used or abandoned materials for use in creating new products
"Every Monday, we put our recycling out on the curb for pick-up"
the act of processing used or abandoned materials for use in creating new products
"The city's new recycling plant processes old tires into rubber mats for playgrounds."
The practice of sorting and collecting waste materials for new use.
"The city launched a new recycling program that requires residents to sort glass, plastic, and paper into separate bins before collection."
In plain English: Recycling is the process of turning old materials into new ones so they can be used again instead of throwing them away.
"The city launched a new program to improve recycling in every neighborhood."
Usage: Recycling refers to the process of converting waste products into reusable material, distinct from reusing items in their original form without processing. It is often confused with upcycling, which involves transforming discarded objects into goods of higher quality or value rather than simply repurposing them for new use.
present participle of recycle
"The recycling bin is being emptied by volunteers every Tuesday morning."
In plain English: Recycling means taking old materials and processing them so they can be made into new products.
"We are recycling old paper to make new notebooks."
Derived from French récyclage, which comes from Latin re- (again) and cycere (to turn or guide), the term originally meant turning something back around. It now refers to the process of converting waste materials into new products to prevent them from being discarded as garbage.