Why should we recycle?

  • Recycling conserves our valuable natural resources!
  • Recycling helps to conserve our natural resources such as oil, metal and water.
  • For example plastic bottles can be recycled into new plastic bottles and polyester fibres for use in fleece jumpers and car mats. By recycling we reduce the amount of natural resources needed to make products and packaging. Also less mining and extraction occurs, which is beneficial to the natural habitats of wild animals.
  • Recycling saves energy!
  • Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required to produce aluminium from raw materials.
  • Recycling just one plastic bottle will save enough energy to power a 60 watt light bulb for 3 hours!
  • Recycling protects the environment!
  • Recycling helps to conserve energy, so less greenhouse gases are emitted.
  • Recycling reduces our dependence on landfill. With less materials going to landfill, less harmful emissions like methane gas are released into the earth's atmosphere.
  • Recycling can save you money!
  • By putting more recyclable materials into your recycling bin you reduce the amount of times you have to put your general refuse or black bin out for collection. It is usually more expensive to collect the black bin than the recycling bin, so recycling can save you money!

The following paper objects can be recycled:

  • Cardboard
  • Paper
  • Newspapers
  • Beverage Carton & Cans
  • Books
  • Cards
  • Magazines

Paper and cardboard products make up 23.7% of waste in the household bin.

Manufacturing recycled paper instead of new paper from virgin wood plump uses 54% less energy and 58% less water.

Each tonne of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water.

Paper products use up to 35% of the world's annual commercial wood harvest.

One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year.

For an office with 1,000 employees, each person uses approximately 10,000 sheets of paper per year, enough to stretch nearly 2,000 miles and to create a pile 500 metres high, or five times the height of the Dublin Spire!

One piece of office grade paper can be recycled seven times.