A & W Iron & Metal, Inc. - Green and Helping Others Go Green Since 1988: Recycling Facts & Benefits

RECYCLING FACTS

Each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water.
This represents a 64% energy savings, a 58% water savings, and 60 pounds less of air pollution.
The 17 trees saved can absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year. Burning that same ton of paper would create 1500 pounds of carbon dioxide.
The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years.

RECYCLING FACTS & BENEFITS OF ALUMINUM & STEEL

Recycling is the process of turning one product's useful parts into a new product; this is done to conserve on the comsumption of resources, energy and space used in landfills.

Recycling benefits not only the environment but our economy! Recycling creates 36 jobs per 10,000 tons of material recycled compared to 6 jobs for every 10,000 tons brought to traditional disposal facilities. On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill and $65 - $75 to incinerate it.

Aluminum cans can be recycled repeatedly and made back into cans, pie pans, house siding, gutters, small appliances and lawn furniture. Americans throw away enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.

Most people don't realize how strong a metal aluminum is. Four six packs can support the weight of a 4,000 lb aluminum car.

In one year in the United States, the recycling of steel saves enough energy to heat and light 18 million homes. A 60 watt light bulb can be run for over a day on the amount of energy saved by recycling 1 pound of steel.

Recycling steel prevents the need to mine additional iron and coal, the primary ingredients to make new steel. One ton of recycled steel saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.

Steel is a key component of car parts and household appliances, and recycled steel has the same strength as new steel when used in these devices. Some of the other products created using recycled steel include bridges, fire hydrants, utility poles, guard rails, construction material, desks, file cabinets.