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Recycling saves resources, conserves energy

  • Published
  • By Tarsha Storey
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  With America Recycles Day approaching on Nov. 15, the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron Pollution Prevention Team is educating people on the benefits of recycling and what products become after they are collected and recycled. 

This year's theme for America Recycles Day is "It all comes back to you." 

Many things, such as paper, aluminum cans, glass, printer cartridges, florescent lights, rechargeable batteries and many types of plastics, can be recycled and returned to consumer use, said Mark Hall, 20th CES Pollution Prevention manager. 

"The many different types of recyclables that are collected, sorted, processed, manufactured, distributed and sold give people jobs. Putting recyclables in a landfill does not benefit anyone and the resources are lost," Mr. Hall said. 

For example, paper is made from trees or used paper. Instead of using a natural resource that has to be replenished, used paper is returned to the consumer as recycled paper, said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Teague, 20th CES Solid Waste Manager. 

Not only does recycling paper save resources, it also saves energy because making paper from recycled paper requires less energy. It also keeps paper from entering the landfill. Paper composes 47 percent of the volume in today's landfills, Sergeant Teague said.

Paper placed in Shaw's Base Recycling Center bins comes back to consumers as absorbent paper -- tissues, toilet paper and paper towels, Mr. Hall said. 

At Shaw, the Recycling Center takes many types of paper. There are three streams of paper collected: newspaper, mixed office paper (notepad paper, sticky notes, envelopes, etc.) and cardboard, Mr. Hall said. 

Another product that is easily recycled and quickly returned to the consumer is aluminum cans, Mr. Hall said. It requires only 10 percent of the energy that would be needed to make it from raw materials. When a can is recycled, it can travel from recycler to bottler and back to consumer in the span of six weeks. 

If the can were sent to a landfill, it would take about 400 years for that same can to decompose, Sergeant Teague said. 

Not only will that same aluminum can sit in a landfill for 400 years, but more natural resources will be depleted to manufacture a new one. 

Because the earth only has so many resources, it is important for us to conserve and use what we have properly, Sergeant Teague said. 

Mr. Hall said, as American population increases, it is becoming increasingly important for the nation to sustain the natural resources and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. This is why educating those around us is so important; to ensure those in future generations have the resources they need to live. 

"Our children need to see the importance of recycling - they are the future," Sergeant Teague said.