Global Recycling Day: Why recycling matters

Global Recycling Day is celebrated every year on March 18 to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and encourage individuals and organizations to take concrete actions to reduce waste.

Global Recycling Day was first established in 2018 by the Global Recycling Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the importance of recycling and sustainable development.

This year, as in previous years, the focus is on recycling heroes—individuals, companies, and organizations whose efforts contribute to the planet’s ecological stability. The Global Recycling Foundation will select 20 inspiring examples worldwide and award them USD 500 each.

The Earth’s natural resources—such as water, air, oil, natural gas, coal, and minerals—are the foundation of our existence but are also limited. Irresponsible consumption of these resources, coupled with the generation of billions of tons of waste each year, creates a serious environmental problem. Recycling, also known as the seventh resource, is one of the key solutions.

Recycling is the process of extracting materials from waste and transforming them for reuse

Recycling is the process of extracting materials from waste and transforming them for reuse. While waste disposal has numerous negative effects on the environment, recycling helps prevent the depletion of potentially valuable materials and reduces the consumption of raw materials. In doing so, it decreases energy use, air pollution, and water pollution. Recycling also plays a vital role in combating climate change, reducing CO2 emissions by over 700 million tons annually—the equivalent of the entire aviation industry’s emissions.

For example, most packaging waste, which is the most common type of municipal waste, can be recycled. The most frequent packaging waste includes plastic PET bottles, cellophane, cardboard boxes, plastic bags, glass containers, nylon, wooden crates, various types of paper, paperboard packaging, stretch film, and similar materials.

Recycling also has a significant economic and social impact

Recycling just one ton of paper saves about 4,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, approximately 30,000 liters of water, and 17 trees. Aluminum and glass can be recycled an unlimited number of times without losing their quality and properties.

Recycling also has a significant economic and social impact. Around 1.6 million people worldwide are employed in the recycling industry, and its contribution to global GDP is expected to exceed USD 400 billion in the next ten years. Every year, this industry invests approximately USD 20 billion in improving recycling efficiency, creating jobs, and reducing environmental impact.

How we can contribute

Global Recycling Day is an opportunity to reflect on our habits and consider how we can become more responsible consumers. Small changes in our daily lives, such as separating waste, reducing plastic use, and choosing eco-friendly products, can have far-reaching effects.

Every bottle, piece of paper, or aluminum can that enters the recycling process instead of ending up in a landfill helps reduce pollution and preserve resources for future generations. Community engagement, support for sustainable initiatives, and raising awareness about the importance of recycling are key steps toward a greener and healthier planet.