Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. In addition, it generates a host of environmental, financial, and social benefits. Materials like glass, metal, plastics, and paper are collected, separated and sent to facilities that can process them into new materials or products.

Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. Recycling, including composting, diverted 68 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2001, up from 34 million tons in 1990. By 1999, more than 9,000 curbside collection programs served roughly half of the American population. Curbside programs, along with drop-off and buy-back centers, resulted in a diversion of about 30 percent of the nation's solid waste in 2001.

From the U.S. EPA website.

Increasing the effectiveness of local recycling programs begins with an evaluation of existing services and service needs. Determine which materials are being collected, and which sectors are being adequately served, and then target new and expanded programs to generators and material types that have fallen through the cracks. The state of Pennsylvania provides technical assistance and grants to communities seeking to improve and expand local recycling opportunities.

From the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection website.

Communities that have made the greatest progress toward zero waste are those jurisdictions that have included commercial and industrial recycling opportunities, those that are continually looking for new materials and new services to add to existing recycling programs, and those that have consciously created a constituency of support for waste reduction and recovery programs among residents, businesses, and elected officials. Public education and communication are crucial elements of every effective waste reduction program, and are often the keys to public participation and program success.

Recycling (including composting) means separating, collecting, processing, marketing, and ultimately using a material that would otherwise have been thrown away. This morning's newspaper can be recycled for another morning's news or other paper products. Carpet and clothing can be made from recycled soda bottles.

Quality products and packaging are being made from recycled materials that have been recovered from the waste stream. We can all promote recycling by buying and using recycled products.

From the U.S. EPA Region 9 website.