Recycling also saves resources. By some estimates, recycling one ton of newspaper saves the equivalent of 17 trees. For raw materials that must be imported, recycling helps reduce the balance of payments deficit by providing an indigenous source of feedstock material. Usually, less energy is needed to produce a new product from recycled material than from virgin material - so recycling saves energy. Products made from other materials, including glass, paper, and plastic, all require significantly less energy when recycled materials are used as feedstock instead of raw materials.
Recycling can also be a source of new jobs and economic development.
Some studies contend that recycling produces approximately five times as many jobs as would landfilling the equivalent quantity of waste. What's more, some recycling programs also provide employment for people who have difficulty finding work, including those who are physically and mentally handicapped, those on public assistance, and those involved in job-skill development programs. Another benefit of recycling is that it can lead to development of an environmental ethic in the community. Well-run and successful recycling programs are usually viewed as a major source of community pride and progressiveness. By participating in a recycling program, citizens begin to understand how much waste they produce and become more aware of each individual's role in waste management.