Page 101 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

ECONOMIC BENEFITS 79

In the state of Pennsylvania, recycling adds significant value to the state’s economy.
In the state, collection and processing, the first step in the recycling process, involves
sorting and aggregating recyclable materials. It includes municipal and private collec-
tors, material recovery and composting facilities, and recyclable material wholesalers.
These activities employ nearly 10,000 people in Pennsylvania, with a payroll of
$284 million and annual sales of $2.3 billion. Recycling manufacturing involves the
actual conversion of recyclables into products. The primary recycling manufacturers
in Pennsylvania in order of magnitude are steel mills, plastic converters, paper and
paperboard mills, and nonferrous metal manufacturers. Recycling manufacturing
employs over 64,000 people with a payroll of almost $2.5 billion and annual sales of
over $15.5 billion. Reuse and remanufacturing focus on the refurbishing and repair of
products to be reused in their original form. The largest activities are retail sales of
used merchandise and reuse of used motor vehicle parts. The amount of value that can be
added via this process is limited because of competition from new products. Nevertheless,
reuse and manufacturing contributes over 7000 jobs, a payroll of $115 million, and
sales of over a half billion dollars.
On a national scale, the recycling industry continues to grow at a rate greater than
that of the economy as a whole. According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance,
total employment in the recycling industry from 1967 to 2000 grew by 8.3 percent
annually while total U.S. employment during the same period grew by only 2.1 per-
cent annually. The recycling industry also outperformed several major industrial sec-
tors in regard to gross annual sales as its sales rose by 12.7 percent annually during
this period. Furthermore, the number of recycling industries in the United States
increased from 8000 in 1967 to 56,000 in 2000. These facilities employ 1.1 million
people across the country.
For many items, recycling can be more cost effective versus disposal. Following is
a summary of select construction materials based on survey results of 63 companies:

■ Average cost to recycle
■ Asphalt debris: $5.70 per ton
■ Concrete rubble: $4.85 per ton
■ Used bricks and blocks: $5.49 per ton
■ Trees and stumps: $37.69 per ton
■ Wood scrap: $46.43 per ton
■ Average cost of disposal
■ Over $75.00 per ton and can be as high as $98.00 per ton

Recycling saves money for manufacturers by reducing energy costs. In 2001,
New Jersey’s recycling efforts saved a total of 128 trillion Btu of energy, equal to
nearly 17.2 percent of all energy used by industry in the state, with a value of
$570 million.
The sale of recycled products is an increasingly important component of the retail
sector, and commerce in general. There are over 1000 different types of recycled prod-
ucts on the market and due to changes in technology and increased demand, today’s
recycled products meet the highest quality standards. Recycled products are also more
readily available than ever before and are affordable. By purchasing recycled products,