With the ever-growing world population and continued focus on economic growth comes the problem of increasing waste production, especially in high-income countries. In , households and businesses generated 222.2 tonnes of waste in the UK alone. This means that it's now more important than ever to design and implement better and more sustainable waste management practices with an emphasis on sorting waste to recover, recycle, and reuse valuable materials instead of letting them end up in landfills. But what exactly is waste sorting, and how can it improve global recycling rates?

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What Is the Waste Sorting Process?

Waste sorting comes in many shapes and forms, as the process and waste management regulations can vary between locations, stages, and recycling facilities.

Let's start with domestic waste. Nowadays, recycling is required in many parts of the UK, although it's up to local authorities to decide what and how can be recycled and collected from homes in the area. Recyclables are usually collected at the kerbside either already pre-sorted into glass, paper, and plastics (and any other materials specified by the local council) or as part of a single-stream recycling system in which waste sorting is limited to separating recyclable waste from residual waste.

Once collected, municipal and commercial recyclable waste is taken to a recycling centre or materials recovery facility, where waste is sorted once again to remove unwanted or contaminated objects from the waste stream. This can be done by manual or automated sorting. At the end of this process, only items suitable for further processing and recycling remain (waste that cannot be recycled is disposed of differently).

A Short Guide to Different Waste Types

• Recyclable waste: Recyclable materials are used materials that can be processed and reused to manufacture new materials of the same or different kinds. Many of them are currently in circulation, including, for example, plastics, wood, and metals.
• Organic waste: Also known as biodegradable, this type of waste consists mainly of green waste, garden waste, and food waste. The recycling process, in this case, aims to turn such waste into compost (among other things), which can be used as a natural soil fertiliser in gardening and agriculture.
• General waste: All waste generated by households and businesses that cannot be recycled.
• Construction waste: Any waste generated due to construction, renovation, or demolition works. It may contain valuable materials, e.g., metal components or recyclable concrete and asphalt. Proper waste sorting is crucial to prevent contamination of recyclable materials.
• Hazardous waste: This category includes everything that has the potential to harm human health or the environment when not disposed of properly, from electronic devices and batteries to paints, solvents, and asbestos. Medical waste can be classed as hazardous as well.

Why Is Waste Sorting Important?

Waste sorting is a crucial part of sustainable waste management as it can help reduce landfill waste, process recyclables, and reuse recovered materials in the production of new items. By sorting waste materials, it's possible to limit the risk of contaminating recyclables or mixing them with general waste and sending to landfills. As different types of materials require specialised recycling processes, keeping, e.g., metal items separate from cardboard and non-recyclables from the start can streamline the entire process and cut down costs in the long run.

Useful Tips on Sorting Waste

For Businesses

• Make sure you're familiar with any legal requirements you must adhere to as a businessperson when it comes to waste management (such as getting a waste transfer note or other document confirming the safe disposal of your commercial waste).
• Create waste sorting rules for your business that are in line with your local waste collection system.
• Give your employees clear instructions on any changes regarding waste sorting.
• Provide easy-to-use and clearly labelled recycling containers around your business premises.

For Households

• Sort your waste according to local waste disposal and sorting regulations.
• Always check that everything you put in your recycling waste bin is recyclable.
• Remove any remaining product or food residue from containers.
• Use separate recycling containers for different types of materials to stop them from getting mixed up.

Waste Sorting FAQ

How Do You Sort Waste in the UK?

Households in the UK need separate containers for waste types collected in the area. These typically include a black wheelie bin for general waste, a brown bin for glass and plastic (or a separate red bin for plastics and a green one for glass), and a blue bin for paper and cardboard.

However, the exact rules on how to sort recyclable materials in the UK may vary between different parts of the country, so it's always a good idea to check with your local council what goes into which bin to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that your waste is properly sorted.

Should You Wash Recyclable Materials?

While there's no need for your recyclables to be spotless before going into the bin, it's important to make sure that each bottle, container, or packaging is empty and free of any chemical or food residue by giving them a quick rinse. Why?

Leftover food waste can cause unpleasant odours and attract pests to your recycling bin, not to mention that it can contaminate your recyclables (e.g., cardboard or paper waste) and make it impossible to recycle them. You should be especially aware of the risk of contamination if your area uses a single-stream recycling process, which means that all recyclable materials go into the same bins or bags.

How Do You Sort Household Waste Effectively?

Start by learning more about waste management and recycling rules in your area to see what recyclable materials are collected separately from other waste locally. It's also a good idea to get familiar with labels and signs you can find on packaging. Knowing how to recognise different materials can make waste sorting much quicker and effortless. Finally, segregate your rubbish at the moment of its disposal to put everything that can be recycled in the correct bin right away.

