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> Recycling plastic is a myth, other recycling may be of some benefit. Some?! That's just a gross understatement. For paper, recycling saves 50% of energy an

> Recycling plastic is a myth, other recycling may be of some benefit. Some?! That's just a gross understatement. For paper, recycling saves 50% of energy and 66% of water compared to pure fresh paper [1]. Glass saves about 33% of energy [2]. Iron scrap is at 72% energy savings [3], copper at 80% [4]. Aluminium is the most insane example - there, recycling saves utterly astonishing 95% (!) of the energy you'd need to create new virgin aluminium from raw ore [5]. Add to all of that: the more you recycle from these groups of valuable materials, the less environmental destruction you have from mining the ores - and the less chance there is for shit to go seriously wrong, e.g. dam breaks like [6]. The case of plastics recycling is still open, but everything else? It's just so much more efficient. [1] https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/umwelttipps-fuer-den-alltag/haushalt-wohnen/papier-recyclingpapier#hintergrund https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/umwelttipps-fuer-den-alltag/h... [2] https://www.bvse.de/glasrecycling/themen/glasrecycling-schont-die-umwelt.html https://www.bvse.de/glasrecycling/themen/glasrecycling-schon... [3] https://www.bvse.de/dateien2020/2-PDF/06-Publikationen/04-Broschueren/0608-EuRIC_Metal_Recycling_Factsheet_GER_002.pdf https://www.bvse.de/dateien2020/2-PDF/06-Publikationen/04-Br... [4] https://www.gdb-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Factsheet_Kupfer-Recycling.pdf https://www.gdb-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Factsh... [5] https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/3521/dokumente/factsheet-aluminium_fi_barrierefrei.pdf https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/35... [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brumadinho_dam_disaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brumadinho_dam_disaster

zdwolfe 2y ago
Thanks for these stats, it changes how I think about aluminum packaging/cans.
- crote 2y ago
  Do keep in mind that it is relative to new aluminium. It might still be far better for the environment to use other materials. For example, a plastic container might result in X emissions, a recycled aluminium one in 2X emissions, and a virgin aluminium one in 150X emissions. It just means we should absolutely recycle aluminium when used, but it doesn't by definition mean we should be using aluminium in the first place.
bryanlarsen 2y ago
And energy savings might be the secondary benefit -- the primary benefit IMO is not having to dig the ore from the ground.
- parhamn 2y ago
  I'd hope thats included in the energy calculations.
  - bryanlarsen 2y ago
    Perhaps the digging energy is included, but not the "lack of a hole in the ground" benefit.
aorloff 2y ago
And this is why we really could use government intervention - to create standardized markets for recyclable products. Basically - the CME for recycleable material, leading the way to gradations and cleanliness standards. Right now this is an industry that could benefit from creating more scalable markets within the food chain.

zdwolfe 2y ago

Thanks for these stats, it changes how I think about aluminum packaging/cans.

crote 2y ago
Do keep in mind that it is relative to new aluminium. It might still be far better for the environment to use other materials. For example, a plastic container might result in X emissions, a recycled aluminium one in 2X emissions, and a virgin aluminium one in 150X emissions. It just means we should absolutely recycle aluminium when used, but it doesn't by definition mean we should be using aluminium in the first place.

bryanlarsen 2y ago

And energy savings might be the secondary benefit -- the primary benefit IMO is not having to dig the ore from the ground.

parhamn 2y ago
I'd hope thats included in the energy calculations.
- bryanlarsen 2y ago
  Perhaps the digging energy is included, but not the "lack of a hole in the ground" benefit.

aorloff 2y ago

And this is why we really could use government intervention - to create standardized markets for recyclable products. Basically - the CME for recycleable material, leading the way to gradations and cleanliness standards. Right now this is an industry that could benefit from creating more scalable markets within the food chain.