Most people think they have a pretty good handle on things when it comes to recycling. That is, until they are presented with the kinds of facts and figures that prove the reality is actually quite to the contrary.

These days, more people than ever before are proactively doing their ‘bit’ for the environment and are taking an interest in recycling. But at the same time, hard evidence shows that we still have a long way to go – even just to catch up with some of our closest European neighbours.  more-eye-opening-facts-about-everyday-recycling

So taking attention away from the usual Take My Scrap Car standards, here’s a quick look at a few more facts and figures on the current state of recycling in the UK:

  1. The United Kingdom alone produces more than 24 million tonnes of aluminium each and every year. Interestingly, somewhere in the region of 50,000 tonnes of this finds its way into packaging.
  2. If every single aluminium can used in the UK was to be recycled, no less than 14 million dustbins could be taken out of use in an instant!
  3. Contrary to popular belief, there really is incredible money to be made in aluminium can recycling. Believe it or not, the monetary value of the aluminium thrown away each year in the UK is a whopping £36 million.
  4. From the moment they’re thrown away to being put back into use once again, it takes just six weeks to fully recycle an aluminium can.
  5. The average household gets through a quite impressive 500 glass jars and bottles every year.
  6. Glass is one of very few materials that can be recycled and reused over and over again, without losing any of its properties, strength or quality in general. As such, one recycled bottle means one new bottle produced.
  7. Tragically, glass is also one of many materials which will never, ever decompose if thrown out and not recycled properly.
  8. Recycled paper saves more than 75% of the energy and pollution that would otherwise be used/created when making new paper.
  9. The UK public gets through an astonishing 12.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard every year.
  10. Every person in the UK gets through an average of 38kg of paper each year in newspapers alone.
  11. At least 25 trees must be chopped down and processed to make a single tonne of newspaper.
  12. Great Britain gets through a quite astonishing 15 million bottles-worth of plastic every single day – no less than 275,000 tonnes daily.
  13. The average household throws out around 40kg of plastic annually that would be ideal for recycling.
  14. When not disposed of and recycled properly, it takes in the region of 500 years for plastic to decompose.

And there you have it – further reason to think a little more carefully about just how big your own ‘bit’ for the environment really is!

For more information on responsible car scrapping and recycling, get in touch with the Take My Scrap Car team today.