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UT RECYCLES, UT CARES |
Why Should You Recycle?
Life Cycle of Materials
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Life Cycle of Plastics
From the recycling bin plastic and aluminum cans (collected together) are transported to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). At the MRF the plastic and aluminum are separated using a conveyor belt and magnets. The plastic is then sent to a second MRF where the material is sorted into groups according to the type of plastic. Plastic number 1 (PET) is separated from plastics number 2-7. The plastic number 1 is then sent to a manufacturing plant in Georgia where it is used in making carpet. Plastic numbers 2-7 is sent to a manufacturing plant in Alabama where it is made into more plastic containers and lawn furniture.
From the recycling bin, paper is taken to a Materials Reprocessing Facility (MRF) where it is compressed into bales. The bales of paper are then shipped to a mill in Georgia where it is combined with virgin wood to make low grade papers such as paper towels and toilet tissue.
From the recycling bin aluminum cans and plastic containers (collected together) are transported to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). At the MRF the aluminum cans and plastic containers are separated using a conveyor belt and magnets. The aluminum cans are then sent to a manufacturing company (Alcoa) where they are melted down and formed into long sheets of metal. The metal sheets are shipped to drink manufactures around the world and made into new aluminum cans.
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The average person
generated 2.7 pounds of waste each day in 1960. In 2000, the rate was 4.5
pounds-per-person-per-day. ---EPA
Web Site 99 percent of all
beer cans and 97 percent of all soda cans are made of aluminum. ---EPA
Web Site Paper and
paperboard constituted the largest portion of the ---EPA
Web Site Manufacturing a can
from recycled aluminum requires only 5 percent as much energy as making the same
can from virgin ore. ---EPA
Web Site Recycling one tons
of aluminum saves 37 barrels of oil. ---"Outline of Talking Points for NRDC Leadership Briefing."
White House Council on Environmental Quality. Recycling paper
uses 60 percent less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin timber. ---EPA
Web Site The lifespan of a
can is six weeks on average. This includes the time it takes for a beverage can
to be manufactured, filled, sold, recycled, and remanufactured. ---EPA
Web Site Recycling decreases
emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change by
decreasing the energy needed to make products from virgin materials, reducing
emissions from incinerators and landfills, and slowing the harvest of trees,
thereby maintaining carbon dioxide storage provided by the forests. ---"Puzzled About Recycling's Value? Look Beyond the Bin."
Environmental Protection Agency. January, 1998. Pg. 8-9. Nine jobs are
created for every 15,000 tons recycled vs. one job for every 15,000 tons
landfilled. ---"Outline of Talking Points for NRDC Leadership Briefing."
White House Council on Environmental Quality. Did you know???
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Recycling 101 is a
short, educational and informative presentation on the UT Recycles, UT
Cares program. In ten minutes
the topics of why recycling is important, how recycling is facilitated on
campus, and what happens to material after it leaves the campus are all
discussed. This program is
designed for staff and organizational meetings. |
For more information on The University of Tennessee
recycling program please contact:
Jay Price, Environmental Coordinator
974-3480
recycle@utk.edu