Recycling Facts | Laguna Hills, CA (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of recycling actually gets recycled? ›

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that about 9% of all plastic waste was successfully recycled in 2018. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimated that approximately 5% of all plastic waste was recycled in 2019.

California generated 76.7 million tons of material in 2021, slightly less than in 2020, according to a news release. Of that, about 46 million tons were disposed, compared with 44.9 million tons in 2020. The state recycled 30.7 million tons in 2021, bringing the recycling rate down to 40% compared with 42% in 2020.

There are now thousands of different types of plastic, and none of them can be melted down together. Plastic also degrades after one or two uses. Greenpeace found the more plastic is reused the more toxic it becomes. New plastic, on the other hand, is cheap and easy to produce.

Only 21% of recyclable material is captured and all materials are under-recycled. 76% of recyclables are lost at the household level, underscoring the importance of providing all households with recycling services and engaging people with good communication about how to recycle locally.

During the past few decades, there has been a tremendous push to increase recycling rates all over the world, and Europe does a better job than most other parts of the world regarding recycling. For example, Germany is the country that has the highest recycling rate in the world.

Recycling helps reduce pollution by reducing the need for waste incineration and reducing the environmental impacts of resource extraction and processing. What happens if we don't recycle is more waste would be incinerated or sent to landfills, increasing air and water pollution all over the world.

When possible, please rinse and drain cans before recycling. Cans with California Redemption Value (CRV) can also be taken to a buyback location. To find one near you, use the search engine found here. Note that it is best not to crush cans before recycling.

Effective January 1, 2022 all businesses and multifamily complexes will be required to subscribe to organics collection, which includes food waste and yard trimmings. Need Help? Click here for more information from Cal Recycles.

Where does our recycling go in California? ›

In some cases, contaminated recyclables are landfilled or dumped into rivers that float into the ocean and migrate into the Pacific Garbage Patch off the coast of California. Historically, California jurisdictions have received landfill diversion credit when exporting recyclable materials to other countries.

While most metals may be recycled, aluminium cans are by far the easiest household item to recycle. You can also profit from it, which benefits both the environment and your wallet. Additionally, aluminium maintains its 100% recyclable characteristics eternally, allowing for ongoing reclamation and reuse.

Selling recycled material is one way communities offset the cost of collecting, sorting, and processing recycling—and so a crucial part of successful recycling is finding a buyer for recycling material. But demand for that material varies, which is why some communities do not accept all types of recycling.

“When it comes to plastics, recycling has been an abysmal failure, and only 5% to 6% of plastics actually gets recycled in the United States,” says Enck. Plastics are nearly impossible to recycle because of the many different types that cannot be recycled together.

Environment. Recycling provides many benefits to our environment. By recycling our materials, we create a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations. Conserve natural resources: Recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals for new products.

About 40 percent of all steel produced is created through recycling. Steel is the most recycled material in the world and can be recycled forever. 60 percent of steel is recycled but because more steel is produced than scrapped, recycled steel makes up about 40 percent of the total amount of steel produced.

Recycling can also have negative environmental impacts. For example, the process of recycling paper requires the use of chemicals and large amounts of water and energy. Similarly, recycling plastic can release harmful pollutants into the air and water.