Environment (planet)

The world's growing population has increased the demand for materials. Recycling keeps our resources in use for as long as possible. This reduces the amount of virgin materials that need to be mined, harvested and processed, which significantly decreases energy use and environmental pollution.

Decomposition of materials in landfills produces toxic gasses and leachate that are released into our environment. According to the EPA, landfills are the second largest producer of methane emissions in the United States.