Recycling: A Process of Sorting Approaching_02

These new industries needed cheap materials. They also needed them fast. For example, scrap metal was far cheaper than newly mined metal ore. Scrap metal could also be obtained much faster than mining metal ore.

Mining metal ore means that it had to be dug out of the earth. 

Even before the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, metals were recycled. For example, scrap bronze and other metals were often melted down and reused over and over again. This is very similar to what happens to aluminum drink cans today. They can be made into a new can. A common item that is recycled in homes is old newspapers.

Did you know that paper was also recycled as far back as 1031 AD? That was a thousand years ago. What about all those glass bottles? Do they get recycled? It was around the 1900s that glass bottles began to be recycled. The glass bottles could be washed and refilled with little effort. This could also be done very quickly, saving the company time and money. In this way, the bottles can be used many times. 

Today, many of us recycle. We place all sorts of items into a special container that is placed by the curb for pickup. What happens to the bin full of stuff after it is picked up?

Many cities now have a recycling program. Most homes have a special container for recycled items. Once filled, it is placed by the street for pickup. This happens usually once per week. This material must be clean and free of any food leftovers. The next step is when a special truck collects the material. It is then taken to a central collection center.