Transcript A World of Rubbish

Lesson Five:
A World of Rubbish
Recycled materials supply
40% of global raw materials
needs
o Around 1.6 million people are
involved in the recycling
industry.
o Approximately 600 million
tonnes of material recycled
every year.
o Recycling material generates
more than $200 billion a year
(this is more than GDP of
Portugal, Colombia, and
Malaysia together).
Source: Flickr user Kevin Dooley
Aluminium
o Used for: building
and construction;
transport; packaging;
electricity cables;
cooking implements.
o Estimated 700 million
tonnes of aluminium
produced since 1880s
and around 75% of this
is still in use (via
recycling).
Source: Flickr user Jay Peeples
Copper
o Used for: electrical
applications including
wires, circuits and
switches, pipes.
o Recycled copper
saves up to 85% of the
energy used in its
primary production.
Source: Flickr user Tony Hisgett
Lead
o Used for batteries, radiation
protection materials
o 50% of lead used each year is
recycled.
o Around 80% of lead is used in
acid batteries.
o Using recycled lead reduces
Co2 emissions by 99%.
Source: Wikipedia
Zinc
o Used for: as a coating for
iron and steel
(galvanisation); batteries, to
create brass (as an alloy with
copper).
o The average car includes
around 10kg of zinc
components (in galvanised
body parts).
o Producing recycled zinc
uses 76% less energy than
producing zinc from mined
ore.
Source: Wikipedia
Tin
o Used for cans; car
production; springs; glass
coating.
o Extracting tin from mining
requires 99% more
energy than recycling it
Source: Flickr user Nunavut
Recycling Metal (1)
o Sorting
Recycling Metal (2)
o Baling
Source: Bureau of International Recycling
(2013)
Recycling Metal (3)
o Shearing
Source: Flickr user Galbiatl group
Recycling Metal (4)
oSeparation
oMelting
Source: Flickr user Graela