By: Emma Tonge, Intern with the NOAA Marine Debris Program

In the United States, the typical person creates an average 4.40 pounds of waste every day (according to the EPA’s Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2013 Fact Sheet). When thinking about this trash, we tend to think of it as worthless and without any use. However, a large part of our daily waste actually has value and can be given a second life through recycling. Recycling is not only a great way to reduce your impact, but also a great way to prevent marine debris. When you make the choice to recycle your used plastic, glass, metal, and paper, these materials are diverted from landfills and the environment, and turned into new and usable items.