Bailey Lail

Senior Project Paper

2016-2017
Americans generated about 254 million tons of trash, recycled and
composted, this is about 87 million tons of this material, equivalent to a 34.3
percent recycling rate. On average, we recycled and composted 1.51 pounds of our
individual waste generation of 4.40 pounds per person per day. (EPA) Recycling is
something that all Americans should take part in because of the incredible
difference it makes environmentally. But some materials have a bigger impact over
others. Materials like glass and metal are better to recycle due to their sustainability
and the minimal process. While materials like paper and plastic cannot be
considered the best materials to recycle because these materials are unable to be
continuously recycled, which is untenable for recycling. But also because of the long
and work intensive process behind paper and plastic.
One must consider when looking at which materials are best to recycle, not
only the process of the individual materials, but also the separation that takes place
when recycling reaches an MRF (Material Recovery Facility). Recycling that needs to
be separated once it reaches an MRF is known as single stream recycling. This
process is the easiest for the average person because all of the recycling goes into
one bin, rather than having to separate the materials into separate bins upfront.
Once the materials reach the MRF they are unloaded onto a conveyer belt, where it
travels further into the MRF and the separation begins. The materials go through a
v-screen separator, which divides out paper items, such as card board and
newspapers. The most popular v-screen separator is the air separator, which is

revolutionizing the recycling separation for single stream. The V-Screen Separator is
set up so that the machine itself does not need to be supervised by a person, it runs
on its own (Ohio Blow Pipe, 2). MRFs have transformed the machines used to
increase the productivity of recycling and lower the cost by reducing the amount of
labor needed. The V-screen separator is an amazing machine which can not only
detects paper, but any singular material and pull that material out from all others.
This machine has transformed the recycling industry, in not only paper but also for
the recycling separation of wood, metal, and glass. While this pulling out of paper
takes place, heavier materials such as the plastics, metals and glass fall through to
a lower conveyer belt where it travels further into separation.
The next material that is separated from what is left over is metal. However,
metals must be separated in a two-step system because some metals are magnetic,
such as steel, and some are non-magnetic, such as aluminum. First ferrous metals,
such as iron, tin and steel are removed by electromagnetic separators.
(Wonderopolis) These magnets are above the conveyer so the metal is pulled up
and then distributed to bins. But there are also magnets built into the conveyer belt.
So that when the glass, non-magnetic metals, and plastics drop down to a lower
belt. The magnetic metals can loop around underneath the conveyer belt, which will
cut off and allow the metal to fall into bins. Another version of extracting magnetic
metals is through the process of the rotating trammel. A rotating drum is set at an
angle, a trommel usually has holes perforating in its surface to allow the escape of
small particles and objects.(Wonderopolis) This trommel is combined with
electromagnets so that when the recycling passes through the ferrous metals will be
extracted and stick to the walls of the trommel. Eventually the metals will work their
way out of the holes in the trommel and into bins outside of it. The separation of

ferrous metals from the main bulk of recycling is set up in many ways, yet both
ways are highly successful and are looked at highly when compared to other
separations.
Not long after the Non- Magnetic metals will begin to be separated through
the job of an Eddy Current Separator. This extraction is done by looking at the
electrometric characteristics of the metal itself. Eddy currents create strong fields of
energy around nonmagnetic materials; this causes the aluminum items to shoot
away from the other items on the belt and into a collection bin. This process of
separation is very effective compared to other separation systems because it has a
high success rate and does not need a lot of labor.
The last material that is extracted is plastic and it can be done one of two
ways, manual sorting, or sorting using an optical scanner. The manual sorting is
labor intensive, involving many people pulling out large amounts of plastics and
putting them into designated buns. Sadly, this process is still used widely across the
United States. The use of manual sorting has higher risk and higher cost, due to the
fact that the amount of labor needed skyrockets. But more people are moving away
from manual plastic sorting to a more technological, less risky way, the optical
scanner. The optical scanner reduces the amount of time needed to process the
separation of the materials and it increases the safety in the workplace (Optical
Sorters). The optical scanners are also set at higher speeds than manual because a
machine can work faster than a person. Optical scanner is where most MRFs are
heading when looking at the separation of plastics from the leftover glass. But until
the manual separation is eliminated the separation of plastic will always be one step
behind all of the other materials. The only material left on the conveyer belt after

