6.1.4Global Challenges
Recycling Materials — OCR Gateway GCSE Combined Science A J250 - Chemistry Revision Notes & Topical Questions
5 min read 6 parts Lesson 5 of 12
Part 1 of 4Why materials need conserving
Finite resources
- Finite resources Glass, metals, plastics and ceramics all come from raw materials taken from the Earth, and these supplies are limited.
Reuse before recycling
- Reuse before recycling Some items can simply be reused.
- A glass bottle only needs to be washed and sterilised before it is filled again, which saves the energy of melting it.
- Items that cannot be reused may be recycled, which means processing the material into new products.
Energy and impact
- Energy and impact Making products from recycled material usually needs less energy than extracting and processing raw materials,
- so the environmental impact is smaller.
Part 2 of 4How metals and glass are recycled
Recycling routes
Metals
- Metals Scrap metal is collected, sorted, crushed and melted, then cast into new shapes.
- Iron and steel scrap can be added to a blast furnace along with iron ore.
- This reduces the amount of ore needed and makes ore supplies last longer.
Glass
- Glass Broken or damaged glass is sorted by colour and type, crushed and melted, then moulded into new items.
- Sorting matters because mixing types could reduce the quality of the new glass.
Keeping materials separate
- Keeping materials separate Whether materials must be kept apart depends on what the recycled material will be used for.
Part 3 of 4Benefits of recycling
1Less raw material used
- Less raw material used Fewer ores and sands need to be mined and quarried.
2Less energy needed
- Less energy needed Melting scrap generally takes less energy than extracting metal from ore, so fewer fossil fuels are burned.
3Less pollution
- Less pollution Fewer harmful substances are released from mining and processing.
4Less landfill
- Less landfill Waste is diverted away from tips, saving space and protecting the land.
Part 4 of 4Factors to weigh up
| Factor | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Collection and sorting | How easy and costly is it to gather and separate the waste? Sorting uses energy and labour. |
| Transport | Lorries need fuel and workers, which adds cost and emissions. |
| Cost compared with alternatives | Is recycling cheaper than burning the waste or sending it to landfill? |
| Energy and by-products | How much energy does each stage need, and what harmful by-products form? |
| Quality | Recycled products may not be of the same quality as ones made from new materials. |
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Finite resource | A resource that will run out because it is used faster than it forms. |
| Recycling | Processing used materials so they can be made into new products. |
| Landfill | A site where waste is buried in the ground. |
| Incineration | Burning waste at high temperature. |
| Blast furnace | A furnace in which iron ore is reduced to iron; scrap iron or steel can be added to it. |
Avoid these mistakes
1
Saying that recycling has no costs. Collection, transport and sorting all use energy and money.
2
Mixing up reuse and recycling. Reuse keeps the same item in use; recycling remakes the material into something new.
3
Forgetting that recycling iron conserves iron ore as well as saving energy.
4
Giving only advantages in an evaluation question. A balanced answer includes disadvantages and a judgement.
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