The importance of recycling: environmental and economic benefits

Motivated by this understanding, the United Arab Emirates introduced the UAE Green Growth Strategy in 2012, with the motto “A Green Economy for Sustainable Development.” This initiative focuses on recycling industrial and household waste and promoting awareness of these practices.

Beyond the bin: the environmental benefits of recycling

Recycling is essential in addressing serious environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and waste accumulation, among others. Its significance can be highlighted in the following aspects:

Preserving natural resources

Recycling reduces the consumption of natural raw materials used in everyday products like metals, paper, and plastics. It also lessens the demand for other resources, such as water, needed in their production. For example, recycling paper conserves trees and significantly lowers water usage compared to producing new paper. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that recycling a ton of paper preserves 17 trees and conserves 7,000 gallons of water.

Preserving valuable natural resources for future generations is achievable by reusing existing materials rather than extracting new resources from the earth or consuming finite reserves like oil and gas.

Decreasing global warming

In 2009, the University of British Columbia (UBC) released a study revealing that recycling one ton of paper in Canada, rather than producing it from raw materials, cuts carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 369 kilogrammes.

Manufacturing products from raw materials entails significant energy consumption, including burning fuels and using electricity. The energy sector is responsible for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, recycling or reusing items reduces these harmful emissions, thereby helping to mitigate climate change and protect the environment from the effects of greenhouse gases.

Recycling decreases landfill waste and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane. Furthermore, reducing waste leads to a cleaner and healthier environment.

From trash to treasure: how recycling drives economic prosperity

While recycling's importance for the environment is widely acknowledged, its economic benefits are less understood. These include:

Reducing costs

Which is more cost-effective? Recycling manufactured products or producing new ones from raw materials?

According to a study from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information in the U.S. Department of Energy, recycling aluminium can substantially cut production costs. Specifically, recycling a certain amount of aluminium cans saves about 95% of the energy required to manufacture the same number of cans from raw materials.

Recycling offers several key benefits. It lowers the cost of extracting or buying raw materials for manufacturers, reduces energy consumption during production, enables lower prices for consumers, and minimises waste disposal expenses.

Reducing the extent of landfills

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling one ton of waste conserves roughly two square metres of landfill space. This practice not only optimises landfill use but also reduces the need for new land, leading to lower long-term costs.

Maintaining economic resources

Reusing and recycling resources enable nations to sustain and leverage them for economic growth. Effective resource management not only reduces the costs of manufacturing new products but also fosters self-sufficiency, reducing dependence on foreign sources.

The United Arab Emirates provides a notable example of success in this field. In 2021, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment reported that over 55 million tons of construction and demolition waste were recycled, around 1.927 million tons of industrial waste were processed, over 92,000 tons of solid waste were converted into energy, and approximately 112,000 tons of compost were produced from agricultural waste.

Generating job opportunities

A 2020 report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that recycling activities generated 681,000 jobs in the United States within a single year. The report indicated that about two new jobs were created for every 1,000 tons of materials recycled.

Jobs are crucial in the recycling sector, encompassing the collection, sorting, and remanufacturing of materials. This industry demands a diverse workforce, including workers, technicians, engineers, maintenance staff, and operators. Beyond waste management, the field also relies on researchers, designers, marketers, and other professionals to innovate recycling methods and eco-friendly products.

Having explored the many benefits of recycling, it is evident that action is imperative. By collaborating, we can foster a healthier environment, strengthen the economy, and build more sustainable communities. Each of us should minimise waste, maximise reuse, and consistently choose eco-friendly options. Additionally, we must sort waste into recycling bins, raise awareness about the importance of recycling, and actively promote it.

References

[1] simplyrecycle.ca, THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF RECYCLING (THEY’RE BIG!)
[2] kingcounty.gov, Climate change, recycling and waste prevention
[3] generalkinematics.com, WHY RECYCLING IS IMPORTANT TO THE WORLDWIDE ECONOMY
[4] bizjournals.com, 5 economic and environmental benefits to recycling construction and demolition material
[5]ecogreenequipment.com, How Recycling Benefits the Economy