Recycling Industry Framework

Selected Materials and Products, Links and Information

The Recycling Industry Framework is constantly evolving and highly complex. The purpose of this framework is to help organize this industry by material and product type to facilitate further research and discussion. If you discover any links that are no longer functional, please let us know. Similarly, if you come across new links or materials that should be added to the framework, we would welcome your suggestions.

• Construction, renovation and demolition
• 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 & Demolition Material

• Materials managed in the CR&D sector are included in the list below (e.g. ferrous, asphalt, concrete, brick, wood, etc.). Some general sources of information are available as well, as follows:
• For a summary discussion, see "An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications," Sections 4.3 and 16.4
• See "Let's Climb Another Molehill - Analyzing Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CR&D) Waste"
• Alberta CRD Waste Reduction Advisory Committee
• Recyc-Quebec (in French)
• Construction Materials Recycling Association (U.S.)
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (PDF, 1.8 mb)
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Glass

Cathode Ray Tubes

• Environment Canada
• Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council
• US Environmental Protection Agency (PDF, 168 kb)

Fluorescent Lamps

• Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Fact Sheets
• Recycling Council of Ontario
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association
• See Enhanced Recycling program project: "Background Study on Increasing Recycling of Obsolete Mercury Containing Lamps from Residential and Commercial Sources in Canada"

Glass Containers

• Glassworks Recycling
• Clean Washington Centre
• Glass Packaging Institute (GPI)
• Incandescent Light Bulbs (although the filament is tungsten, these bulbs are not easily recycled) (PDF,82kb)
• How Things Work (PDF, 52 kb)

Other Glass

• Mirror Glass (not easily recycled)
• Windshields (not easily recycled)
• Fiberglass (not easily recycled; glass items can be recycled into fiberglass)
• La valorisation du verre dans le béton (in french)
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METALS

General

• Metals Recycling in Canada
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook article, Recycled Metals
• RECYC-QUÉBEC, Profil de l'industrie québécoise des matières résiduelles et du recyclage (in French)
• "Scan of Metals and Minerals Recycling Programs and Associated Climate Change Impacts"
• US Geological Survey (PDF, 296 kb)

Aluminum

• Aluminium Association of Canada
• Développement économique innovation et exportation, Québec (in French)
• Centre intégré de fonderie et métallurgie (in French)
• International Aluminium Institute
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook, background information on aluminum

Aluminum Beverage Cans
("UBC - Used Beverage Cans")

• Can Manufacturers' Institute

Automobile and Truck Parts

• see Iron & Steel

• Clean Air Foundation
• For a summary discussion and additional links, see Section 17.2.4

Batteries

• Recycling in Canada
• Recyc-Québec (in French)
• Environment Canada (Canadian Consumer Battery Baseline Study)

Bi-Metal Cans

• see Iron & Steel

• Recycling 101 (for definition) (PDF, 192 kb)
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Brass

• see Copper

Bronze

• see Copper

Cadmium

• Canadian Minerals Yearbook
• US Geological Survey (PDF, 12 kb)

Catalytic Converters

• Catalytic-Converter-Info.com
• Umicore
• Technical paper (PDF, 106 kb)

Cell phones

• National Cell Phone Collection Program
• ThinkRecycle
• Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation

Copper

• Canadian Copper and Brass Development Association
• Copper Development Association
• US Geological Survey (recycling metals)
• International Copper Study Group

Electronic items

• Contain varying amounts of recyclable materials; see Recycling in Canada web site for summary information and links
• See CFER Computer 4Rs Pilot Project

Gold

• See World Gold Council

Insulated Wire/Cable

• See BldgDESIGN 2020 article "Getting Down to the Wire"
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Iron & Steel

• Canadian Association of Recycling Industries
• Canadian Steel Producers Association
• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
• Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council
• Steel Recycling Institute
• Ryerson University
• Canadian Institute of Steel Construction

