Recyclable Materials List - What Can Be Recycled
We all know that recycling can help us do our bit for the environment but it isn’t always easy to know exactly what can be recycled. By following this recyclable materials list you can ensure that you are recycling the right items and aren’t missing any recycling opportunities.
WHAT MATERIALS CAN BE RECYCLED?
CONCRETE AND RUBBLE
On commercial or residential, construction or demolition projects large amounts of concrete and rubble waste can be produced. This waste often fills up skips and is taken straight to landfill taking up large amounts of space and going unused.
Concrete and rubble can be recycled and re-used on building and construction project such as the development of new homes. Old concrete and rubble can be broken down into hardcore, which can be used for foundational building work, raising flooring levels and in the lower layers of road construction.
On a project with large amounts of concrete and rubble waste be sure to check that your waste management service is recycling or reusing it. At Ron Hull, we offer a brick and rubble recycling service so you can ensure that your waste is going to good use.
WOOD AND TIMBER
One of the best attributes of wood and timber is how environmentally friendly it can be. It is a biodegradable material so you don’t have to worry about it sitting in a landfill, however, when wood waste is recycled correctly it can go on to have many other uses.
Wood and timber waste can be found in wooden pallets, joinery off-cuts and old worktop surfaces, garden sheds, wooden furniture and green waste. The raw materials from these old or on wanted items can be used in a variety of new ways including chipboard, laminate flooring, panelling boards for decking and animal bedding to name a few.
If you are looking to recycle wood and Timber waste then take a look at our wood recycling service to see how we can help you.
METAL
Metals are some of the most commonly recycled materials for both households and industry.
They are also easy to recycle as they can be melted down and reformed into an entirely new product.
Some of the most commonly recycled metals include steel, copper, aluminium and brass.
Not all metals are as recyclable as each other for example, steel has a 100% recyclable rate resulting in very little of the material being lost in the process. Aluminium, on the other hand, is only 67% recyclable; although it is still far more environmentally friendly to use recycled aluminium than producing it for first use.
Here at Ron Hull, we offer a scrap metal consultancy service which provides businesses with an environmentally friendly service that can recover the maximum financial return on your recyclable metal. We also provide records and an audit trail, so you can rest assured that we’ve fulfilled our duties.
GLASS
Glass is thankfully another material that is easy to recycle and can be done so through most residential recycling programs. Glass is 100% recyclable allowing it to be reused infinitely to make new glass products.
By recycling glass we can help reduce our carbon footprint, for every 1000 tones of glass that is recycled around 314 tones of CO2 is saved, which could have harmed the environment.
Large scale glass recycling is used in a variety of different industries from pubs to destruction centres. Ron Hull provides a glass recycling service perfect for businesses that want to reduce their carbon footprint.
PLASTICS
Plastic, if not recycled correctly will stay around for a long time as it isn’t biodegradable. It can take up a lot of space in landfills, endanger wildlife and release harmful chemicals into the environment.
Plastic is found in many items we use every day but the largest contributor to the build-up of plastic waste is packaging such as drinks cups, bottles and food containers.
For large businesses, waste packaging can build up quickly and need regular disposal. At Ron Hull, we offer a plastic recycling service that collects and recycles plastic on the behalf of businesses.
Take a look at how our plastic recycling service can help your business.
ELECTRICAL WASTE, E-WASTE AND WEEE
With the ever increasing demand for electronic appliances, comes the increase of electrical waste. Electrical waste can be difficult to recycle and presents problems such as the release of toxic chemicals into the environment.
However, if electrical waste is recycled correctly many of the key components can be reused which reduces there effect on the environment.
Examples of recyclable e-waste include large appliances eg. fridges freezers, small appliances eg. vacuum cleaners, IT and telecommunications equipment eg. computers, lighting equipment such as fluorescent tubes.
These are just a few examples of the items that are fit for electrical waste recycling. Take a look at the full list of items for WEEE waste recycling and learn how Ron Hull can help recycle your e-waste.
PAPER AND CARDBOARD
Paper and cardboard are both materials that are commonly recycled around the house. Recycling paper and cardboard doesn’t just save energy, it also reduces the number of trees that are cut down.
It’s important to note that different types of paper are more effective to recycle than others.
Untreated paper is around 67% recyclable due to it containing fewer chemicals than treated paper. Treated paper is paper that has been coloured such as office paper, this has a lower recyclable rate of 47% due to the added difficulty attached by its processing.
Sadly not all paper and cardboard can be recycled. Paper and cardboard that has been in contact with food won’t be able to be recycled. For example, a pizza box isn’t fit for recycling due to the leftover grease from the food.
When recycling be sure to separate these items to help the recycling process.
ORGANIC
Organic waste is arguably the simplest material to recycle as it can be done from home. Organic waste includes any item that comes from a plant or animal and is biodegradable. For example, this could include food scraps and garden trimmings.
Due to these materials being biodegradable they will decompose over time. This allows them to be placed in compost bins where they can decompose and be used for fertilizer.
Larger organic waste that isn’t suitable for composting, such as tree branches can be disposed of at most UK tips sites.
RUBBER AND TYRES
Rubber isn’t typically a material that many think to recycle or reuse but in doing so you can massively help reduce your carbon footprint. By recycling just 4 tyres you could reduce carbon emissions by 146kg.
Rubber can be recycled in 3 different ways:
Rubber products can be refurbished and given a new use, for example, old tyres can be refurbished and used again.
Rubber can be broken down and used for a new purpose such as rubber floor mats.
Finally, rubber can be used as a source of fuel. SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel) is made of a variety of unused materials which are then burnt at high temperatures to ensure harmful gasses aren’t released into the environment. This doesn’t just give rubber products a second use but also reduces the need for fossil fuels.
By following this recyclable materials list we hope that you have a better idea of what can be recycled.
At Ron Hull, we help businesses with all their waste management needs including recycling. We pride ourselves on our cradle to the grave policies and commitment to environmentally friendly practice.
Get in contact today to learn more about how we can help.