Recycling Industry Activities List

 

Selected Materials and Products, Links and Information

The recycling industry is constantly evolving and highly complex. This compendium, which is organized by material and product type, contains a large number of information resources on the recycling industry. If you come across additional links or materials that should be added to this list, we welcome your suggestions.

• Construction, Renovation and Demolition Material
• Glass
• Metals
• Minerals
• Liquids, chemicals and gases
• Oils and Petrochemicals
• Organic Matter
• Paint, Pigment and Ink
• Paper
• Plastics
• Rubber and Tires
• Textiles
• Wood

Construction, Renovation and Demolition Materials

Most of the materials that fall under this sector fall more prominently under other categories included in this list. The following resources provide general information about recycling in the sector.

• "An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications," (PDF 8.18 mb) (See sections 4.3 and 16.4) [MMS]
• Construction Materials Recycling Association [U.S.]
• "Let's Climb Another Molehill : An Examination of Construction Demolition and Renovation (CRD), Waste Diversion in Canada and Associated Greenhouse Gas Impact" (PDF 10.31 mb) [RCO]
• Recycling Construction and Demolition Wastes: A Guide for Architects and Contractors (PDF, 1.8 mb) [U.S.]
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Glass

Cathode Ray Tubes

• Problem Glass – Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) [SWRC]
• Can the lead, mercury, and liquid crystals in computer displays pose health risks? (PDF, 273 kb) [U.S. EPA]

Fluorescent Lamps

• Background Study on Increasing Recycling of End-of-Life Mercury-containing Lamps from Residential and Commercial Sources in Canada (PDF 443 kb) [NRCan]
• Fluorescent and Other Mercury-Containing Lamps and the Environment [U.S. NEMA]
• Fluorescent Lamp Stewardship Program [RCO]
• LampRecycle.org [U.S. NEMA]
• Mercury Lamp Recycling Information for Canadians [MMS]
• Take Back the Light [RCO]

Glass Containers

• Glass: Organizations and Information Resources [U.S.]
• Glass Packaging Institute [U.S.]

Other Glass

• Mirror Glass (not easily recycled)
• Windshields (not easily recycled)
• Fibreglass (not easily recycled; glass can be recycled into fibreglass)
• Chairs SAQ de valorisation du verre dans les matériaux [French only]
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METALS

General

• Canadian Association of Recycling Industries
• Metals Recycling Industry Structure [MMS]
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook – 2009: Recycled Metals [MMS]
• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc.
• Profil de l'industrie québécoise des matières résiduelles et du recyclage [French only]
• "Scan of Metals and Minerals Recycling Programs and Associated Climate Change Impacts" (PDF 1.16 mb) [MMS]
• Recycling – Metals (PDF, 296 kb) [USGS]
• Metal [SWRC]

Aluminum

• Dialogue sur l’aluminuum [French only]
• Quebec Metallurgy Centre
• International Aluminium Institute
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook – 2009: Aluminum [MMS]
• Aluminum Beverage Cans: The ABCs of Environmental Education

Automobiles, Trucks, and Catalytic Converters

• See Iron and Steel

• Car Heaven: Where Cars Come to Good End
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.2.4 Automobile Hulks, Catalytic Converters) [MMS]
• Catalytic converter [Umicore]
• Used Auto Parts Make Cents: Auto Recycling and the Environment

Brass, Bronze and Copper

• Canadian Copper and Brass Development Association
• Copper Development Association  [U.S.]
• Copper and Precious Metals [Xstrata]
• International Copper Study Group

Cadmium

• Cadmium (PDF, 12 kb) [USGS]

Cell phones, Other Electronics and Batteries

• Canadian Consumer Battery Baseline Study (PDF, 760 kb) [EC]
• CFER Computer 4Rs Pilot Project
• National Cell Phone Collection Program
• ThinkRecycle
• Call2Recycle: Recharging the Planet. Recycling Your Batteries.
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.2.3) [MMS]

Gold

• World Gold Council

Insulated Wire/Cable

• "Getting Down to the Wire"
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Iron and Steel

• Canadian Steel Producers Association
• Steel Recycling
• Steel Recycling Institute
• Canadian Institute of Steel Construction

Lead

• International Lead Association

Magnesium

• International Magnesium Association

Mercury

• Mercury and the Environment Canada [EC]
• Mercury Recyclers (Environment, Health and Safety Online)

Nickel

• "Characterization of the Stocks and Flows of Nickel" [ER]
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook – 2009 Nickel
• Nickel Institute
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Precious Metals

• Copper and Precious Metals [Xstrata]