Lead/Lead Alloys

• Lead Development Association International
• Nova Pb

Magnesium

• International Magnesium Association
• Centre intégré de fonderie et de métallurgie (in French)

Mercury

• Environment Canada
• Environment, Health and Safety Online
• US Geological Survey(recycling metals)

Nickel/Nickel Alloys

• See Enhanced Recycling program project, "Characterization of the Stocks and Flows of Nickel"
• Canadian Minerals Yearbook, nickel chapter
• The Nickel Institute
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Precious Metals

• Noranda Recycling

Rail Scrap

• see Iron & Steel

Stainless Steel Products

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

Steel Cans

• see Iron & Steel

Tin

• See Canadian Minerals Yearbook article and "steel cans" reference

Titanium

• See Canadian Minerals Yearbook

White Goods (large appliances)

• See Enhanced Recycling program project: "Baseline Data and Tracking System for the Generation and Diversion of Obsolete White Goods From Residential Sources in Canada"

Zinc

• See Canadian Minerals Yearbook
• When an electric arc furnace recycles steel, one of the by-products is a dust in which 5-35% by weight is zinc for information about recovering zinc from EAF dust
• See also "Electric Arc (mini-mill) Furnace dust" below.
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MINERALS

Asphalt

• An enormous amount of asphalt is recycled in Canada. For more information consult the report entitled "An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse gas Emission Implications," Section 17.2
• Lafarge is executing "Full Depth Reclamation" that allows them to recycle materials onsite in roadway repair to essentially replace the paved surface with a renewed and stronger surface with the addition of Class C (self-cementing) Fly Ash and water.

Boiler Ash

• For more information, see Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Centre

Bottom Ash

• This is a coal combustion by-product: It may be used as an aggregate substitute.
• For more information, consult the Association of Canadian Industries Recycling Coal Ash .

Brick

• May be reused if undamaged but more often is processed and used as an aggregate substitute.

Concrete

• During demolition, concrete rubble is often generated. This material may be processed and reused on-site or processing and reuse may be done elsewhere.
• For background on cement see the Canadian Minerals Yearbook .
• EcoSmart Concrete
• Cement Association of Canada

Electric Arc Furnace (mini-mill) Dust

• For a summary discussion, see "An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications," Section 17.3.1

Fly Ash

• This is a coal combustion by-product; for more information consult the Association of Canadian Industries Recycling Coal Ash as well as the U.S. EPA Coal Combustion Products Partnership program.
• For the purposes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fly ash can be used as a supplementary cementing material. Also see article
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Foundry Sand

• For a summary discussion, see "An Analysis of Resource Recovery Opportunities in Canada and the Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emission Implications," Section 17.3.4
• For background information on sand see the Silica/Quartz chapter in the Canadian Minerals Yearbook

Gypsum/Drywall

• For information regarding the recycling of drywall see New West Gypsum Recycling Inc..
• For background on the gypsum industry in Canada see the Canadian Minerals Yearbook

Mine tailings

• Centre de technologie minérale et de plasturgie inc.
• NRCan/RNCan

Slag

• High temperature processes are required to separate the metal and nonmetal elements found in ore. The non-metal constituents end up in a by-product called slag, which is a granular rocky material. Rather than being disposed, slag can be processed and used.
• For more information see National Slag Association
  
• Supplementary Cementing Materials
• Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle
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Stone

• See brick and concrete above.
• Also, for background on the stone industry see the Canadian Minerals Yearbook

Tar

• Tar products contained in asphalt may be recycled in-situ or off-site.
• See Asphalt (above) for more information.

LIQUIDS, CHEMICALS & GASES

Acids

• See Illinois Waste Management and
  Research Centre (PDF, 87 kb)
• See Pure Cycle Environmental LLC
• See International Steel Services, Inc.

Coolants and Refrigerants

• See Refrigerant Management Canada
• Protocol Resource Management Inc.

