Recycling For Kids

Posted on 23rd October 2019 by Hintons

Did you know that recycling can help save the Earth from global warming? This means that our planet will be able to live longer if everyone in the world recycled their rubbish. So by recycling as much as possible, you are reducing the amount of rubbish which ends up in huge heaps around the world, otherwise known as ‘landfill’.

When rubbish builds up in one place and is left to rot there, this is known as a landfill site. Here, nasty gases are released into the atmosphere which can increase global warming. That’s why it’s important that we’re recycling as much rubbish as possible. But what is recycling, and how can you encourage others to join in? Keep reading to find out!

 

What is recycling?

Recycling means to take a piece of rubbish and turn it into something new. The great thing is almost anything can be recycled and it’s super easy to do. If you’re not sure whether something can be recycled, ask an adult to help you decide.

How you can recycle at home

• Use both sides of your writing or drawing paper before recycling it.
• Donate your unwanted books, CD’s, games, DVDs and toys to your local charity shop.
• Recycle old plastic bags at some supermarkets near you.
• Ask an adult about which bin to put your rubbish in.
• Get creative! Make something fun out of paper, cardboard and plastic, instead of throwing them away.
• Reuse shopping bags instead of throwing them away or buying new ones.

How are things recycled?

Recycling means that new objects can be made out of old ones. A plastic bottle we put in the recycling will be turned into a brand new plastic bottle one day. This stops new plastic bottles from being made which can help the planet. But how do the professionals do it? Here’s how:

Paper

 

 

 

 

 

 

• All the paper we put in our recycling bins gets mixed together to create one big pile and left to soak in soapy water to wash the ink away. 
• Once all the ink has gone, the wet paper is rolled out into thin sheets and left to dry. 
• Different colours and chemicals can then be added to make more paper, card or cardboard.
• Want to learn about how to recycle wrapping paper? Read our blog on Christmas waste facts.

Glass

 

 

 

 

 

 

• The glass is firstly separated into different colours, then each pile is washed and crushed into tiny glass balls, almost like small beads. 
• The crushed glass is then melted down and poured into moulds, almost like how you’d pour cake mixture into a tin ready for baking. 
• Instead of baking the glass, it’s left to cool. 
• Once the melted glass goes hard, then a brand new glass product has been made.

Metal and plastic

 

 

 

 

 

 

• These are put into different piles depending on colour, and the piles are then washed.
• Once that has happened, metal and plastic are shredded to make small strips.
• The strips are then melted and poured into moulds (much like glass).
• To pick up and separate other pieces of metal from different materials, a giant magnet is used, drawing the metal up to the ceiling – this helps to make the sorting process easier.

The 3 ‘R’s

The 3 ‘R’s are quick and easy to remember and they can help if you’re unsure as to what to do with your recyclable rubbish. Do you know what the 3 ‘R’s are? Let us tell you!

Reduce the amount of rubbish you throw away, especially if you’ll be putting it in a general household bin.

Reuse old items and materials, especially if they’re still good enough to use.

Recycle as much as you can.

Top 5 recyclable objects and materials

1. Paper and cardboard – paper comes from trees, so if we recycle the paper we use, fewer trees will have to be cut down in order to make more. For every tonne of paper we recycle, we could save 17 trees.
2. Tins and aluminium cans – these are really easy to recycle and if we do, it saves a lot of energy – in fact, it saves enough to watch 3 hours of television.
3. Plastic – bottles, caps, food containers and more can be recycled. Plastic can easily be turned into new objects for us to use, which can help to save the planet.
4. Glass – jars and bottles are the most common glass objects to be recycled. Glass can be reused over and over again, so it’s important we recycle this material. However, broken glass can’t go in your home recycling bin – this helps to keep others safe.
5. Batteries – these are often used to power your toys or television remote, and they contain a mixture of harmful chemicals that are bad for us, so we can’t put them in our home recycling bin. Instead, they must go in tall, thin tubes that can be found in your local supermarket. This means that they can then be recycled safely.

Did you know?

• It can take around a thousand years for a piece of plastic to fully break down.
• We could circle the world four times with all the plastic we throw away in one year.
• If we recycle as much as we can, we’re helping all the animals that live in the oceans, including dolphins and turtles – they’re not supposed to eat plastic!
• If we recycle our paper, we can save water as well as the trees.
• Recycling a single glass bottle will save enough energy to power a computer for half an hour.
• 50% of the food that is thrown away could be composted, and then used to grow plants.
• If everyone in the country recycled 10% more paper, 5 million trees could be saved a year.
• Glass is 100% recyclable and can be reused many times.

Here at Hinton’s Waste, we’re dedicated to recycling as much waste as possible in a bid to help save the planet. If you require a waste management solution but are also trying to be environmentally conscious, then we’ll have a service which is right for you. We will never send waste to landfill unnecessarily, instead, we do our utmost to ensure it’s safely and responsibly recycled at our onsite facility for your peace of mind. To find out more about the services we offer, including skip hire, grab hire and waste and junk clearance, get in touch with us today – we operate throughout Croydon, Sutton, London and the surrounding areas.