Where Do the Recycled Materials Go?

It’s very well sending your unwanted substances and materials off to be recycled, but how many of us know where it is that they end up? There are many different types of recyclable materials, and each one creates a different end product; due to this all materials are sent to very specific locations in order for them to undergo the transformation process.

The Benefits of Recycling

There are many reasons as to why we should all do our bit and recycle; for instance if you recycle your rubbish rather than throw it away you are reducing the amount of waste that is being sent the landfills and incinerators.

Recycling also reduces the amount of pollution that is being released into our atmosphere as new materials do not need to be sourced; in turn this means that we are helping to sustain our environment for future generations.

What Happens to My Metal?
When you recycle your aluminium it is taken away and shredded before it is melted down to produce aluminium ingots – these ingots are purchased by a number of companies to create car parts, plane parts and sometimes another can that you will drink from.

Steel is a better metal to recycle than aluminium as it can be recycled and processed repeatedly; steel is often melted and combined with other ores and materials which are rolled into sheets to make more cans.

Where does the Glass go?

Glass can be recycled into many things – when the glass is recycled it is taken to a site where it is crushed and mixed with other materials to produce new glass bottles. The glass bottles are created as the mixture is heated in a furnace and blow or moulded to create new glass products; these products can include car windscreens, glass jars and bottles as well as unusual items such as bricks, insulation and pool filters.

Plastics and Paper

Recycling paper is often a very simple process; the paper is taken to a paper mill where water is added to create a pulp. This pulp is then processed where it is cleaned and screened before it is made into new materials such as ordinary paper, cardboard, and tissue. Newspapers are also made through this process and are made of 100% recycled newsprint.

Plastics go through a longer process as they are so useful and can be recycled so often – the process begins with the plastic arriving at the site where it can follow a number of different paths. The plastic can be shredded, melted, washed or moulded into something different; some of the products that are made from recycled plastic are bottles, insulation, fleece jackets, garden furniture and drinking cups.

For more information on recyclable materials and what can be done with your scrap metal you can get in touch with us here at Taroni Metal, we’d be more than happy to help you with and queries or questions that you may have.