What is the difference between sorting and a recycling operation?
Recycling is the process in which a product that is discarded is processed again and returns to what it was. For its part, sorting consists of the separation and classification of waste according to its different types and nature, to facilitate preparation for reuse, recycling, or recovery.
Therefore, it is not that there are differences between sorting and a recycling operation. It is that recycling is the whole process and sorting just a step of this process, though a key step, as the more effectively waste is sorted, the more efficient the recycling process.
On this matter, the most effective is to do the sorting on-site while carrying out the job. Waiting until the works are completed and trying to sift through a massive pile of construction waste is practically impossible. If, on the other hand, workers separate the different materials they are producing as they go, sorting becomes far simpler.
However, some materials produced in construction waste are considered the same with regards to its recycling, meaning that sorting them into very precise subsets might be unnecessary. For example, asphalt, rubble, and concrete can sometimes be recycled together, so keeping these three materials separated is unnecessary.
In this sense, it is very useful to check with the specific recycling plant about their policies and practices before beginning a project, and therefore before embarking on the sorting process. This will prevent the contractor from doing too much work but will also prevent them from doing too little.
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