General Environmental Facts!

In 1999, recycling and composting activities prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators. Today, this country recycles 32.5 percent of its waste, a rate that has almost doubled during the past 15 years. 1
Making one ton of recycled paper uses only about 60% of the energy needed to make a tone of virgin paper. 3
Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves 1-2 thousands gallons of gas. 2
Producing new plastic from recycled material uses only two-thirds of the energy required to manufacture it from raw materials. 2
Recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 850 lbs. a year. 2
Recycling saves energy and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials and the manufacture of products using virgin materials.

Source:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Recycling Facts and Figures, June 6, 2008, www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm
Headwaters Cooperative Recycling, Recycling Facts, www.headwatersrecycle.com/index.html
Minnesota State Government, Recycling Information you Need to Know, February 12, 2007, www.rro.state.mn.us/recycling%20information%20to%20know