the plastic is separated is glass. With the end of the conveyer belt nearing the glass
falls off the end into a bin where it is taken to be processed.
When evaluating which materials are more important than others, one must
also look at the individual process of recycling the materials. After the process is
evaluated on must look at the impact that the material brings as a whole compared
to the negative impacts it brings if it is not recycled. One must ask the question- Is
this material making a difference? The final aspect of a material is the sustainability
of the material after it is recycled multiple times compared to other materials.
If looking into the process of plastics once it is separated from the main
chunk of materials, one can see that a second separation has to take place before
the plastics can actually be processed. When looking at the plastic there is a
number in the middle of the recycling symbol usually toward the bottom side of the
item. This number can range from one to seven, with one being the most popular.
One is a material know as Polyethylene Terephthalate or (PET). Items such as soft
drink bottles and peanut butter jars can be broken down and PET can be extracted.
Because most plastic things that are recycled are made up of Polyethylene
Terephthalate, this is the number that is most commonly seen. PET, once it is
removed from the items, can be reused into fill for sleeping bags, carpet fibers, rope
and pillow. Sadly, plastic the material, like most plastics, deteriorates each time it is
recycled so plastic bottles most of the time cannot be recycled into more plastic
bottles. Number 2 that is found on recyclable plastic materials is known as High
density polyethylene(HDPE). HDPE is found in milk jugs, butter tubs, detergent
bottles, and motor oil bottles. HDPE can be recycled into flower pots, trach cans,
traffic barrier cones, and more detergent bottles. The reason why HDPE can be
reused to create the same item, such as a detergent bottle being reused to create

another detergent bottle, is because HDPE is a thinker plastic that can be processed
more than once before the material begins to show wear and tear. When picking up
a milk jug, people could say that the plastic that is used on this item is stronger
than the material used for plastic bottles in number 1 plastics. The next plastic,
number 3, is called Polyvinyl chloride(PVC). PVC is used in shampoo bottles, cooking
oil bottle, and in fast food service items. PVC can be recycled into drainage and
irrigation pipes. PVC is not as durable as HDPE but it is more durable than PET.
The next half of the different types of plastics will begin at number 4, this is
low density polyethylene(LDPE). LDPE is found in grocery bags, bread bags, shrink
wrap, and margarine tub tops. LDPE can be recycled into new grocery bags. When
holding a plastic grocery bag, it is very light and flimsy, that is because LDPE itself
is very light and flimsy and after being recycled in becomes even more deteriorated.
The next recycled material is number 5 also known as polypropylene(PP). PP is in
yogurt containers, straws, pancake syrup bottles, and bottle caps. PP can be
recycled into plastic lumber, car battery cases, and manhole steps. The next
material, number 6, is polystyrene(PS). PS is found in disposable hot cups,
packaging materials and meat traps. PS can be recycled into plastic lumber,
cassette tape boxes, and flower pots. The last material number 7 is very rare and is
a mixture of various materials. These materials are in squeeze ketchup bottles and
microwavable dishes. Number 7 plastics are usually the slur of all the plastics that
have been recycled so many times that they must be pushed is this category
material. Once the material has reached this number 7 stage it is usually no long
recycled because of this material being a mixture of plastics. (NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation). The real question is, how are they able to separate all

7 types of plastic? Most of the time because PET is the most common used plastic
(number 1), manually sorting the plastic is most common.
Once plastic has been separated into its 1 of 7 types, the plastics are loaded
onto their own conveyer belt where it is lead into a grinder. Here in the grinder it is
chopped into small plastic flakes, also known as plastic regrind. From here the
plastic regrind can go two ways. Some companies buy plastic regrind and melt it
down themselves. But most companies will buy the polymer. Polymer is made when
the plastic flakes are put into a furnace at the MRF, where they are melted down.
Then the polymer is shipped to the companies who wish to buy it. (Wonderopolis)
Once this plastic polymer is bought, it usually goes through 1 of 2 ways to be
created into something new. Because most plastic that is recycled is turned into
plastic containers, it either goes through bow-molding or injection molding. Blowmolding is for necked bottles, while injection molding is for more of a tub. (Easy as
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Plastic itself has a very long but impressive way of separation and
processing the material. But it is very long and time consuming.
Plastic does make an impact, just not as much as glass and metal. Recycling
plastic does conserve energy. It takes more energy to create something from
scratch than it does to already have materials available. However, the reason that
recycling plastic makes any impact is because of the problems it causes if not
recycled. Plastics last a long time in the environment if not broken down. Plastic
litter also drifts across oceans and ends up on beaches, killing wildlife. Because it is
being collected it reduces the harm on the environment from itself. Recycling plastic
overall is a very hard thing to recycle. There are many different types of plastics
that have to be sorted and the uncommon plastics must be processed different than
the most common way. Plastic also has no economic value, so its not economically

