Recycling plays a valuable role in the waste management hierarchy.

Recycling is an extremely important aspect of the waste management hierarchy:

• Source Reduction
  Reducing the amount and/or toxicity of waste at its source. 
   
• Reuse
  Using materials in the same function for which they were originally produced. Examples:  washing silverware instead of throwing away plastic utensils or donating clothes to charity. 
   
• Recycling
  Processing a material so that it may be used again as a raw material for a product, which may or may nor be similar to the original product.  Example:  recycling plastic bottles into new bottles or plastic lumber.
   
• Incineration
  Burning waste creates energy and reduces the volume of waste.  May produce harmful side effects such as air pollution and ash that must also be disposed of.
   
• Landfilling
  Sandwiching materials between layers of soil and other barriers to prevent contaminants from leaking into groundwater or being discharged into the air.

Source Reduction is the most preferred method of waste management, followed by Reuse.  Recycling is third in the plan, but consumers may feel this is easier to accomplish than reducing or reusing, contributing to its widespread use and popularity.

Recycling programs, like those available from CVWMA, collect recyclable materials from area homes.  After material is collected, it must be processed, marketed or otherwise made available for remanufacture.  The final piece of the recycling loop is the purchase and use of products made from recycled materials.