Top 10 Reasons to Recycle

Information is provided by the National Recycling Coalition, Inc.

1. Good For Our Economy

American companies rely on recycling programs to provide the raw materials they need to make new products.

2. Creates Jobs

Recycling in the U.S. is a $236 billion a year industry. More than 56,000 recycling and reuse enterprises employ 1.1 million workers nationwide.

3. Reduces Waste

The average American discards seven and a half pounds of garbage every day. Most of this garbage goes into to landfills, where it's compacted and buried.

4. Good For The Environment

Recycling requires far less energy, uses fewer natural resources, and keeps waste from piling up in landfills.

5. Saves Energy

Recycling offers significant energy savings over manufacturing with virgin materials. (Manufacturing with recycled aluminum cans uses 95% less energy.)

6. Preserves Landfill Space

No one wants to live next door to a landfill. Recycling preserves existing landfill space.

7. Prevents Global Warming

In 2000, recycling of solid waste prevented the release of 32.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE, the unit of measure for greenhouse gases) into the air.

8. Reduces Water Pollution

Making goods from recycled materials generates far less water pollution than manufacturing from virgin materials.

9. Protects Wildlife

Using recycled materials reduces the need to damage forests, wetlands, rivers and other places essential to wildlife.

10. Creates New Demand

Recycling and buying recycled products creates demand for more recycled products, decreasing waste and helping our economy.