1.4.10

Recycling

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Reducing the Use of Resources

Our use of resources can be reduced by reusing and recycling existing materials or by encouraging people to use them less. This could:

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Reduce waste production

  • If materials are not reused or recycled, the materials are "waste" and accumulate in landfill sites.
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Reduce environmental damage

  • Resource extraction can cause significant environmental damage.
  • More recycling and reusing materials can reduce resource extraction (like mining).
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Increased efficiency

  • Increased efficiency in terms of both cost and energy consumption.
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Sustainability

  • Ensure the preservation of raw materials for use by future generations.

Recycling Metals

The process of recycling involves melting metals before reshaping them. Recycling is preferable to mining and extracting new resources for the following reasons:

Reducing the Use of Glass

Some glass products, such as bottles, can be reused as they are (in their current form). Glass products that can’t be reused can be recycled to make other glass products. The process of recycling glass involves four steps:

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Sort

  • Glass products are sorted for recycling by colour and chemical composition.

Jump to other topics

1Physical Chemistry

1.1Atoms, Molecules & Stoichiometry

1.2Atomic Structure

1.3Chemical Bonding

1.4States of Matter

1.5Chemical Energetics

1.6Electrochemistry

1.7Equilibria

1.8Partition Coefficient

1.9Reaction Kinetics

2Inorganic Chemistry

3Organic Chemistry & Analysis

3.1Introduction to Organic Chemistry

3.2Hydrocarbons

3.3Halogen Derivatives

3.4Hydroxy Compounds

3.5Carbonyl Compounds

3.6Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives

3.7Nitrogen Compounds

3.8Polymerisation

3.9Analytical Techniques

3.10Organic Synthesis

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