‘How recycling can fight climate change’ is part of a study commissioned by Friends of the Earth Europe and the European Environmental Bureau, which looks at how recycling and waste prevention play a key role in the sustainable management of resources and the fight against climate change.
Energy is needed to mine, extract and produce primary materials, and to transport them to production facilities, resulting in greater energy use for virgin materials than recycled materials. Creating a materials loop with recycling is therefore more beneficial for the climate than simply burning waste or putting it in landfill.