Closed Loop Recycling
Closed-loop recycling may be a term you have heard before, or perhaps not, but we thought it might be helpful to delve into the topic and explain what closed-loop recycling is and why it is important.
In a nutshell, closed-loop recycling is the process by which a product is used, recycled, and then made into a new product — therefore not ever entering landfill.
This means that these waste types are better for the environment than those that are recycled but have to be mixed with virgin materials to make new products (this is open-loop recycling), and, of course, those that can’t be recycled at all.
Closed-loop recycling is suitable for materials that don’t lose any of their quality during the recycling process.
These are:
-
Aluminium (cans, etc.)
-
Glass
-
Some plastic types
This type of recycling is very important as it offers the following benefits:
-
Reduces the use of virgin materials, preserving natural resources.
-
Saves space in landfill for non-recyclables.
-
Reduces pollution — creating materials from virgin resources is far more labour intensive and therefore produces far more emissions.
-
Lessens the risk of harm to the environment.
-
Lessens the risk of harm to wildlife.
