GCSE Combined Science (AQA)

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Using resources Life cycle assessment and recycling

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

7:29 Evaluating Environmental Impact and Waste Reduction
Spec 4.10.2.2
Previous Limitations of Life Cycle Assessments Next Reversible Reactions
  • Metals, plastics, glass, ceramics, and building materials are produced from limited raw materials.
  • Raw materials refer to natural resources needed to make products.
  • Plastics are made from crude oil, a finite resource that takes millions of years to form and will eventually run out.
  • Obtaining raw materials through quarrying and mining causes environmental impacts, such as habitat destruction and air pollution.
  • Waste material from quarries and mines needs proper disposal, especially if it contains harmful chemicals.
  • Extraction processes require energy from limited resources, like fossil fuels.
  • Reuse, recycling, and reduction in material use can reduce waste, environmental impact, and the use of limited resources.
  • Reusing products, like storing milk in reusable glass bottles, reduces raw material use and waste.
  • Recycling involves converting products into new forms, such as crushing and melting glass bottles to make new glass products.
  • Metals can be recycled by melting and recasting into different products.
  • Recycling processes start with separating materials, such as metals from plastics and glass.
  • The separation required depends on the material and the desired properties of the final product.
  • Steel for construction doesn't need high purity, allowing for the use of scrap steel in production.
  • Specialized metal uses, like copper wiring, require high purity, necessitating more separation and processing.
  • Impurities in metals can affect electrical conductivity, making recycling for such uses challenging.

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