| To stop rubbish pollution by recycling is much | | | | To meet that demand modern recycling requires |
| harder for society to achieve than the old | | | | large-scale centralised processing facilities dealing |
| methods of "use it once and throw it away". We | | | | with unsorted waste. These will combine long |
| all realise this but before we get carried away | | | | standing favourites such as magnetic extraction |
| with the idea of "zero waste" and the end of | | | | of ferrous metals, separation of glass and other |
| landfills, let's think for a while about the four | | | | metals prior to composting (aerobic) and digestion |
| essentials of successful recycling. | | | | (anaerobic - in the absence of air)or incineration |
| Like it or not experience has shown that all four | | | | for energy recovery. |
| have to be in place, and working properly before | | | | The large investment required for centralised |
| a stable recycling system can work efficiently and | | | | plants makes them difficult projects to undertake, |
| allow investors confidence to lend their money to | | | | but the benefit in terms of the volume of waste |
| the entrepreneurs society needs so badly to pick | | | | handled is correspondingly high. |
| up the challenge and make their green business | | | | An alternative choice to minimise centralised |
| work profitably for them and at lowest cost to | | | | processing plant requirements is to instigate |
| the community. | | | | kerbside (on collection vehicle sorting) for kerbside |
| Each element needs to work properly, if recycling | | | | door-to-door recycling collections. These so-called |
| is to happen. To re-state a well-worn truism, | | | | 'kerbside' recycling collection vehicles are also |
| recycling is more than simply collecting and sorting | | | | becoming more common, but require |
| waste - it needs to be processed and sold into a | | | | conscientious and well trained operators who must |
| stable market for a profit to the operator, as well. | | | | work outside in all weathers. |
| The rest of this article looks at each of these | | | | Kerbside collections for recycling materials has a |
| elements in turn. | | | | lower cost than central processing, but may not |
| 1. Legislative Framework | | | | be suitable for many low-density rural districts nor |
| A legislative framework of reasonable | | | | for high-density inner-city areas with |
| sophistication is needed to ensure that adequate | | | | concentrations of tower blocks. |
| drivers are present and sufficient stability exists | | | | In the end, no one model will be suitable |
| within emerging markets in commodities hitherto | | | | throughout the country; and a combination of |
| thought of as rubbish within any economy. | | | | different collection and sorting methods will be |
| Without laws and regulations which are all about | | | | used. |
| raising recycling rates and minimising landfill, it may | | | | 3. Processing |
| not be possible to raise the credibility of many | | | | By definition, recycling involves not just collection, |
| recycling markets being long-term and profitable | | | | but processing of the material before it is re-used. |
| sufficiently for them to become so. Such faith | | | | So, for instance, a returnable milk bottle is re-used |
| that government will back recyclers, is needed to | | | | rather than recycled because there is no |
| kick-start recycling companies to form, and keep | | | | intermediate processing before the re-use. |
| it going for long enough for the theory to become | | | | It is therefore necessary to develop efficient, |
| self fulfilling; and it seems that passing laws to | | | | economic processing systems for recovered |
| make it happen is the only way. | | | | materials. The development of recycling |
| 2. Collection and Sorting | | | | processes is essentially a task for industry. But |
| Until the mid-2000s, recycling was most often | | | | this cannot be divorced from the other parts of |
| been associated with bottle bins and paper banks. | | | | the chain. |
| These are the so-called 'bring' systems. These | | | | At times, the solution to processing problems can |
| systems of banks or bins are certain to continue | | | | lie in changing the collection or sorting procedures. |
| to play an important but proportionately | | | | As an example, the way forward for plastics |
| diminishing role in recycling for the foreseeable | | | | recycling may be to develop processes which |
| future. | | | | allow mixed plastics to be used for a wider range |
| The number and diversity of recycling banks | | | | of applications. |
| (from large Household Waste Recycling Centres | | | | On the other hand, the answer may well be to |
| to community skip bays) needs to and is | | | | devise a means of separating the different |
| increasing. This process has been repeating itself | | | | polymers before they reach the factory where |
| for at least the last 15 years. For example the | | | | they are used. |
| glass manufacturers doubled the present number | | | | Governments should really offer financial support |
| over the last approximately 5 years. The steel | | | | to companies developing recycling technologies as |
| industry intends to have can banks for every | | | | this sort of general research will be high cost and |
| person requiring a 5 times growth. | | | | rarely justifiable for one company to finance on a |
| As well as the traditional materials of paper and | | | | commercial basis. |
| glass, banks for textiles, plastic and metal cans | | | | Markets |
| new methods of working resulting from raised | | | | Last, but by no means least, recycling needs |
| investment levels, are now common. The way | | | | markets. No markets, means no recycling. |
| forward for "bring' systems seems to be evolving | | | | The Government needs to help encourage new |
| as these centres take so many different | | | | markets which will inherently be unstable when |
| materials and become micro-recycling centres, | | | | just getting started, due to (if nothing else) their |
| which provide smaller containers for a range of | | | | low volume and initial large swings in supply and |
| materials nearer to people's homes. | | | | demand month by month. |
| Since then, in the UK, kerbside collections (with | | | | Conclusion |
| separate containers supplied by the collection | | | | Governments should not be seeking to reduce |
| contractor) have been introduced in most areas | | | | rubbish pollution by household rubbish recycling at |
| along with alternating fortnightly collections of | | | | all costs. But a target of recycling of up to 50% |
| residual and green waste. The wastes collected in | | | | of domestic waste is achievable and |
| the recyclates bin cover a range of materials. | | | | environmentally justified to stop current high |
| These collections are described as source | | | | levels of rubbish pollution. |
| segregated clean materials. | | | | The level of recycling activity is increasing |
| As the number of recyclate streams has | | | | significantly throughout much of the world. Public |
| increased so has the complexity of rubbish | | | | willingness to participate in rubbish pollution |
| pollution reduction by managing the business of | | | | reducing recycling schemes is undoubted. Indeed, |
| getting the recycled materials streams to the | | | | separation by the householder for recycling is |
| market and transporting them to the user. Source | | | | becoming a habit rather than a passing fad. |
| segregated waste still arrives mixed with for | | | | Mainstream manufacturing industry has been |
| example, paper and cans and plastic bottles, and | | | | forced to accept that it has a greater |
| must be further processed to separate those | | | | responsibility for waste resulting from its |
| materials, before they can go to market. | | | | products, than ever was the case before. |
| Also, never forget that the residual waste will still | | | | In the United Kingdom, and throughout Europe, |
| contain much that can be recycled and in many | | | | plus in many other nations; the many government |
| districts public willingness to recycle will only be | | | | recycling incentives are beginning to have the |
| sufficient up to 2010 to meet the EU recycling | | | | desired effect. |
| and landfill diversion targets, which if not met will | | | | With the four essentials listed here, in place and |
| result in hefty fines for the UK government. | | | | working, the public with help from local authorities, |
| So, now the waste industry must start to | | | | waste disposal contractors and industry can |
| introduce much more comprehensive processing | | | | recycle most of their rubbish and stop rubbish |
| of the residual (black bag) Municipal Solid Waste | | | | pollution. |
| (MSW). | | | | |