beneficial to collect. Plastic isnt the best material to recycle because of its complex
process and unreliability of the product. (Woodford)
Paper is something that people use every single day. It is something that
people depend on in this world. Paper is similar to plastic because it has multiple
steps. Once the paper has been sorted at the MRF it is sent off to a papermill. Once
the paper reaches a paper mill it is loaded into a de-inker. The paper goes through a
chemical washing process that removes ink from the papers fibers. After the paper
has been de- inked, the paper is mixed with water and solvents and put into a giant
blender. This giant blender is known as a pulper. The paper pulper is used for
crushing sheets or slabs of and is used for wastepaper processing, deinking and
pulp purification. It disintegrates the fiber by the action of mechanical operation.
The paper pulper step is very important. Waste paper may contain dust, sand, wire,
staples, pins, clips, nails, hooks, adhesive tapes, plastic tapes, string, un-dissolved
coating and other foreign materials like asphalt wax and plastics.
Paper must be completely free of these things before it can be reused. The
resulting product from the paper pulper is known as the pulp slurry. The pulp slurry
is then moved into a washing machine that spends it at high speed, removing any
more unwanted materials. After the final washing the clean pulp continues to a
press and is wound up into giant rolls. (Admin) Paper has multiple cleaning steps
and processes that must be done in its recycling process. Which overall takes a lot
of money and resources. To recycle paper there must be many extra chemicals used
that are damaging to the environment.
Paper cannot be continuously recycled, meaning that it cannot be overall
stopped being produced. The paper being recycled right now will not be able to be

recycled for more than twice before it is pushed to be recycled into insulation and
toilet paper. The impact of paper overall is small because recycling paper still
pollutes the environment like creating new paper. The only thing that paper
recycling does is reduces deforestation. But because paper cannot be continuously
recycled and is unreliable in the recycling ideal. Deforestation is always going to be
high because paper is always needing to be created.
Paper is definitely not the best material to recycle because of the long
cleansing process, unsustainability, and overall little impact. Paper should still be
recycled to slow the process of deforestation, but it overall will not solve the
problems that creating paper cause. But recycling paper also requires many harmful
chemicals that are not good for the environment, so paper cannot be considered as
the best material to recycle.
When recycling metal, it can be done on a huge manufactural scale, such as
with a metal mill. But metal is also recycled on local levels. Metal can be used in so
many amazing ways after it has been used for its provided purpose. Metal can be
transformed into art on a local level, this is very popular in Western North Carolina.
But the majority of metals are recycled on a manufactural leval in a metal mill. Once
the metal reaches the metal mill the metals are automatically put under heat as
high as 2800 degrees fahrenheit and it is melted into a molten liquid. The molten
metal is cast into molds, becoming metal bars called "ingots." The ingots are then
shipped to manufacturers who use them to make everything from aluminum cans to
file cabinets, tin foil, and even bridges. (Wonderopolis) When recycling aluminum
cans, those aluminum cans are used to create more aluminum cans and other metal
items. Recycling metal is just like recycling glass; it takes less energy to recycle and
reuse the materials than it does to use raw materials to create new items. Recycling

