Type of Waste Recycling

Waste recycling is one of the most effective ways of conserving the environment. Apart from ensuring that the environment is kept clean, recycling ensures that there is minimal exposure of waste materials in the environment. There are several types of waste recycling based on several factors that include the type of waste and how the recycling is done.

Based on Materials

When it comes to classification of recycling methods based on materials, recycling can be classified into numerous categories – due to existence of numerous types of wastes. Examples include food and green waste recycling. Food waste includes both cooked and uncooked foods.  Green waste includes leaves, weed, shrubs, grass, tree barks etc. Other recycling categories based on material waste being recycled include textile recycling; glass recycling; wood recycling; metal recycling; plastic recycling; and cardboard and waste paper recycling.

Based on Method Applied

Recycling has different meanings, but the results are the same in the various applications. Recycling may involve reusing the material or item as it is, recycling the raw material, or energy recovery.

• Energy Recovery: in some instances, recycling some materials may not be good for the environment – or might not make economic sense. For instance, there are situations where recycling plastics is not advisable for ecological reasons. In these situations, the plastic can be used as a source of energy for industries. Using the plastic residue as energy resource enables the industries to save on the use of natural resources such as petroleum.
• Recycling raw material: this is when a particular product or material is recycled and used to produce a similar material. For instance, recycled plastic can be used to manufacture new plastic.
• Reusing the Material: this is the recycling method where a particular product or item becomes useless for its specific function it was designed for, but can find new, useful functions in another set up. The product may have to undergo modifications to suit the new functions.

Based on system

Classification based on systems categorises recycling into three categories: commingled recyclables; source separation, and; mixed waste collection. Mixed collections involve mixing the products to be recycled with other waste materials. This is the opposite of source separation, where these materials are sorted and cleaned. The commingled system involves mixing the recyclable waste – but keeping garbage separately.

Whichever type of recycling you prefer, efforts should be put to ensure that maximum gains are made out of the recycling process.