In the James Bay region of Quebec, there has been controversy, recently, over the flooding of lands inhabited by aboriginal people, in order to construct massive hydroelectric reservoirs. Recycled aluminum uses only a fraction of the electricity required by bauxite smelters. Increased aluminum recycling could therefore help reduce the need for new hydro-electric dams. Fossil fuels such as coal are heavily used during the conversion of iron ore into steel. CO 2 is a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming, while SO 2 and NO x are responsible for acid rain.
Steel recycling can reduce greenhouse and acid gas emissions from the steel-making industry .
The most effective method of reducing the amount of energy consumed by the manufacturing sector of our economy is to reduce the amount of unnecessary products produced, and to reuse items in their original form wherever possible. Ours is a consumer society, and the result of this is that there will always be some goods which have limited life-spans. Recycling the various components of these products can help preserve our natural resources and save both energy and the environment. Including recyclability in the design of products can greatly increase the ease with which they can be recycled. Governments and consumers both have roles to play in encouraging companies to recycle.