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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Apparel Impact

By Sophie Leone • February 12, 2026
Established in 2015, Apparel Impact has been working within their community to reduce textile waste, fight clothing insecurity, create jobs, and ensure those in the community in need of clothing never go without. This family and veteran owned company is built on the foundation of disruption for good. The Apparel Impact team has been working to make real changes in an industry that has remained the same for many decades. They continuously push for transparency, accountability, and working solutions in the field. Today Apparel Impact works with over 1,800 partners and locations, including schools, towns, nonprofits, national brands, and small businesses across six states. Apparel Impact is also working to bring textile sorting and grading capacity back to the Northeast, while launching upcycling brands aimed at scaling textile reuse across the region. For Apparel Impact, it is all about “changing the way people think about clothing, proving a for-profit company can still put people and communities first, and making sure what we collect helps someone’s life, not a landfill.” Their impact and reach continue to grow every year. “Textile recovery only works at scale. It takes leadership, accountability, and real collaboration across states and sectors. We joined NERC because we believe in building infrastructure that actually changes outcomes, not just talking about it. We’re proud to stand with the NERC and others in the Northeast who are ready to move the industry forward.” NERC is excited to welcome Apparel Impact to our growing group of textile focused members. We look forward to amplifying their voice and helping to expand textile recovery in any way we can. For more information on Apparel Impact visit.

Sensoneo

By Sophie Leone • February 12, 2026
For more than a decade, Sensoneo has been driving innovation across the waste and recycling industry worldwide. Headquartered in Europe and active in more than 80 countries, the company has recently expanded into the United States by opening its Boston office. From the outset, its mission has been clear: to help cities, businesses, and governments address two of the sector’s most pressing challenges—operational efficiency and data transparency. Sensoneo brings proven, large-scale experience, operating nationwide end-to-end IT platforms for deposit return systems (bottle bill programs) in nine countries and supporting Extended Producer Responsibility programs with robust data management, reporting, and compliance tools. Its smart waste solutions power the world’s largest deployment of sensor-based waste-monitoring technology, enabling municipalities and facilities to optimize collection operations. “With the launch of our U.S. subsidiary, we are excited to expand collaboration with organizations advancing sustainable materials management and stronger recycling systems,” said Martin Nestepny, CEO of Sensoneo USA. “As a global technology partner, Sensoneo supports PROs, recyclers, and policymakers with actionable data to enhance program performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and deliver measurable environmental outcomes - priorities that closely align with NERC’s mission.” NERC is pleased to welcome Sensoneo to its growing membership and looks forward to supporting the company’s work to improve performance and drive greater effectiveness across the waste and recycling industry. For more information on Sensoneo visit.

Planet Aid

By Sophie Leone • January 20, 2026
Planet Aid is a nonprofit established in 1997 to divert clothes and shoes from the U.S. waste stream and fundraise for community development programs around the world. With thousands of donation bins and centers across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, Planet Aid’s mission is to inspire positive change by making it easy for donors, partners and communities to take small steps that add up to a big impact. Over three decades, Planet Aid has collected more than two billion pounds of clothes and shoes for reuse. These donations have helped Planet Aid raise more than $100 million to fund community-led projects in the U.S., Africa, Asia, and Latin America. With headquarters just outside Baltimore, MD, Planet Aid serves thousands of communities in 14 states, including New York, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and more. For those without a yellow collection bin or white donation center nearby, they've developed a donation through mail option. By partnering with Give Back Box, you can pack up and mail your donation items directly to their thrift store. This inclusive approach allows them to reach more communities, diverting even more waste that may have gone to a landfill or incinerator. “Planet Aid is excited to join NERC, an organization that shares our goals of minimizing waste, conserving natural resources, and advancing a sustainable economy,” said Uli Stosch, Planet Aid’s Chief Officer of Strategic Development. “We looking forward to collaborating with NERC’s members to help U.S. communities in the Northeast minimize textile waste while maximizing reuse to limit the negative impacts of fast fashion.” NERC is excited to welcome Planet Aid into our growing group of nonprofit members. We look forward to helping share the excellent work they are doing in the NE and around the world. For more information on Planet Aid visit.