Materials

Drinking water can come from treated sewage. Really! It’s true. Even toilet water and sewage can be refined through a process that removes contaminants like human waste, household chemicals, and industrial by-products through physical, chemical, and biological treatment so sewage can be converted back into safe drinking water. Many places around the United…

When structures made of concrete are demolished or renovated, concrete recycling is an increasingly common method of utilizing the rubble. Concrete was once routinely trucked to landfills for disposal, but recycling has a number of benefits that have made it a more attractive option in this age of greater environmental…

Among the most common of construction materials is drywall, which is used in most all modern construction projects. It is estimated that 40 tons of drywall, or gypsum, is thrown into a landfill every year. Gypsum is also very versatile as a recycling material and can be made into several…

It is becoming very common for shingles to be recycled versus being sent to a landfill. Shingle recycling is the process of taking asphalt shingles from roof tear-offs and collecting them for reuse into another product, ensuring the material does not end up in a landfill. Shingle recycling is very…

Believe it or not, even money can be repurposed and recycled. According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, shredded currency can be obtained in small amounts as pre-packaged souvenirs and in larger quantities from the Federal Reserve Bank for commercial and artistic uses. For decades, the Federal Reserve Bank…

From the beginning of the space race we have been launching objects into orbit around the earth that all have limited lifespans. Everything from satellites used for communications, mapping, weather forecasting, and GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking on earth to the booster rockets used to launch spacecraft from the hold…

Wood waste can come from many places including scraps from home renovation projects, clearing of land after storms, as part of routine property maintenance, or from commercial and residential construction. According to the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, wood makes up approximately 40 to 50 percent of residential…

According to EPA estimates there were about 290 million scrap tires generated in 2003 and at least 275 million scrap tires in stockpiles in the United States. In 1990 only 17 percent of these tires had resale markets but now 80 percent are able to be recycled or reused. Common…

With all of the different materials that go into a vehicle, it only makes sense that recycling a vehicle can have a tremendous effect on the environment. Up to 80% of a vehicle can be recycled, and most automotive industries have taken advantage of the economic benefits from recycling old…

Clothing is a very easily recyclable resource that can be repurposed in many different ways. Currently textiles are believed to make up around 5.2% of landfills. Discarding old clothing and textiles is fast becoming the rarity, as more and more people are either donating, recycling, or even reselling them. Donating…

Recycling printer and ink cartridges saves 40,000 tons of plastic and metal from landfills each year in North America. Even more beneficial than recycling used cartridges is reusing and refilling them multiple times before they are recycled. A nearly sustainable sub-industry has emerged around this very process from both local…

Plastics are woven into almost every aspect of our lives. They are used to manufacture everyday products like toys, furniture, and beverage containers. Plastics make up almost 13 percent of the municipal solid waste. The majority of plastics come from containers and packaging but they are also found in durable…