Recycling and sustainability have become buzzwords in today’s world, but despite the growing awareness, misinformation about the two practices exists due to lack of education, outdated approaches, and deceptive greenwashing.
Misinformation can discourage individuals and businesses from making environmentally conscious decisions or participating in important environmental initiatives. Understanding the truth behind these sustainability and recycling misconceptions can empower individuals and organizations to make informed decisions that benefit both the environment and their bottom line.
6 Common Myths About Recycling and Sustainability (and How to Avoid Them)
Myth #1: Everything Can Be Recycled.
The limitations of commercial and industrial recycling can be surprising, especially when you find out not all materials are recyclable. For example, certain plastics and composite materials, like ones found in packaging materials, often can’t be processed by standard recycling facilities.
Companies can learn how to identify materials that cannot be recycled by consulting recycling guidelines such as the EPA’s recycling directory. Additionally, knowledgeable recycling experts like Federal Recycling & Waste Solutions assist companies with commercial and industrial recycling needs and provide simple ways to reduce environmental impact through proper disposal methods.
In addition to recycling, you can keep waste out of landfills with these other disposal methods:
- Waste-To-Energy: Great for difficult-to-recycle items. The process generates steam and electricity to power industrial and residential communities and provides opportunities for resource recovery of materials left behind after incineration, supporting circular economy practices of closed-loop systems.
- Composting: Composting’s role in sustainable waste management allows food waste, wood, or yard waste to be turned into soil or food waste compost, which is used in the agriculture industry as animal feed. The composted soil is biologically stable and can further build soil health, while the food waste compost reduces the amount of conventional animal feed that needs to be grown by repurposing already available resources.
Myth #2: Recycling Uses More Energy Than It Saves.
While recycling does still use energy, it typically conserves far more energy than producing new materials from raw resources. Creating new resources by extracting, transporting, and refining natural resources in aluminum, plastic, paper, and glass can be labor-and-energy intensive.
Recycling is an energy-conscious choice and plays an important role in conserving raw materials and reducing emissions associated with new resource creation. For example, aluminum is one of the most recycled and recyclable materials, and recycling aluminum saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce new aluminum. In the manufacturing sector, creating new custom pallets for shipping involves cutting down trees, processing wood, and assembling the pallets. Instead, businesses can partner with organizations like Federal Recycling to reuse or refurbish existing pallets to save time, resources, and costs.
Myth #3: Sorting Recycling Doesn’t Matter.
Proper sorting is critical to the success of recycling programs. Contaminants, such as food residue, chemicals, or mixing non-recyclable items, can cause entire batches of recyclables to be sent to landfills. This reduces the efficiency of recycling efforts and increases waste.
Companies like Federal Recycling & Waste Solutions offer guidance on reducing contamination and optimizing recycling processes. Businesses can take simple steps to enhance the recyclability of their materials, including separating recyclables in proper recycling bins or containers and protecting materials from unwanted chemical or moisture exposure.
By taking these extra steps, businesses can earn maximum income from their recycling efforts, all while protecting the environment.
Myth #4: Sustainability Is Expensive.
According to Accenture’s Accelerating Sustainable Transformation report, business leaders are hesitant to commit to sustainability because of perceived trade-offs with profitability and the speed and reliability with which it can deliver returns. However, the report also found that the cost and complexity of “doing business as usual” were tailwinds for sustainable transformation.
Businesses can implement these simple, cost-effective solutions:
- recycling programs with reliable providers like Federal Recycling
- low-flow or sensor faucets to save water
- LED, sensor-triggered lighting to curb energy costs
- optimizing existing HVAC systems
- purchasing sustainable office supplies
On a larger scale, companies have pivoted their strategies toward more investment-heavy sustainable manufacturing and circular production patterns to meet consumer demand for sustainable products. Investing in these initiatives — despite challenges with costs, recycled material availability, and the delicate balance of sustainability with functionality and supply chain complexity — can provide long-term operational efficiencies and cost savings.
Real-world examples of larger closed-loop recycling efforts include:
- Federal Recycling purchases material (such as plastic byproducts), grinds or pelletizes it according to production specifications, and sells it back to customers for use in their process.
- Federal Eco Foam supports its foam converter customers by reprocessing their polyurethane scrap into the reusable form of rebond foam. They then continue to use the foam, allowing them to recycle and repurpose the material continually.
The savings from sustainable manufacturing and circular production patterns translate to energy consumption, raw materials, waste disposal, or incentives such as grants, tax credits, or other incentives for sustainability commitments.
Myth #5: My Small Changes Don’t Make An Impact.
Every individual action contributes to a larger environmental impact. Whether it’s recycling properly, purchasing more eco-friendly products, sourcing sustainable materials, avoiding extreme heating or cooling of your home or business, carpooling, or encouraging flexible work-from-home policies, the cumulative effect can create significant environmental benefits.
Myth #6: Sustainable Living Means Giving Up Convenience.
Sustainable living does not mean venturing back into the stone age. Rather, it means consumers and businesses are more conscious of what they consume and actively search for ways to reduce their environmental impact.
Today’s technology also helps with achieving a more sustainable lifestyle or production patterns. Sustainable living is more accessible than ever to both businesses and consumers, with innovations like smart home devices, commercial energy management systems, electric vehicles (EVs), green building materials, smart composting systems, reusable or biodegradable packaging, green cryptocurrencies, and renewable energy solutions such as solar panels.
Because of technology and continued innovation, consumers and businesses can make sustainable choices that don’t inconvenience their lifestyles or production patterns.
How Federal International Is Leading the Way
Federal International is at the forefront of improving recycling and sustainability programs and promoting sustainable product design across various industries, showing that sustainability and business can go hand in hand.
Alongside Federal International, our other business units are making their own impact.
- Federal Recycling’s National Accounts team helps companies set up closed-loop recycling programs. They also consult on sustainable product design, focusing on end-of-life, recycled material content, and simplified design methods that make it easier to recover and dismantle products for recycling and further use.
- Federal Eco Foam offers a recycled rebond foam that meets the demands of the EU’s ESPR legislation aimed at doubling material circularity by 2030. The furniture industry is a key target of this legislation, and Federal Eco Foam is well-positioned to help companies with sourcing sustainable alternatives, combining function, style, and comfort with reduced environmental impact.
- As agriculture, construction, and power sports OEMs look to sustainable product design, Federal Foam Technologies fabricates form and trim parts with recycled plastic content, helping them achieve sustainability goals and meet changing consumer expectations.
Through its products and services with recycling, sustainable design, and the use of eco-friendly materials, Federal International is setting a powerful example of how businesses can contribute to a circular economy while balancing profitability and environmental stewardship.
Start Your Sustainability Journey
Separating myths from facts is crucial for effective recycling and sustainable production and living. By understanding the realities behind common misconceptions, individuals and businesses can take meaningful steps toward a greener future — even if it’s starting small by adjusting your recycling habits or exploring sustainable options in your daily operations.
Ready to make a difference? Federal International and its family of companies are here to support your sustainability journey. Contact us today to discover how we can help you achieve your environmental goals.
