CIP

Tzu Chi Foundation In August 1990, while the crowd was applauding heartily at the end of a lecture

delivered by Master Cheng Yen at Central Taiwan, the Master urged the

supporters to use their clapping hands to put environmental protection into action

so as to keep the planet unpolluted and actualize a cycle of “turning garbage into

gold and gold into love” (earnings from the recycling activities are used for charity

purposes).

The call drew numerous supports and gradually developed into a genuine grassroots

force in Taiwan – the Foundation now operates more than 4500 recycling stations

across the island, steadily staffed by over 60,000 recycling volunteers. However,

the effort does not stop there, addressing the increased natural calamities, the

Master continues to urge the need to curb excessive consumerism and cease the

exploitation of natural resources, emphasizing that only a simple, frugal lifestyle

can possibly help mankind coexist with the Earth.

In an effort to facilitate communal recycling, Tzu Chi Foundation in Singapore has set

up 26 community recycling points. During the monthly recycling day, which is on

every second Sunday of the month,Tzu Chi volunteers would go around the

neighbourhoods to invite residents to deliver their recyclable items to the recycling

points. Poster boards are also erected at the respective points to increase public

awareness about environmental-friendly living; residents are often encouraged to

try their hands at the sorting of the recyclable items too.

PET bottles ● PET plastic bottles can be recycled to

make sleeping bags, winter coats,

stuffing for stuffed toys, zippers, binding

bands, industrial plastics, heat sealable

films, and many other things.

● Recycling plastic is better than producing

new plastic because the process

requires 50 percent less energy.

How are PET bottles turned into

fabric?

● The fabrics produced from recycled bottles are similar but not identical

to regular polyester fabrics. The fibers, instead of being derived directly

from petroleum byproducts, are extracted from recycled PET bottles, a

much more environmentally friendly process.

● The production process begins with collecting used bottles. The bottles

then have to be cleaned and color sorted before being processed into

flaky scraps and eventually yarn.

● Only the plastic bottle itself can be reused in fabric manufacturing,

meaning that bottle caps and labels have to be removed in advance.

● The manufacturing process of recycled PET fabrics reduces the carbon

footprint by an estimated 75% compared with conventional processes.

● We would also like to enhance some of the positives we already find in

our PET fabrics, such as fast drying, odor control and UV-protection.”

● Almost every type of polyester fabric that you find in the market today

can be made from recycled bottles.

Importance of recycling in

Taiwan ● Taiwan is famous for its effort in garbage recycling, which has become such a good

international precedent that other countries have sent teams to study the recycling

system.

● Production values and employment opportunities from recycling are not only a

major focus of Taiwan’s Congress, but also the major goal of recycling policies for

the Environmental Protection Administration. After the EPA established a program

in 1998 combining the efforts of communities, a financial resource named the

Recycling Fund was made available to recycling companies and waste collectors.

Household solid waste recycling has then been a major policy of the Taiwan.

● According to the official statistical analysis, the total household waste generated in

Taiwan in 1999 was 8.88 million tons with an average 1.082 kg daily waste

produced per person. In a small island with limited land, resources, and a high

population density, such a high volume of waste generation has caused serious

environmental problems.

● Spurred by the lack of landfill sites and the increasing cost of waste disposal, the

reduction of the volume of waste disposal has become an important goal of public

policy while recycling of solid waste has become an increasingly urgent issue in

Taiwan.

● Therefore, household solid waste recycling has become the major policy of Taiwan

EPA.

Advantages • Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills

and incinerators.

• Conserves natural resources such as timber,

water, and minerals.

• Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need

to collect new raw materials;

• Saves energy.

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that

contribute to global climate changes.

• Helps sustain the environment for future

generations.

Disadvantages ● Recycling plants themselves can produce a large

amount of pollution through the toxins that are released

in some recycling processes.

● Each recyclable material has its own way of being

recycled, some creating a great deal of pollution while

others cause almost no problems at all.

● Another disadvantage of recycling is that each material

will need to have its own special machinery and

chemicals in order to be properly recycled.

● All of these things together can consume a large

amount of electricity, causing energy companies to

consume more natural resources while emitting harmful

gases.

Materials that can be

recycled

Why do we need sorting?

● recycled material must be sorted because

some materials, such as PVC, contains some

additives that cannot be recycled.

● helps to retain the high quality of the materials

and makes sure they don't get contaminated

and need to be disposed of as garbage.

● it saves money because transporting, sorting

and disposing of items are not recyclable all

adds up to extra costs.

Credits

Done by:

Rachel Ma 3I

Sarah Goh 3I

Josephine Thomas 3O

Sonia Wee 3O

Nadia Tan 3O

http://www.tzuchi.org.sg/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=652&Itemid=545

http://www.sundaramrecycling.com/adv_recycle.php

http://www.kexparchive.org/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-recycling/

http://app2.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/energy-waste/recycling-labels.jpg?sfvrsn=2

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUjvchIou4w/T9nzgNfWfnI/AAAAAAAAAgA/VIHdLdnyfZA/s320/Recycle+logo.jpg

http://static5.depositphotos.com/1010111/457/v/950/depositphotos_4575042-Recycling-eco-background.jpg

http://fitness.makeupandbeauty.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/water-bottles-caps.jpg