De-Icing Fluid/Glycol

• See Inland Technologies Inc.
• Central de-icing facility at Toronto's airport

Metal Recovery/Reactivation Fluids

• Canadian Association of Metal Finishers, CAMF

Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

• See Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (PDF, 29 kb)
• See Federal Contaminated Sites
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Solvents

• Government of Canada, Technology Early Action Measures
• See Chemrec (business information)
• Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention

Windshield Fluids

• Clean Air Foundation
• North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

OILS, PETROCHEMICALS

• Such as Gas/Diesel Fuels, Greases/Lubricants, Hydraulic Oils, Lubricating Oils, Metal Cutting Oils, Other Waste Oils & Petrochemicals, Oil Filters/Containers, Recovered Pyrolysis Oils, Used Motor oil:
• UOMA (Used Oil Management Association)
• Peinture récupérée du Québec (in French)
• Product Care is a Canadian not-for-profit industry association that manages stewardship programs for paints, flammable liquids, pesticides and gasoline in BC, SK and NS
• Centre for Energy
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ORGANIC MATTER

• Such as Animal Manure, Biosolids/Sewage Sludge, Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil, Leaf/Yard Trimmings, Nut Shells, Paper, Processed/Packaged Food Wastes, Rendering & Protein Wastes, Sea Shells, Seeds & Pits and Wood:
• See Composting Council of Canada

PAINT, PIGMENT & INK

• Such as Alkyd, Latex, Old and Bulk Paint, Pigments & Dry Colourants, Printing Inks, Surplus/Spent Dyes:
• See Product Care
• Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance provides a summary of paint initiatives in North America

Used Paint Cans/Containers

• Canadian Paint and Coatings Association
• Empty metal paint cans are recyclable where programs or facilities exist. Many municipal recycling programs accept them. Plastic paint containers may be more difficult to recycle - it would depend on resin type, programs and facilities.
• Some municipalities collect, filter, mix, package and sell or give away mixed paint. Some work has been undertaken in the City of London to use unwanted latex paint as a binding agent in concrete.

Toner/cartridges

• Most toner cartridges can be recycled by the brand owner or by other parties such as http://www.thinkgreen.com/ or http://www.inkcanada.ca/
• The Government of Canada has an internal recycling program for these items
• Ink Bank
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PAPER

• Includes boxboard, corrugated cardboard, magazines, mixed paper, newspapers, and office paper.
• Paper products are recyclable where collection programs and processing facilities exist. In cases where paper product cannot be technically or economically recycled, they may be composted (see Composting Council of Canada). For more information about paper recycling, the following web sites are suggested:
• Pulp and Paper Products Council
• Paper Recycling Association
• Forest Products Association of Canada
• Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council

PLASTICS

• Such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET/PETE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other. Plastic products are recyclable where associated collection programs and processing facilities exist.
• The plastics recycling sector is represented by Environment and Plastics Industry Canada
• Other information and links can be found at the Recycling in Canada web site under FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
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RUBBER, TIRES

• Such as buffings, commercial trucks, crumb, large off-roads, miscellaneous products, miscellaneous rubber products, passenger/light trucks, shred, used tires:
• The Enhanced Recycling program funded a study entitled "The Recycling of Scrap Tires in Canada"
• See Recycling in Canada web site, regarding tires

TEXTILES

• Such as Burlap/Jute/Sisal, Cotton, Leather, Nylon/Nylon Fibre, Polyester/Polyester Fibre, Polyurethane Foam, Rags & Wipers, Scrap Carpet/Fibre, Synthetic Fibre, Used/Recycled Bags, Used Clothing, Used Footwear, Wool:
• Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy
• Council for Textile Recycling
• Recycling International, a monthly business magazine (10X/year), provides a regular market analysis of textile recycling
• Recyc-Québec fiche d'information (in French)

WOOD

• Such as Chips, Crates, Lumber, Pallets, Sawdust:
• The Wood Promotion Network
• Environment Canada
• Wood Recovery Alliance (The American Forest & Paper Association)
• Clean Washington Centre