How Recycling Works

Join SciShow as we explore what happens to your stuff after you toss it into the little green bin with the arrows on it.
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[FrogOnALilyFrond]

Thank you so much for this video! I've always been insanely curious about recycling and whether or not my plastic is actually being recycled. Learning about MRF's is really interesting, especially the infrared light readers. That is amazing! I really want to support sci-show for videos like this, which are so valuable to me.

[techrando]

A whole course summed up as 9 minutes video. I'm mining and resource recycling engineer.

[ScienceAsylum]

Very thorough!! It's unfortunate that polystyrene-foam recycling is so rare. We used to have a drop-off location a few cities over, but the building burnt down... and it's a lower-income area, so the chances of it being rebuilt are slim.

[Digephil]

This was really good, I'd love to see more videos about public works. A "behind the scenes" for a city would be really interesting!

[angelaphsiao]

I'll take you guys up on that 25-part series on The Martian.

[TheCoBBus]

I was really shocked when I heard that they don't have pledge on cans and glass bottles in US / some EU countries. In Finland you get 15 cents for a can/glass bottle. 20 cents for a 0, 5L plastic bottle and 40 cents for 1, 5L bottle ! That is great because I think that is the way to recycle bottles! and if you buy a 0, 5L Pepsi for 2, 0€ and you return it you have bought it only for 1, 8€ what is always nice =D and if you buy 10 you can take one for free

[Dixavd]

Recycling plants really need to up their game when it comes to the number of things that should be recyclable, but aren't because of the trouble to recycle them. Take crisp packets which are very common; they're made of plastic and aluminium but since they are stuck together, almost all places do not recycle them.

[ElectricInevitability]

Human ingenuity never ceases to impress me

[Vardagaladhiel]

This was fantastic! I've always wondered how they separated everything!

[ljmastertroll]

Very informative.  I was actually curious about this subject.

[Annaie]

Someone once told me the number in the bottom was how many times it could be recycled and I've always thought that was a bunch of bull crap so thanks for clearing that up

[Nackenzwei]

Cool video! Here in Germany we take recycling kinda serious. Okay, given that -sometimes it sucks as you really get pissed off by separating all the waste. Then again in some bright moments it just all makes sense and I think of the future generations who might be thankful someday that their ancestors did not just throw everything they had into the landscape.

[MrCube]

That was a satisfyingly in-depth video!

[bonniehowell]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm sure I'm not the only person who asked, "what Really happens" to recycled stuff,
But since I asked only recently, I'm gratified that it was answered so quickly & that I was alerted to the airing of the episode right away! Loved every minute of it! Go Hank Green!

[DaZeee]

Here's a question SciShow Why do I keep checking the fridge after I already checked it and their was nothing I wanted?

[brucewayne-cnvd]

The janitor at my school just takes all the recycling trash and just mixes it with the other trash.

[justmethatsfine]

LOTS of words 😮 So much words! Good job, Hank 👍

[daniellbondad]

I recycle paper.
1.I tear paper into tiny pieces and soak it for 1 hour in water
2.I pound it in a wooden mortar and pestle.Then, mix it with 5 parts water.
3.I use a mould and deckle to scoop a sheet of fibers.Then, I press the sheet against moist cloth, transferring it to the cloth.
4.I press everything with heavy books and...myself.I step on the stack, occasionally falling off.Then, I just leave it for 30 minutes.Then, I hang the sheets for hours.
We can all recyclen!Every contribution you made.

[JoshuaCasper]

fascinating.. seriously. Great video!!

[The_Foxymew]

In Norway we have like 5 recycle bins for all kinds of stuff. Wet organic (Food), paper and cardboard, metal and glass, plastic and misc. Bottles are recycled at stores because you get a small amount of money back for it. From people having visited my apartment, many aren't as good at the whole recycling thing as I became. But at least we have something here.