There are 10,000 different types of plastics, and the raw materials for plastic are natural gas or petroleum. The process of recycling plastic starts from the time the material is made, to the time it is once again reused as a new product after the recycling process. Today, most cities and towns have recycling facilities, where residents drop off their recyclable items at collection facilities, and the plastics are sorted, cleaned, as well as reprocessed into new materials. In the US and elsewhere around the world, recycling and waste-recover programs take different forms. The United States recycles as much as thirty percent of its solid waste; European countries like Sweden, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands however have recycling rates of as high as 60 percent. Here s a look at the most popular recycling programs today. Artifacts and archeological studies have indicated that as early as 400 BC, ancient waste dumps have shown less household wastes, especially during periods where there was a reported scarcity in resources. The lack of household wastes in ancient dumpsites has clearly shown that more waste was being recycled, due to the scarcity of new materials. Recently, an electro-magnetic pyrolisis process was also introduced, which helps churn out metal, gas, carbon and artificial oil by-products. Through pyrolisis, a recycled automobile tire now is able to yield one kilogram of steel, four kilograms of carbon, four liters of oil, and 850 liters of reusable combustible gas. What Are The Different Methods For Recycling Hazardous Wastes? One method for handling and recycling hazardous wastes is called waste reclamation. Through this method, a toxic or hazardous product is put through a process which makes it reusable again. Many chemical wastes can actually be reused through this recycling method. Be Earth-Friendly When Going Shopping When shopping or going to the grocery, always bring a cloth bag, and avoid using plastic shopping bags, because these are very hard to recycle. In addition, buy goods or products that are made from recycled materials, or use recycled materials for packaging. These are but a few of the many things that you can do to help make our world a cleaner and safer place to live in.