The Lives of Recyclables

February 26, 2019

February 26, 2019


This guest blog is courtesy of RoadRunner Recycling. The post was written by Shelby Bell at RoadRunner Recycling.


Have you ever wondered what happens to your materials after they have been tossed in the recycling bin? After collection, each material is set on its own path to become a new product. Some materials can cycle through the process indefinitely, while others can only be recycled a few times before they lose their quality. Continue reading to learn about the recyclables’ journey from the recycling bin back to the shelf.

Cardboard


Did you know, 1 ton of recycled cardboard saves 46 gallons of oil and over 9 cubic yards of landfill space? Cardboard fibers are strong and can break down many times before they lose their quality. Once cardboard travels from your recycling bin to a recycling facility, the process begins. First, a machine shreds the cardboard down to tiny pieces. During the second step, the pieces mix with water and chemicals to create a pulp which further helps break down the fibers. Then, the pulp blends with raw materials like wood chips to help it solidify. The pulp filters through a machine to remove contamination such as glue, tape, or dyes. Finally, the drying process is the last step before the production of new items. Cardboard is usually recycled to create new cardboard, paperboard, or paper bags.

Aluminum



Remember to recycle your aluminum cans; they are one of the most recyclable materials! Aluminum never loses its quality and only requires 5% of the energy used to make the original material. To begin the recycling process, machines clean, sort, and melt the cans. The melting process removes any traces of paint, coatings, and ink that is on the aluminum. After, the melted aluminum pours into massive molds called ingots. A machine rolls out the ingots to make sheets, which is the last step before the creation of new product. Recycled aluminum can become bicycles, airplane parts, new cans, and more. Aluminum soda cans can go through this whole process and be back on a store shelf in only 60 days!

Paper



From computer paper to newspapers, a variety of paper products are recyclable. The recycling process begins by sorting the paper by grade and type, such as: newspaper, computer paper, and magazines. Next, a machine shreds the paper into small pieces and washes it to remove adhesives and contaminates. No need to worry about the stray sticky note or staple! Next, the paper combines with water and chemicals to separate the fibers and create a pulp. The pulp passes through a machine to remove excess water and is then heated to create rolls of dry, thin paper. The rolls are now ready to create new products like telephone books, newspapers, toilet paper and napkins. Not only does this save trees, the process of recycling old paper into new paper saves energy too! The EPA estimates recycled paper products requires only 60% of the energy used to create products from raw materials.

Glass


The EPA states, “Producing glass from virgin materials requires 30 percent more energy than producing it from crushed, used glass.” Unlike some materials, glass never loses its quality throughout the recycling process. To begin, machines sort the glass by color so it helps the product retain its strength. Once sorted by color, the next step involves crushing the glass into small pieces referred to as cullet. The cullet moves through a screening process to remove any contamination and impurities. The last step merges the cullet with heated silica sand, limestone, and soda ash to form the finished product. Recycled glass can create new glass containers, or even counter tops, flooring, sewer pipes, and more! Glass recycling has a very quick turnaround – they can go from the recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days!

Plastic


If you have ever wondered what the number inside the recycling symbol on your plastic containers mean, it is to help identify the type of plastic. The recycling process begins by sorting the plastics by their recycling symbol (or resin number). Sorting is important because different plastics create different products. After sorting, a machine shreds and washes the plastic to remove impurities like labels or food residue. The next stop is the furnace, where the plastic melts down and is finally ready to create new plastic goods. Recycled plastics can create beverage containers, detergent bottles, playground equipment, and even clothing! This process only requires two-thirds of the energy needed to manufacture plastic from raw materials.


Understanding the recycling process helps clarify why it is important to recycle smarter. Recycling correctly will retain the quality of the materials, increase their life-cycles, and save a significant amount of energy. All of this starts by sorting your recyclables and taking the necessary steps to keeping them valuable. If you have any questions about the recycling process, contact us!


Sources: www.utahrecycles.org, The EPA



This original blog can be viewed online.


Disclaimer: Guest blogs represent the opinion of the writers and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.

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Circular Action Alliance

By Sophie Leone • August 25, 2026
Circular Action Alliance (CAA) was founded in 2022 and is a U.S. Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). As a PRO they are dedicated to the implementation of effective Extended Producer Responsibility laws for paper and packaging. CAA operates as the single PRO in California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington. Additionally, they are the only organization that is approved to implement U.S. EPR laws for paper and packaging. CAA's dedicated and important work is built off a comprehensive list of strategic operating principles. These principles include delivering cost effective services, supporting and incentivizing innovation in packaging design, supporting responsible end markets, and enhancing the collection of covered materials. CAA not only works with the producers but with the greater industry as well, providing free webinars, public resources, state updates, and more. "We're excited to join NERC and contribute to its long legacy of regional collaboration," said Bridget Anderson, Director of Emerging States at Circular Action Alliance. "As we implement EPR programs in multiple states, organizations like NERC help us better understand regional nuances and trends in the recycling system." NERC is excited to welcome the Circular Action Alliance. As a fellow non-profit, we look forward to supporting their growing impact and the important work they do with EPR. For more information on CAA visit.

