Lesson Five:A World of Rubbish

Recycled materials supply 40% of global raw materials

needs

o Around 1.6 million people are involved in the recycling industry.

o Approximately 600 million tonnes of material recycled every year.

o Recycling material generates more than $200 billion a year (this is more than GDP of Portugal, Colombia, and Malaysia together).

Source: Flickr user Kevin Dooley

Aluminium

o Used for: building and construction; transport; packaging; electricity cables; cooking implements.

o Estimated 700 million tonnes of aluminium produced since 1880s and around 75% of this is still in use (via recycling).

Source: Flickr user Jay Peeples

Copper

o Used for: electrical applications including wires, circuits and switches, pipes.

o Recycled copper saves up to 85% of the energy used in its primary production.

Source: Flickr user Tony Hisgett

Lead

o Used for batteries, radiation protection materials

o 50% of lead used each year is recycled.

o Around 80% of lead is used in acid batteries.

o Using recycled lead reduces Co2 emissions by 99%.

Source: Wikipedia

Zinc

o Used for: as a coating for iron and steel (galvanisation); batteries, to create brass (as an alloy with copper).

o The average car includes around 10kg of zinc components (in galvanised body parts).

o Producing recycled zinc uses 76% less energy than producing zinc from mined ore.

Source: Wikipedia

Tin

o Used for cans; car production; springs; glass coating.

o Extracting tin from mining requires 99% more energy than recycling it

Source: Flickr user Nunavut

Recycling Metal (1)

o Sorting

Recycling Metal (2)

o Baling

Source: Bureau of International Recycling (2013)

Recycling Metal (3)

Source: Flickr user Galbiatl group

o Shearing

Recycling Metal (4)

Source: Flickr user Graela

oSeparation

oMelting