How can recycling reduce air water and land pollution?

Recycling serves as a vital component of pollution control by mitigating the environmental damage caused by waste disposal. It reduces air, water, and land pollution primarily by decreasing the volume of waste sent to landfills and by substituting the need for raw material extraction.12

The process helps the environment in the following ways:

• Land Pollution: By diverting materials like paper, glass, plastics, and metals from disposal sites, recycling reduces the amount of solid waste deposited in landfills, which preserves land and limits the accumulation of refuse.13
• Air and Water Pollution: Recycling reduces the environmental impact associated with the extraction and processing of virgin resources, such as petroleum, mineral ores, and trees. By reusing existing materials, industries can lower the emissions and harmful discharges that typically result from manufacturing new products from scratch.1

Ultimately, recycling is an essential practice for containing substances that could be harmful if released into the environment in excessive quantities.2