Recycling Process and Waste Management Quiz

Recycling Overview

• Recycling processes used materials (waste) to create new products
• Recycling prevents waste of useful materials
• Recycling reduces consumption of raw materials
• Recycling reduces energy usage
• Recycling reduces air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling)
• Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin production
• Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction
• Recycling is the third step in the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy
• The annual waste production in Malaysia is 45,000 tonnes, and most ends up in landfills.
• Currently, 80% of Malaysia's 230 landfills are full
• Recycling rates vary by source, with household waste making up 70% and commercial waste composing 30%

Recycling Rates

• Recycling rate for Household Waste (2000-2020) has shown an increasing trend
• Recycling rate for Commercial Waste (2000-2020) has shown an increasing trend
• In 2020, 16.76 million tonnes of waste is expected to be generated by Malaysia
• By 2020, 45,900 tonnes of waste is estimated to be generated daily in Malaysia

Materials Recycling

• Paper: Newspapers, manuals, school books, computer paper, leaflets, catalogs, and paper boxes need separation before recycling
• Metals: Aluminum cans, food and sauce cans, tin containers (milk, Milo, etc.), and biscuit tins need to be drained of liquid, rinsed, and placed in bags/boxes before recycling
• Plastics: Soft drinks and juice bottles, mineral water bottles, food and sauce containers, liquid soap and detergent bottles, shampoo and lotion bottles, and plastic bags should be rinsed and separately placed in bags/boxes
• Glass: Soft drinks and juice bottles, jars, sauces, seasoning bottles, and vitamins/cosmetics need to be washed and placed separately in bags/boxes
• Cartons: Tetra pack beverages and food cartons need to be rinsed and flattened; aseptic cartons can be stored and transported without refrigeration

Tetra Pak Cartons

• About 70% of tetra pack cartons are aseptic and can be stored/transported without refrigeration
• This results in considerable energy savings because of these cartons being 20% lighter now compared to 30 years ago
• Fewer resources are used, less energy is used in producing them, and less waste to dispose off

Recycling Process of Plastics

• Plastics recycling is done in 5 steps:

1. Collection
2. Manual sorting
3. Baling
4. Crushing
5. Washing
6. Regeneration
7. Pelleting

• Plastics come from two main sources: post-consumer plastics (used by people) and post-industrial plastics (industry rejects).
• Plastics are collected in recycling bins and domestic roadside collections, or directly from industry.
• Step 2: Manual sorting, to separate the incoming plastic into PET, HDPE, and other categories.
• Step 3: Chipping, in which the stream of plastic is separated and sent to a chipper. The material is cut until it can go through the grill.
• Step 4: Washing, in which the glue, paper labels, and other remnants are removed. Both streams (other and PET) are washed at 90oC for at least 12 minutes.
• Step 5: Pelleting, by melting the chips and extruding them through a grill to remove dirt, or metal particles and then through small holes to make pellets.

Plastic codes

• Plastic codes (resin coding system) were introduced by SPI in 1988 for efficient recycling
• Understanding plastic types help with recycling

Edible Cutlery

• Spoons made of carrot, beetroot, spinach
• Chopsticks and bowls (edible)
• Edible and biodegradable plates

How Fibreglass is Recycled

• Fibreglass waste is sent to Zajons in Germany
• It is consolidated and the calorific value is adjusted with recycling materials
• The crushed fibreglass is sent to Holcim
• Holcim uses it to produce cement, saving coal, chalk, sand and aluminum oxide. It produces no dust, ash, or other residues.

Circular Economy Package

• Designed to help businesses and consumers transition to a stronger circular economy
• It aims to close the loop of product lifecycles through greater recycling and reuse
• Examples include using kenaf, rice husk, coconut fiber, palm husk, mud, and mango seeds

5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew, Respect) for a Greener World

• Reduce: Reduce consumption of stuff, driving, energy, subscriptions, and cleaning supplies.
• Reuse: Reuse office items, repurpose items around the house, and use reusable shopping bags.
• Recycle: Recycle glass, newspapers, printer cartridges; car batteries, tires, and motor oil. Properly separate materials.
• Renew: Use renewable resources like paper over plastic, and invest in renewable energy options.
• Respect: Respect the environment by leaving the smallest footprint possible.

8Rs (Reduce, Refuse, Reuse, Repair, Rethink, Recover, Recycle, Regift) for a Greener World

• Reduce: Reduce consumption of energy and materials
• Refuse: Don't consume what you don't need
• Reuse: Share with others, find new uses for old things
• Repair: Fix and upgrade objects, rather than throwing them away
• Rethink: Mindful consumption, balance between objects and care for earth
• Recover: Recover energy and materials
• Recycle: Close the loop and remake
• Regift: Share and be part of the gift economy

Uses of Recycled Plastic

• Recycled plastic can be used for almost anything virgin plastic is used for (except food packaging)
• Recycled plastic is often pelletized and sold to other companies for molding into a range of products (such as carpets)
• Some recycled plastic is used locally, and the rest is exported to other countries such as Asia and the United States