Data & references
Cited and internally linked.
Recycling statistics
Key high-level statistics used in recycling discussions, with definitions and caveats.
Emissions by material
How different materials tend to compare in energy and emissions—why results vary.
Landfill methane facts
How methane forms, why organics matter, and what diversion changes.
Recycling vs virgin energy
Why recycled feedstocks often need less energy than virgin production.
Recycling rates by country
How rates are defined and what makes comparisons misleading.
Contamination benchmarks
Typical contamination ranges and why measurement matters.
Bale grades overview
Common bale-grade concepts and why specs differ by buyer.
Material flow basics
Mass balance, leakage, and “where it goes” thinking.
Recycled content explained
What recycled content claims mean (and don’t).
Audit metrics glossary
Capture, contamination, yield, residue, rejection, and net cost per ton.