Plastic recycling
  
What is recycling?

Now, more than ever, environmental awareness is firmly rooted in people's minds. Movements such as 'Zero Waste', which aim to minimise waste, are growing in popularity. This is undoubtedly a positive development. However, it is also clear that it is impossible to live without producing any waste. Therefore, to protect the environment and ensure sustainability, it is essential to recycle the waste that is produced in the best possible way. This process is called recycling.

But what exactly is recycling?

According to Wikipedia, recycling is 'any recovery process by which waste is processed into products, materials, or substances, either for their original purpose or for other purposes'. – Wikipedia. The term literally means 'reuse' or 'reprocessing'. The process of recycling involves raw materials going through the cycle again and again. 

In the recycling process, a distinction is made between 'downcycling' and 'upcycling'. Downcycling refers to situations where a material's quality is reduced after recycling, meaning it no longer meets the standards of the original production. Upcycling describes the exact opposite.

The history of recycling.

Some people may think that recycling is a new concept. It is an idea that arose from the problems of the 20th or 21st century. However, the history of recycling began several centuries earlier with the advent of agriculture. The fertilisation of fields with crop residues, manure and slurry marked the beginning of recycling. Due to the scarcity of materials such as glass, wood and metal in the Middle Ages, almost everything was reused. Even bones and hair were transformed into useful everyday items. 

The first major change occurred with the onset of industrialisation. As well as a different composition of waste being produced, the amount of waste produced also increased rapidly. Consequently, the first incinerators and landfills were established. The poverty and hardship experienced by the population during the First and Second World Wars saw a revival of the spirit of the Middle Ages. Every material and object, no matter how small, was reused or repurposed multiple times. 

The green movement of the 1970s and 1980s identified waste as a significant source of environmental pollution. This led to the development of new technologies and a rethink of how waste is handled. Building on this, technologies were continuously refined to turn waste into an important economic resource. This gave rise to the term 'secondary raw material'.

The Wandel Packaging Group Recyclen GmbH

Secondary raw materials are exactly what we are talking about! Even before the Packaging Ordinance came into force and stipulated recycling quotas, we were already working intensively on this issue. We have been offering our customers material recycling ever since. 

We produce pallets, safety trays and customised solutions made from 100% recycled materials. Our sustainable work results in products that are characterised above all by their long service life and resilience.

Recycling in everyday life

Everyone can play their part in protecting the environment! There are plenty of ways to recycle, particularly in everyday life. It starts with separating waste. Make sure you dispose of paper, plastic, organic waste and glass in the correct bins or containers so that they can be recycled. When shopping, choose products that are not packaged in plastic or that have simple packaging. If you take plastic bags at the checkout, use them several times, or even better, bring your own bags from home. Remember, every contribution counts!