| Waste generation would be even higher if not for | | | | production of refuse derived fuel (RDF) for |
| waste prevention practices that keep materials | | | | example. |
| out of the waste stream. Material recovery starts | | | | Incineration is another option that also helps |
| at home with activities such as back-yard | | | | recover thermal content, providing an alternative |
| composting of yard waste and using mowers that | | | | source of energy usually through power |
| leave grass clippings on the lawn. | | | | generation. |
| Amazingly large tonnages of waste are simply | | | | Material recovery rates can be improved by |
| yard trimmings (garden waste). In 1998, | | | | designing products for recycling, and |
| Americans sent an enormous 27.7 million tons of | | | | improvements are taking place in that field |
| yard trimmings into the waste stream, but at | | | | especially within the car manufacturers. |
| least this was down from 35.0 million tons in 1990. | | | | The existing global scrap recycling system works |
| There is clearly a lot that needs to be done to | | | | well for a number of commonly used metals. It is |
| improve materials recovery and there are still big | | | | thought that interactions between different types |
| gains possible in waste prevention through this | | | | of recyclables and different sections of the global |
| route. | | | | market are gradually moving the market forward |
| Unfortunately, in Europe there are misguided | | | | and translating into increased demand for a |
| regulations in force involving the expenditure of | | | | number of recovered materials. |
| billions of Euros to define all discarded materials, | | | | Once the market matures and demand for |
| including recyclables and compostables, as waste, | | | | recovered materials expands there is plenty of |
| and thus it can only to be collected by waste | | | | scope for increased plastics recovery from the |
| contractors. Once in their hands it cannot be sold | | | | waste stream. Plastic film and food containers |
| on as a product because it is almost impossible to | | | | have largely not been collected to date both |
| redefine materials once categorized as waste, as | | | | because of the difficulties mentioned above and |
| anything but waste. | | | | the high contamination by virtue of the materials |
| So, in many ways material recovery is obstructed | | | | contact with food and other products. However, |
| by the rules. | | | | with other uses developing for food wastes (eg in |
| Material recovery is nevertheless taking place in | | | | using them as a premium feedstock for |
| some areas using some materials. Plastics is an | | | | Anaerobic Digestion). |
| example, materials recovery is by no means the | | | | Certainly, a reduction in plastics materials sent to |
| only way to recycle plastics, but it is favored by | | | | landfill is slowly taking place. At the same time it |
| the public and there are a growing number of | | | | will continue to be challenging to recover these |
| good uses for recycled plastic materials. Other | | | | materials, as plastic is one of the most difficult |
| than recover the materials another popular option | | | | wastes to handle both in combustion technologies |
| is to recover their thermal content, providing an | | | | and even in tiny amounts when composting. |
| alternative source of energy through the | | | | |