RECYCLING NOUN (ENVIRONMENT)

The conversion of waste (such as paper, glass, etc.) into reusable materials. Etymology: Formed from the verb recycle, literally 'to return to an earlier stage in a cyclic process'; when a waste product is recycled it is returned to its raw-material state so as to be formed into a new product. History and Usage: The idea of recycling paper waste in particular is several decades old, but the whole concept of reusing waste rather than dumping it in the environment gained a new impetus and a more positive public profile as a result of the success of the green movement of the eighties. Whereas it was only a few keen environmentalists who took the trouble to save and reuse domestic waste in the seventies, the eighties saw the development of government-sponsored recycling programmes, collection points for recyclable containers (such as the bottle bank and the can bank) appeared in many towns, and in certain areas (including Canada and some States in the US) the division of domestic waste into recyclable and non-recyclable elements was required by law. The availability of recycled products also improved, as did their quality and market image, with advertisers working hard to convince shoppers that they could 'do something for the environment' by choosing recycled paper, containers, etc. Manufacturers keen to present themselves as ecologically aware had to consider the recyclability of the packaging that they used as well as the possibility of using recyclables in the product itself. Manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon, slapping 'biodegradable', 'ozone friendly', 'recyclable', and...any other environmentally correct slogan...on everything from diapers to deodorant. New Age Journal July-Aug. 1990, p. 10 A pilot Blue Box scheme which covers 3,500 homes in Sheffield--the first recycling city--is proving to be the most successful collection method in the UK. Earth Matters Summer 1990, p. 4 So far, Canada has accepted seven [EcoLogo] sectors: Zinc-Air Batteries, water based paint, fine recycled paper, miscellaneous recycled paper, recycled newsprint, heat recovery ventilators, and cloth nappies. Earth Matters Summer 1990, p. 9 Recycling was encouraged by...the buy-back value for recyclables (paid out at privately owned drop-off centers). Garbage Nov.-Dec. 1990, p. 27