recycling

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "recycling" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the process of reusing and/or repurposing items, materials, and/or energy. For example, "Recycling helps to protect the environment by reducing the need to use up natural resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sustainable Business

Environmental Issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

From air quality, to recycling and climate change, we see only slow, reluctant steps.

The Guardian - Opinion

His technique was repetition, constantly assailing the public with ever more gruesome facts, recycling tales of graveyard degradations, seeking out new examples.

The Guardian

"There are already massive recycling programmes in the UK that manage organic food waste very well.

The Guardian

In the past few months she, along with a group of children from her school, have taught her village about recycling, organised a weekly rubbish collection, cleaned up the nearby salt flats and helped to get the first toilets installed.

The Guardian

Most are still there despite the January window and recycling collections every two or four weeks.

The Guardian - Sport

The Staines-based alter ego asks some experts about the environment and recycling.

The Guardian

Fairweather, a designer by training and expert in recycling technologies and materials development, now develops materials from coffee grounds and uses them to design products including furniture, jewellery and coffee machines.

The Guardian

Key information, including bin pickups, waste collections and recycling information, is readily available, as well as map locations of local libraries, parks and council events, road closures, rates information and payment details, dog registration and fire bans.

The Guardian

Even Miliband is really no better, as one of his few decisions as environment minister was to approve the incineration of waste, instead of recycling it.

The Guardian - Opinion

People have to feel as comfortable talking about macro solutions to the housing crisis as they do going to a council meeting about recycling.

The Guardian

Collectively, these ballets are the Diaghilev crown jewels, but there are many other works in the repertory whose original choreography has been lost, but whose materials are just as ripe for recycling.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "recycling" in conjunction with verbs like "promote", "encourage", or "implement" to describe actions related to improving waste management.

Common error

Avoid using "recycling" as a catch-all term for all environmental efforts. While important, it's just one aspect of a broader strategy that includes reducing consumption and reusing materials.

Linguistic Context

The word "recycling" functions primarily as a noun, referring to the process of converting waste materials into reusable objects. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts. It can also act as a gerund, indicating an activity, as seen in phrases like "recycling programs".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sustainable Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "recycling" is a common and grammatically sound term referring to the process of converting waste into reusable materials. Ludwig AI indicates that the word is correctly used. Its usage spans a range of contexts, from formal discussions about environmental policy to everyday conversations about sustainability. While "recycling" is broadly understood, clarity is enhanced by specifying the materials being recycled. Related terms like "waste management" or "resource recovery" offer broader or more specific perspectives on the topic. Remember to avoid overgeneralizing the term, recognizing it as one component of comprehensive environmental stewardship.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reuse of materials

Stresses the act of employing materials again, often for their original purpose.

waste management

Focuses more broadly on the handling of waste materials, encompassing collection, transport, treatment, and disposal.

reprocessing of waste

Emphasizes the action of treating waste materials to create new products or materials.

resource recovery

Emphasizes the process of extracting usable materials or energy from waste streams.

materials reclamation

Highlights the act of retrieving useful substances from discarded products.

salvaging

Involves retrieving usable components or materials from discarded items or structures.

upcycling

Refers to transforming waste materials into new products of higher value or quality.

waste reduction

Broadly relates to minimizing the amount of waste generated in the first place.

sustainable waste disposal

Highlights environmentally responsible methods for getting rid of waste.

circular economy

Presents a holistic model where resources are kept in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recovered and regenerated at the end of each service life.

FAQs

What does "recycling" mean?

"Recycling" refers to the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. This benefits your community and the environment.

How to use "recycling" in a sentence?

You can use "recycling" in a sentence like: "The city's "recycling program" has significantly reduced landfill waste."

What are the benefits of "recycling"?

"Recycling" helps conserve natural resources, reduces landfill waste, and lowers energy consumption. Embracing "resource recovery" efforts will help make the planet a greener place.

What are some common materials suitable for "recycling"?

Common materials for "recycling" include paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Many communities have "waste management programs" that provide specific guidelines for these materials.