Stainless Steel

• Stainless steel contains nickel and chromium alloys, which make this metal highly valuable to recyclers around the world.
• International Stainless Steel Forum
• Recycling (Specialty Stainless Steel Industry of North America)

White Goods (Large Household Appliances)

• Generation and Diversion of White Good from Residential Sources in CanadaBaseline (PDF 2.73 mb)
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Implications (PDF 8318 mb) (See section 17.2.2) [MMS]

Zinc

• Canadian Minerals Yearbook – 2009: Zinc
• EAF Dust Recycling Services
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MINERALS

Asphalt/Tar

• Lafarge performs “Full Depth Reclamation,” which enables them to recycle materials onsite. For roadway repairs, Lafarge essentially renews and strengthens paved surfaces by adding Class C self-cementing fly ash and water.
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse gas Emission Implications (PDF 8.18 kb) (See Section 17.3.2) [MMS]

Brick

• Brick may be reused if undamaged, but it is more likely to be processed and used as an aggregate substitute.

Concrete

• During demolition, concrete rubble is often generated. This material may be processed and reused onsite or elsewhere.
• EcoSmart Concrete
• Cement Association of Canada
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.3.1) [MMS]

Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Dust

• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.3.1)
• EAF Dust Recycling Services

Fly Ash and Bottom Ash

• Fly and bottom ash are coal combustion by-product. They may be used as aggregate substitutes or supplementary cementing materials.
• Canadian Industries Recycling Coal Ash
• Coal Combustion Products Partnership [U.S. EPA]
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Implications (See section 17.4.2) [MMS]
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Foundry Sand

• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.4.4) [MMS]

Gypsum/Drywall

• New West Gypsum Recycling

Mine tailings

• Recovering of Mine TailingsCentre

Slag

• High temperature processes are required to separate the metal and nonmetal elements in ore. The non-metal constituents form a by-product called slag, a granular rocky material. Rather than being discarded, slag can be processed and used.
• National Slag Association
• Supplementary Cementing Materials
• Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle [French only]
• An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications (PDF 8.18 mb) (See section 17.4.3) [MMS]
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LIQUIDS, CHEMICALS & GASES

Acid

• Acid Recycling Technology (PDF, 87 kb) [WMRC]
• Acid Recycling at a Captive Finishing Shop
• International Steel Services, Inc.

De-Icing Fluid/Glycol

• Glycol Recovery
• Toronto Central Deicing Facility

Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

• Canada-Wide Standard for Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil (PDF, 29 kb)
• Federal Contaminated Sites
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Solvents

• Chemrec: Specialized Waste Solvent Recycling Services

OILS, PETROCHEMICALS

• Materials in this category include gasoline, diesel, grease, lubricants, lubricating oils, hydraulic oils, metal-cutting oils, pyrolysis oils and motor oils. Oil filters and containers are also included
• Used Oil Management Association
• Product Care: Product Stewardship Solutions
• Centre for Energy
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ORGANIC MATTER

• Materials in this category include animal manure, biosolids, sewage sludge, leaves and other yard trimmings, nut shells, paper, processed and packaged food wastes, rendering and protein wastes, sea shells, seeds and pits, and wood.
• Compost Council of Canada

PAINT, PIGMENT and INK

• Product Care: Product Stewardship Solutions
• Other Paint Initiatives (Illinois Partners for Waste Paint Solutions Program)
• Eco-Peinture

Used Paint Cans/Containers

• Empty metal paint cans can be recycled through dedicated programs or facilities available in many municipalities.Plastic paint containers can be more difficult to recycle depending on resin type. Some municipalities collect, filter, mix, package and sell or give away mixed paint. Some work has been undertaken to use waste latex paint as a binding agent in concrete.
• Canadian Paint and Coatings Association

Toner/Cartridges

• Most toner cartridges can be recycled by the brand owner or by other parties. The Government of Canada has an internal recycling program for these items.
• Think Green
• Ink Canada’s Inkjet Recycling Program
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PAPER

• Materials in this category include boxboard, corrugated cardboard, magazines, mixed paper, newspapers and office paper. If paper recycling programs or facilities are not available, these materials can be composted.
• Pulp and Paper Products Council
• Paper Recycling Association
• The Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council

PLASTICS

• Materials in this category include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET/PETE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
• Canadian Plastics Industry AssociationThe
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RUBBER, TIRES

• Scrap Tire Recycling in Canada (PDF 906 kb)

TEXTILES

• Materials in this category include burlap, jute, sisal, cotton, leather, nylon, polyester, polyurethane foam, rags, carpet, wool, and used bags, clothes and footwear.:
• Council for Textile Recycling

WOOD

• Materials in this category include wood chips, crates, pallets, sawdust and lumber.
• Best Practices in Waste Wood Recycling