Five Benefits of Recycling
- Recycling creates jobs and strengthens the economy.
- Recycling saves energy.
- Recycling prevents soil, water, and air pollution, including greenhouse gases.
- Recycling conserves our natural resources.
- Recycling extends the lives of existing landfills and reduces the need for new landfills.
Recycling Products in Kansas
Here are some examples of how recycled products are being used in Kansas.
Glass
Stutzman Recycling in Hutchinson takes window and bottle glass and grinds it into various products including feed stock for a fiberglass insulation plant in McPherson, Kansas.
Paper
Tons of cardboard and paper is sent to Tamko Roofing in Phillipsburg, 
Kansas to help make roofing products.
Tons of magazines and newspapers are sent to Central Fiber in Wellsville, Kansas to help make soil amendments, erosion control products, and cellulose insulation.
Tons of junk mail, paper, and cardboard are sent to Sonoco in Hutchinson, Kansas for numerous packaging products. This specialty paper plant is one of the few in the world that makes specialty cardboard tubes for Pillsbury's bread products, as well as oatmeal containers and more.
Plastic
Several companies make recycled lumber products such as picnic tables, park benches, car stops and dock bumpers.
Tires
Several companies make feed bunkers from recycled tires. Others process tires for tire derived fuel in cement kilns and for playground materials. Tires are also mixed with plastics to make plastic lumber, picnic tables, park benches, car stops and dock bumpers.
Clothing
Significant amounts of textiles are shipped overseas from the Salvation Army, Disabled Veterans, and other clothing banks.