aluminum cans takes about 90 percent less energy than crating one. Steal can be
recycled open-endedly without the loss of the quality of the metal. Metal recycling
has a huge impact on the environment and overall can reduce and almost illuminate
the need to create new metals if pushed to a larger scale. Because metals can be
continuously recycled without losing the quality of the material, the recycling of
metal makes a huge impact on reducing the amount of metal that is created.
Because again, it takes less energy to recycle that material than it does to create it
from scratch. Recycling metal save a huge amount of energy.
Metal is one of the best materials to recycle because of its short process and
overall future sustainability of the product. Metal is an amazing thing to recycle also
because of the huge amount of energy it saves by not producing metal from
scratch.
Glass is another material that is great to recycle. Unlike others, glass needs
no additional sorting or high maintenance cleaning. Plus, also like metal, glass can
be continuously recycled without the loss of the quality of the new product. After
glass has been sorted out of the single stream recycling, the glass itself is all
different shapes and sizes. But this wont last long because the glass will travel
down a conveyer belt where it will be grinded up into very small pieces that are
relatively the same size. This plastic regrind is called cullet. Cullet can then go into
two directions; one way is for the cullet to be packaged and sent to manufactures
that will use it to create their product. Another thing that happens to cullet is that it
is loaded into a furnace and melted into molten glass. This molten glass is usually
cooled in a block form to send off to manufacturers to create new product.
(Wonderopolis) Either way recycled glass gets sent to a company it all depends on
the companys request.

Glass itself is also a huge energy saver. One ton of recycled glass saves 42
Kwh of energy, 0.12 barrels of oil (5 gallons), 714,000 Btu's of energy, 7.5 pounds of
air pollutants from being released, and 2 cubic yards of landfill space. Over 30% of
the raw material used in glass production now comes from recycled
glass.(Stanford) As one can see glass is incredible and is quickly taking over the
recycling industry with its amazing ability to save energy. Again, glass is also a
material that will not lose its worth after being recycled. Glass can be continuously
recycled similar to metal. All of the reasons together make glass one of the best
materials to recycle because of how truly big an impact it produces.
Is glass one of the best materials to recycle? Absolutely. When looking at the
short easy process of glass and the dependability for long term recycling. Glass is
one of the top materials to recycle. Is metal one of the best materials to recycle?
Metal is right up at the top with glass. Metal has a very short, easy system that
brings a huge impact on the earth. It also, like glass, can be recycled continuously,
meaning that people can really depend on metal to get future metal for a long time.
When looking at glass, metal, paper, and plastic. Materials such as paper and plastic
cannot be considered as the best materials to recycle simply because of its long
intensive recycling systems and it inability to recycled continuously for a long-time
period. While materials like glass and metal are amazing to recycle because of the
quick and easy systems that is used to process the material. But also because of
the biggest impact on the environment. Even if metal and glass are recycled far less
than paper and plastic, it has made some of the greatest impacts. That is why metal
and glass are far more superb materials to recycle.

Sources:
Admin. "Pulper." Pulp Paper Mill. Pulp Paper Mill, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
By Examining a Variety of Recycling Equipment Manufacturers in Order to Obtain
Systems That Are Suited to the Company's Needs, a Recycling Service Can
Position Itself to Remain Competitive in the Modern Waste Management
Sector. "MSS." MSS. Optical Sorters, 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
By Reusing Aluminum, Paper, Glass, Plastics, and Other Materials, We Can save
Production and Energy Costs, and Reduce the Negative Impacts That the
Extraction and Processing of Virgin Materials Has on the Environment.
"Buildings & Grounds Maintenance." Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits of
Recycling. Stanford University, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
Duffy, Daniel P. "Magnets, Electromagnets, and Eddy Current Separators - Forester
Network." Forester Network. Foster Media INC, 28 July 2016. Web. 18 Oct.
2016.
EPA. "Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures." EPA.
Environmental Protection Agency, 12 Sept. 2016. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
Materials Recovery Facility(MRF). Logan: Logan City Council, n.d
Ohio Blow Pipe. The Proven Air Separator Systems That Are Revolutionizing Paper
Waste Removal. Cleaveland: Ohio Blow Pipe, n.d. Print.
Poncavage, Joanna. "Is Recycling Worth It?" Mother Earth News. Ogden Publications
Inc Feb.-Mar. 2015.
"Recycling." NYS Conservationist. NYS Conservationist, n.d. Web. 6th Oct. 2016.

"Recycling Plastics Is Easy as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7." Recycling Plastics Is as Easy As 1, 2, 3,

(4, 5, 6, 7) (n.d.): n. pag. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
Web.
"Where Do Recycled Items Go?" Wonderopolis. The National Center for Families
Learning (NCFL), n.d. Web. 5th Oct. 2016.
Woodford, Chris. "Recycling." Explain That Stuff. Explain That Stuff, 10 June 2016.
Web. 06 Oct. 2016.