacturing firms release a significant amount of green house gases into the atmosphere leading to the depletion of the ozone layer reducing its ability to block ultraviolet radiation from penetrating the atmosphere. With the depletion of the ozone, there results global warming and also the ultraviolet rays affect the skin and eyes.

There is money in recycling waste. Within BC, homes, hospitals and many other institutions there are bound to be some items that are left to lie without use for years. These might just one day end up in the dumpsites. Cell phones, ink cartridges, broken refrigerators, broken down cars etc. could earn one money if taken for recycling (Midwest Fiber, 2009).

Recycling also creates jobs. There are many stages through which an aluminum can will go through. From collection from the recycle bins in BC, the driver, the carriers, the off loaders, the recycle plant operators, etc. all benefit from the recycling process. So as the environment will be conserved, there will be no loss of jobs at the same time.

Recycling also helps in building a strong economy. When recycling is done in a wide scale like it is done in the U.S.A. And countries like Japan, it has a huge impact in terms of energy cost reduction, job creations, resource conservation (The League of Women Voters, 1993). These put together contribute to building a strong economy.

The continued recycling of material also makes governments, businesses and other institutions choose programs and apply policies in consideration of preserving and respecting the environment. The efficient recycling will push these institutions to pass policies and each time considers the environment and the consequences the policies will have on the environment.

Disposing waste in the landfills is definitely not the safest mode of getting rid of waste. Baird & Colin (2004), inform that "there is a possibility of harmful chemicals from the solid waste in these landfills contaminating underground water reserves." Burning and incineration of the solid waste may be effective and generate energy but risks increment of air pollution.

Recycling can also act as a promoter of scientific discoveries and advancement in recyclable and biodegradable wastes/material. As more is recycled, there are more materials that come up as hard to recycle. For instance the tetra pack for long proved to be a challenge to recycle. It forced recycle firms to put more emphasis into the research on how to recycle it. This leads to more and more waste material being efficiently recycled.