Facts
- The US throw away 2,500,000 plastic bottles per hour on average.
- As much as 50% of waste in the average dustbin could be composted.
- 4 billion trees are cut down each year to meet demand for paper across the world.
- Plastics from items such as carriers bags and bottles that end up in our oceans kill around 1,000,000 sea creatures each year.
- Every Christmas, the UK throws away enough wrapping paper to cover over 11,000 football pitches.
- One recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a light bulb for 3 hours.
- Plastic can take up to 500 years to fully decompose.
- It can take 6 months to turn old newspapers, books and magazines back into new ones.
- The recycling rates for aluminium cans is a massive 90% in countries such as Brazil and Japan.
- Glass is 100% recyclable and can be reused over and over again. One litre of oil can pollute up to one million litres of drinking water.
- Steel cans are 100% recyclable, it can be turned into more steel cans, bicycles, parts for cars and many other every day products.
- Aluminium cans are 100% recyclable, meaning each can you place in the recycling bin could end up back on the shelf in 6 months.
- 90% of all data in the world is still stored on paper. Most of it is never looked at again.
- 20 times more plastic is made and used today than it was 50 years ago.
- 5 out of 6 glass bottles are thrown away.
- The vast majority of plastic shopping bags are used once and take up to 100 years to decompose.
Why Recycle?
We all have to do our bit for the environment with the growing effect of Global Warming. It is very important to educate people especially children about the benefits of recycling for both them and the environment.
- Recycling helps save natural resources.
- Recycling helps save energy.
- Recycling helps reduce the size of landfills.
- Recycling helps create jobs and save money.
- Recycling prevents loss of biodiversity.
- Recycling saves clean air and water.
- Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
