Debunking environmental myths: Does recycling make sense?

Many myths have arisen around the subject of waste, which we would like to address today and dispel once and for all. Many people complain about the need to segregate, claiming that all rubbish, regardless of fraction, ends up in one rubbish truck anyway. If this is really the case, is recycling just a fiction?

In a world full of conflicting information, it is easy to get lost in the maze of opinions and half-truths. The subject of ecology, and waste management in particular, has become riddled with many myths that can discourage everyday environmental action.

Myth 1: Everything goes into one rubbish truck

This is not true. The segregation and recycling system in Poland works, although its effectiveness varies from region to region and the quality of segregation in homes. Waste from coloured bins goes to a sorting plant where, with the help of machines and workers, it is separated into fractions: plastic and metals, paper, glass. They are then packaged and sent to recycling plants. Of course, if you put a PET bottle in the glass container, it may be rejected and end up in the landfill, so it is important to separate your waste correctly.

Myth 2: Recycling uses more energy than manufacturing from scratch

This popular belief is not supported by scientific research. For example, producing an aluminium can from recycled aluminium requires up to 95% less energy than producing it from bauxite ore. Similarly, the recycling of plastic and glass significantly reduces the consumption of energy and natural resources. As a result, recycling also contributes to reducing carbon emissions.

Myth 3: Electric cars are not green because of the batteries

This is a complex subject and such simplification is misleading. Battery production is indeed energy intensive and involves the extraction of rare earth metals, but advances in technology allow batteries to be recycled, recovering up to 95% of raw materials. In addition, electric cars do not emit exhaust fumes when in use, benefiting air quality in cities. If the energy to charge them comes from renewable sources, their carbon footprint is significantly lower than that of combustion cars.