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But while ensuring proper waste sorting is crucial, you can also generate less waste by selling or donating unwanted items (e.g., furniture, household appliances, books, clothes, etc., that are still in good condition) instead of throwing them out.

What Type of Waste Can Be Recycled?

When asked about recyclables, we automatically think of the most commonly recycled materials, such as plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, and metals. But it's worth keeping in mind that textiles, tyres, wood, and organic waste can be recycled as well if we ensure their proper disposal or composting in the case of food waste. Home appliances and electronic devices often contain plastic and valuable metals. Even construction waste, in many cases, can be repurposed and reused.

Make Sure Your Waste Is Sorted Properly With Recycling Bins!

It's a common belief that making a real difference requires blood, sweat, and tears. But sometimes a great change can start with a simple step, such as replacing your old waste bin with a recycling station tailored to your needs. Using separate containers for plastics, paper, and other recyclables makes waste sorting at home and business effortless. It's also a great way to encourage your family or employees to pay more attention to responsible waste disposal and develop good habits.

In short, if you'd like to improve your waste management practices, start with finding the right bin! At ALDA, we have a wide selection of products in different sizes and finishes to suit any type of space and interior design style. Our metal containers are made of high-quality materials to ensure their long-term durability.

The U.S. Recycling System

In the United States, recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials (that would otherwise be thrown away as trash) and remanufacturing them into new products.

On this page:

• U.S. Recycling System Overview
• Benefits of Recycling
• Current Challenges Facing the System
• EPA Tools for Improving Recycling

U.S. Recycling System Overview

While the recycling process often differs by commodity and locality, there are essentially three main steps: collection, processing, and remanufacturing into a new product.

1. Collection: Recyclable materials are generated by a consumer or business and then collected by a private hauler or government entity.
    
2. Processing: The materials are transported by the collector to a processing facility, such as a materials recovery facility or paper processor. At the processing facility, the recyclables are sorted, cleaned of contaminants, and prepared for transport to a milling facility or directly to a manufacturing facility. Some commodities may require more processing for additional sorting and decontamination. For example, glass and plastic are often sent to glass beneficiation plants and plastics reclaimers, respectively, where they are processed into mill-ready forms.
    
3. Remanufacturing: After all necessary processing is completed, recyclables are made into new products at recycling plants or other facilities, such as paper mills or bottle manufacturing facilities.

Benefits of Recycling

Environmental, economic and community benefits can be attained from recycling.

For the environment, recycling:

• Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators.
• Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals.
• Prevents pollution and reduces greenhouse gases by reducing the need to mine and process new raw materials.

For the economy, recycling:

• Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials.
• Saves energy.

For communities, recycling:

• Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources.
• Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States.

Current Challenges Facing the System

While the benefits of recycling are clear, growing and strengthening the U.S. recycling system to create more jobs and enhance environmental and community benefits will require multi-entity collaboration to address the challenges currently facing the system. Current challenges include:

• Most Americans want to recycle, as they believe recycling provides an opportunity for them to be responsible caretakers of the Earth. However, it can be difficult for consumers to understand what materials can be recycled, how materials can be recycled, and where to recycle different materials. This confusion often leads to placing recyclables in the trash or throwing trash in the recycling bin or cart.
   
• America’s recycling infrastructure has not kept pace with today’s waste stream. Communication between the manufacturers of new materials and products and the recycling industry needs to be enhanced to prepare for and optimally manage the recycling of new materials.
   
• Domestic markets for recycled materials need to be strengthened. Historically, some of the recycled materials generated in the United States have been exported internationally. However, changing international policies have limited the export of materials. We need to better integrate recycled materials and end-of-life management into product and packaging designs. We need to improve communication among the different sectors of the recycling system to strengthen existing materials markets and to develop new innovative markets.
   
• Entities across the recycling system agree that more consistent measurement methodologies are needed to measure recycling system performance. These more standardized metrics can then be used to create effective goals and track progress.

EPA’s National Recycling Strategy identifies actions needed to address the challenges in the U.S. recycling system. The actions are for entities across the value chain -- including federal, state, Tribal and local governments, private businesses, trade associations, and nonprofit organizations. In response to some of these challenges, EPA has developed several products to assist communities in improving their recycling programs.

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EPA Tools for Communities Trying to Improve Recycling

• Model Recycling Program Toolkit.
• Standardized Terms for Materials Accepted by Municipal Recycling Programs.
• Training on Creating Educational Messages that Lead to Behavior Change.