ISRI promotes benefits of recycling with Earth Day toolkit

In recognition of the 49th annual Earth Day, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, is joining individuals and organizations around the world in celebration of the earth and what can be done to preserve it. The association is offering resources and online tools that "promote the numerous benefits of recycling” through the ISRI 2019 Earth Day toolkit and is encouraging members to participate by hosting an event or engaging in social media outreach.

Started in 1970, Earth Day, which takes place April 22, is a worldwide effort to save and nurture the environment of which recycling plays a crucial role.

“As the original green industry, recyclers understand the vital role the industry plays in the protection, preservation and future of the planet,” remarks ISRI President Robin Wiener. “Earth Day is a time for everyone to come together and actively participate in ways to better the environment and world in which we live. Recycling is a way of achieving that goal.”

This year, Earth Day has a theme of protecting threatened and endangered species. Each year, the scrap recycling industry processes about 130 million metric tons of materials, which are manufactured into raw materials. Therefore, recycling reduces the need for virgin materials, such as trees, and helps preserve natural resources, ISRI says.

“Individuals can work to recycle properly at home. Communities can invest more in capital improvements. Brands can design more with recycling in mind and increase the use of more sophisticated technology in sorting and processing,” Wiener says. “Recycling is part of the efforts to save our planet and it works every day to turn used, obsolete products into feedstock for the manufacturing of new goods.”

ISRI shares these Earth Day recycling facts:

• The total estimated reduction in C02 emissions from scrap recycling globally is approximately 410 million tons per year.
• Tecycling one car saves the energy equivalent of 450 gallons of gasoline and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 8,811 pounds.
• Producing recycled plastic uses up to 87 percent less energy than producing plastic from virgin materials.
• Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. 
• Recycling one plastic bottle conserves enough energy to light a 60-watt bulb for up to six hours.