G&A's Sustainability Highlights

By Access Newswire • August 20, 2026
We are more than halfway through 2026, making this a good moment to reflect on what stands out from all the recent change in the sustainability landscape. We review news about sustainability all week, every week, but we also work closely with clients in a range of industries who are dealing with the daily work of environmental protection, social advancement, governance integrity, and - perhaps the most complicated aspect - how to talk about it all. So, while the loudest headlines have been about retreat in regulations, target-setting, hiring, and corporate reporting, there is another truth worth telling: what companies do has not changed much. The stories in this issue of Sustainability Highlights explore the two sides of this contrast. In Forbes, Anjali Chaudhry assembles the numbers behind "greenhushing." EcoVadis found 87% of U.S. companies maintained or increased sustainability investment in 2025 and only 7% cut, while 31% of executives invested more and said less. Forbes investigated whether the silence paid off, and found it was not the safe harbor companies expected: 98% of businesses in a 2026 procurement survey had lost contract opportunities for not sharing sustainability credentials. Standard-setters may have a sense of why this is. In Eco-Business, Global Reporting Initiative chief executive Robin Hodess says GRI has seen no decline in reporting numbers, with four in five of the largest global companies still using GRI Standards. Offering a clue about why reporting has stayed strong this year, she makes a business case for robust disclosures: "I've never met an investor who wants less information." The size and tenor of the comment file received by the SEC over the past few months bears out Hodess' view. As Responsible Investor reports, Vanguard - the world's second-largest asset manager - is the largest investor to oppose scrapping the climate rules, telling the Commission there is value in standardized, comparable disclosure of material risks - climate among them. TIAA and Nuveen argued for a simplified rule rather than none, warning of a "mosaic of state-specific requirements." If sustainability were receding, we wouldn't be hearing about more hours for lawyers. Corporate Disclosures picked up Side by Side , our new research with Ropes & Gray, and led with a finding that surprised us too: 39% of the sustainability professionals surveyed now report into the legal department, against 17% reporting to the CEO. According to 87% of them, and 84% of their legal counterparts, interaction has increased because of regulation. California's climate laws and the CSRD each were named by 75% of our respondents as the most pressing reason for greater collaboration between legal and sustainability teams. Majorities in both groups expected legal's role to grow; not a single respondent expected it to shrink. Capital is moving the same way. ESG Dive reports U.S. sustainable funds drew roughly $3 billion in the second quarter - the first positive quarter since 2022, ending 14 straight quarters of outflows and lifting assets to a record $398 billion. But the developments also show signs of caution: the money went to passive strategies, active funds shed $3.6 billion, and 22 funds closed against three launches. Other timely news delves into AI's role in sustainability matters. Inside Climate News reports on applications increasing oil and gas output, MIT Sloan cites the climate costs and benefits of AI tools, and we found two takes on whether data centers and clean power can share a grid. These stories paint the backdrop for our new issue brief on Responsible AI Due Diligence , which is a guide to the OECD's first guidance for the AI value chain. On circularity, the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is in force this month, including PFAS limits on food-contact packaging. The Northeast Recycling Council has mapped policies on producer stewardship in 11 U.S. states, offering useful context for our resource paper on the EU's PPWR and our EPR support work. Also inside: $20 billion in climate grants unblocked on appeal, and the world's largest carbon removal plant due online by year's end. This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue. Read on Access Newswire .

Bethlehem First Selectman Provides Update on Disposal of Tires at Transfer Station

By Nancy Dzija Vaughan | Prime Publishers • August 12, 2026
BETHLEHEM – First Selectman Raymond Butkus provided an update to the Board of Selectmen last Tuesday that included an announcement regarding the disposal of tires at the transfer station. Mr. Butkus said the CT Tire Stewardship program has gone into effect, According to the Northeast Recycling Council website, “the Connecticut Tire Stewardship (CTS) is the nonprofit organization responsible for implementing Connecticut’s Tire Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program. Working with municipal transfer stations, tire retailers, auto shops, car dealerships, and other collection partners, CTS helps ensure discarded tires are responsibly collected, recycled, and put to beneficial new uses.” The website goes on to state, “Approximately 3.5 million tires reach the end of their useful life in Connecticut each year. Through its statewide Roll Recycle Renew program, CTS provides residents with free tire recycling opportunities while giving municipalities a practical solution for managing scrap tires. By making responsible disposal more accessible, the program helps reduce illegal dumping, protect waterways and natural resources, and keep tires out of landfills.” Mr. Butkus said town residents will now be able to bring most tires to the town transfer at no cost. Tires will be accepted both on and off the rim. The exception is large tractor tires, tires for construction equipment, or excessively dirty tires. These tires will still ne accepted, however, there will be a fee for disposal. Mr. Butkus also reported that he held a meeting last week regarding the rewiring of the computer equipment at Town Hall. The project is expected to begin this week and will likely be completed by August 20. A new monitor has been located in the hallway of Town Hall. This monitor will be used to display a list of upcoming meetings along with announcements and photographs. Read on Prime Publishers .