Explaining the Big Five

In recycling, you may sometimes hear the term “The Big Five.” No, this is not a reference to the hot new pop band.

The title refers to the five most easily and commonly recycled items in most recycling programs across the United States and the developed world.

“The Big Five” are comprised of aluminum, glass, paper, plastic and steel. Not all are created equal though. Some examples of the differences:

• Over 50 percent of aluminum cans produced are recycled, and a recycled aluminum can is back on the grocery store shelf as a new can in as little as 60 days
• Paper, although initially from a renewable resource, can not infinitely recycle into itself as the fibers of the paper get shorter and shorter with each recycling effort taking the virgin product from white office paper to paperboard and toilet tissue
• Plastics begin as non-renewable fossil fuels and have a small weight to large volume ratio

The important thing about all five is that recycling them keeps us from mining new resources, which conserves natural resources and energy while lowering our carbon footprint. Recycling “The Big Five” also saves valuable landfill space.

Many communities have a curbside recycling program that allows you to easily recycle materials from “The Big Five” but sadly, some still do not. However, if your community does not, consider starting or improving your community’s program.

If you have a program, work within your own home, school and community to be sure that you are recycling as much as possible, not only by recycling the items accepted, but also by buying them back. With aluminum, glass and steel, you don’t even have to think about it; with paper check your labels for recycled content and post consumer content.

Using Earth 911’s recycling locator search at the top of this page, it’s easy to recycle any of “The Big Five” materials. Simply type in what you want to recycle and your location.