The downside of recycle

Although recycling saves the environment from loosing more natural resources, more toxic chemicals are added to create products from recycled materials. The environment is saved for the time being, but problems may still exist down the line. 

Outsourcing

Electronic devices contain many valuable and rare compounds, so choosing devices that include post-consumer content seems like a good way to reduce pressure on natural resources. Unfortunately, the practice of recycling electronics often produces so many toxic byproducts that recyclers simply ship the electronic waste to other countries.

Costs

In the majority of cases, using recycled materials is no more expensive than using raw materials, and in some cases, it can be cheaper. But there are some areas where opting for recycled products may come with a cost premium. Using reclaimed materials when remodeling or building a home is one way to reduce your impact on the environment, but boards made from recycled plastic and countertops formed from reclaimed glass may be substantially more expensive than other options.

Downcycling

Unlike aluminum, which manufacturers can recycle and recast a theoretically infinite number of times with no loss of quality, plastics are generally only good for one use. You cannot melt down a plastic beverage bottle and recast a new one, so you have to “downcycle” the plastic into a new form.