​​​Recyclable materials are picked up by recycling trucks curbside.

Once at the recycling facility, the trucks are weighed and their contents are dumped onto what is called a "tipping floor," where materials are checked for contamination.

Employees monitor and remove non-recyclables as materials travel on conveyers.

A powerful magnet pulls out steel, tin and ferrous metals and sends them out for compacting and shipping to steel mills.

Plastic and aluminum are separated and shipped to end markets. Glass is shipped out for remanufacturing. Cardboard, magazines and other paper products are separated from newspaper and shipped out. Newspaper and other paper products are baled and sent to various recycling markets.

New products are created from recycled materials, purchased by consumers and recycled again, creating a "loop."​​​​​​