Recycling is on everyone’s minds in this day and age. We are seeing daily headlines on how pollution (especially plastic) is contributing to the downfall of our oceans, ground, and world in general. Therefore, it is our responsibility to share facts, tips, and tricks on how to effectively recycle and start living a cleaner life. In turn, the planet will thank us!
What is Recycling?
Simply put, recycling is the action or process of converting waste into reusable material. This means they take whatever waste you have and turn it into something else by repurposing it, or melting it down and turning it into something else.
Materials that can be recycled:
Most materials can be repurposed in some way, but many of the items will take years and years to degrade naturally. Some of the most common recycling materials include:
- Plastics
This includes plastic bags, plastic water tanks, packaging materials, etc.
- Glass
Bottles, jars, lightbulbs, etc.
- Cardboard / Paper
Books, newspapers, old boxes, cereal boxes, etc.
- Polystyrene
- Metals
Plastic is the leading cause of waste in the world. This is due to the fact that it needs a ridiculous amount of time to degrade naturally. Many people choose not to recycle. Therefore, plastic is just building up in our waste dumps, oceans, and world.
Recycling Facts and Information you need to know:
- Up to 60% of the rubbish that ends up in the dustbin could be recycled.
- On average, 16% of the money you spend on a product pays for the packaging, which ultimately ends up as rubbish.
- Most families throw away about 40kg of plastic per year, which could otherwise be recycled.
- Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose.
- Since the 1950s, around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide.
- Around 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.
- Plastic is killing more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals every year.
Average decomposing time for the various materials courtesy of The Balance Small Businesses:
- Paper 2 – 6 weeks
- Organic Material (Orange Peels) 6 months
- Carton (Boxes) – 5 years
- Tin (Metal Can) – 50 years
- Batteries – 100 years
- Plastic 450 – 1000 years
Tips and Tricks on how you can recycle every day:
Create EcoBricks!
What are Ecobricks?
“An Ecobrick is a reusable building block created by packing clean and dry used plastic into a plastic bottle to a set density. Ecobricks enable us to take personal responsibility for our plastic.” – EcoBrick.org
In South Africa, there are collection/drop-off points nationwide! Therefore, you and your family can make a difference by creating these bricks to be used for some pretty awesome projects. Ask on your local community group whether there are any drop-off points near you
Reuse shopping bags!
Simply keep a few plastic grocery bags in your car. As a result, you will never have to buy plastic bags again! Saving money and earth at the same time!
Reuse whatever you can
Recycling isn’t just about gathering up all your recyclables and getting them processed so that they can be turned into something else. It also includes making eco-conscious decisions by buying products with packaging that can be reusable.
There are shops popping up all over South Africa that emphasizes Zero-Waste and only makes use of reusable containers! Glass, thick plastic, etc. can be reused, and should be reused.
Buy products made from recycled materials
By buying products that are made from recycled materials, we lessen the demand for single-use products that are manufactured as brand new. This can help people be more conscious about their manufacturing process etc.
Inform your friends and family
One of the biggest issues concerning our planet’s problems is the fact that many people are uninformed. As someone reading this post, you can go about and spread the word.
You don’t have to be a hardcore “greenie” to make a difference. Simply start with the small stuff. Soon you will realize that it is rewarding and it as the ability to save you money too!
Recycling Steel Tanks vs. Plastic Tanks
Recycling should be a part of our everyday lives. However, we should also look at the future effects of our choices. When you are looking to buy a water tank, you need to look at what it needs to do, as well as what you will do with it once it has outlived its usefulness.
We did an extensive post comparing plastic tanks to water tanks and briefly mentioned recycling. However, if you are unsure about which tank you should go for, you can read the blog post here.
Plastic Water Tanks are made out of Polyethylene.
“Polyethylene or polythene is the most common plastic. As of 2017, over 100 million tonnes of polyethylene resins are produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market ” – Wikipedia
A Polyethylene tank is recyclable. However, it required cutting up the tank into small pieces. Furthermore, you need to find out whether there is a recycling plant near you that can recycle it properly. Additionally, you can repurpose the tank for other uses, like garden beds, etc.
In contrast, Steel Water Tanks are easy to recycle. Because it is a metal, it can naturally degrade and return to the soil. It is not hazardous or dangerous for the soil and surrounding plant life. Therefore, steel tanks are more eco-friendly. Furthermore, steel tanks can be taken to a “junkyard” or another metal worker and sold for “scrap metal” that can be melted and reused and repurposed.
Why choose Steel Water Tanks?
Steel water tanks are far superior to plastic water tanks in:
- Strength
- Versatility
- Durability
Steel tanks are not limited by specific molds, shapes, and sizes. Anything is possible when you are manufacturing these water tanks from scratch, which is exactly what we do at Aquadam.
Additionally, Steel water tanks are easy to transport, has simple and fast repairs, is available in a massive variety of shapes, sizes, is lightweight!
These tanks are perfect for ay environment. If you are looking to have a steel tank installed, please feel free to contact us!