You know the moniker “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Well, today (America Recycles Day) is the day every year when we celebrate how far we have come and realize how far we have yet to go in the world of recycling. Do you know all there is to know? Read over these recycling fun facts to find out.

#1: We Cannot Recycle Everything

Recycling fun fact #1 comes down to brass tacks. Unfortunately, you cannot recycle everything you use. So, what can you recycle? Here is what Waste Management collects in Little Rock:

• Steel, tin, and aluminum cans
• Plastic bottles and containers
• Paper
• Paper cardboard, dairy, and juice containers
• Flattened cardboard and paperboard

Some Little Rock recycling centers accept glass, but plastic bags and polystyrene foam products are not accepted.

#2: Recycled Products Become Interesting Things

The recycling process is quite fascinating in that the products you recycle don’t always become reused for the same purpose.

For example, did you know that newspapers can be recycled and mixed with seed, fertilizer, and water to create “hydro-mulch” used to restore fire-damaged land? Or that recycled plastic bottles are used in making shoes, toys, and textiles like fleece? Bottles can even be transformed into insulation for jackets and sleeping bags!

#3: More Recycling = Incredible Savings

In the last of our recycling fun facts, we took a look at some data. We all know that recycling helps to reduce the impact modern living has on the environment. But, the numbers are honestly staggering.

The Aluminum Association estimates that if every person in the US recycled just one can, it would be like removing the greenhouse emissions of 6,750 cars on our roadways (or 80,000 barrels of oil). Additionally, secondary production of aluminum through recycled metal saves more than 90% of the energy needed during primary production of aluminum.

Beyond the environmental impact, recycling can also generate jobs and save our country billions of dollars.

The EPA’s Recycling Economic Information (REI) Study found that in 2016, recycling and reuse activities created $36.6 billion in job wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenue. Plus, when recycling levels reach 75% (we are at about 35% right now), it will generate 1.5 million new jobs.

If you have any questions about recycling programs in Little Rock, please contact us for recommendations.