Britain has less than 10 percent of domestic waste that is recycled while the rest is reprocessed and buried in landfill sites. But countries in Europe manage to recycle well over 50 percent of their waste (70 percent in Flanders, Belgium).
Every bit of recycled paper helps to supply 37 percent of the raw materials used in making new paper products in the U.S. Every ton of office paper recycled saves 24 trees.
By recycling one plastic bottle saves anywhere from 100 to 1000 years in the landfill.
For every one ton of plastic that is recycled we save the equivalent of two people’s energy use for one year, the amount of water used by one person in two month’s time and almost 2,000 pounds of oil.
Approximately 60 percent of the rubbish thrown away today can be recycled.
Here are some pictures showing the way we dump our garbage:
Used household appliances are seen in a recycling company in Thoerishaus near Bern July 3, 2011. Having the infrastructure in place to make it convenient for citizens to recycle, enables the Swiss to be among the top recyclers in the world. The Swiss recycle about 76 percent of everything that is recyclable.REUTERSCompressed cars are seen in a recycling company in Thoerishaus near Bern July 3, 2011. Having the infrastructure in place to make it convenient for citizens to recycle, enables the Swiss to be among the top recyclers in the world. The Swiss recycle about 76 percent of everything that is recyclable.REUTERSA worker carries a sack filled with used plastic items at a grinding plant on the outskirts of Srinagar June 23, 2011. The plastic will be crushed and then sold to a recycling plant.REUTERSA child helps her mother to collect recyclable materials at a recycling site in Managua June 3, 2011. High unemployment rates within the country has forced many to earn a living through collecting and selling recyclable items, with these "pickers" being paid an average of 133 Cordobas ($6) per day. World Environment Day will celebrated on June 5 to raise worldwide awareness for environmental protection and motivate action towards a cleaner and greener future, according to the United Nations Environment Programme website.REUTERSAn employee arranges discarded laptop at a newly opened electronic waste recycling factory in San Jose June 22, 2011. Factory officials said an average of 20 tons of electronic waste are exported each month to Vietnam, Hong Kong and Indonesia, where they are reused and reassembled into other electronic devices.REUTERS
