Recycling has significant environmental benefits and is key to a circular economy. The EU has set a goal for Member States to recycle 50% of their municipal waste by 2020 and plans to set a 65% target for 2030, although progress towards this goal is variable. This study assessed a waste separation scheme in Malta, a Member State with traditionally low levels of recycling. Even though mixed waste was collected more frequently and for free, residents contributed to the voluntary recycling scheme, with participation increasing over time. This study provides useful insights for developing voluntary policy approaches.

Recycling offers a promising means of supplying the rare earth elements neodymium and dysprosium, used in computing and low-carbon technologies, research suggests. If recycling infrastructure and technologies are prepared now to deal with the larger volumes of high-tech waste expected in the future, 7-9% of global demand for these critical elements could be met by recycling by the year 2030.

The health risks to humans of using recycled water to irrigate crops needs to be carefully managed. New research has demonstrated that ‘managed aquifer recharge’ can be just as effective as conventional water treatments in improving the quality of recycled water for use in irrigation.

Reusing waste water for non-drinking uses in decentralised plumbing networks may improve the efficiency of water supply in urban areas, a new study has found. Modelling this approach in San Francisco, researchers found that, depending on the local geography, a decentralised water supply could lead to energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from water treatment of around 30%. Improvements in emerging water-treatment technologies are likely to lead to further savings, which could help increase the efficiency of urban water supply.

Researchers have developed a technique to recover indium, an important raw material with limited supply, from liquid crystal display (LCD) screens. The method could contribute to a resource-efficient, circular economy.

Still holding on to your ex's stuff? This Valentine's Day, cleanse your home and heart by letting go of past loves — the green way.

British loo roll company Nouvelle erects an outdoor advertisement that doubles as a massive roadside bird feeder.

Don't throw out old pantyhose! You can recycle them in many different ways.

In order to make its employees more comfortable when they want to take a break from work, a sports marketing company from Sao Paulo, Latin Sports, asked Brazili

New service offers refurbished cell phones complete with green tips for teens.

Have an old cell phone stashed away? Recycle it with the Phones for Haiti program and you'll help the American Red Cross provide disaster relief in the earthqua

Communications Wireless Group works with business owners to recycle, refurbish, and reuse old wireless devices while maintaining a zero-landfill policy.

The Dutch do it again with a new cycling path in the northeastern city of Zwolle that's made from old plastic bottles and packaging.

There are many reasons to recycle electronics, including copper, steel, gold, silver. The wiring in some older desk tops may yield up to 5 pounds of copper.

The Santa Cruz River, nearly dry for almost a century, may soon flow once more through downtown Tucson.

Tomorrow's homeowners may print out everything from utensils to furniture with 3D printers — and they may not even need to buy raw materials. Instead, they co

Keeping discarded kitchens out of landfills is just the tip of the iceberg for this entrepreneur.

Rebecca Hall ('Vicky Christina Barcelona') stars in HBO's 'Parade's End' with Benedict Cumberbatch.

He plays a KGB spy in 'The Americans'.

New plastic PDK can be broken down at a molecular level and come back just as strong to be reused again and again.

Tiny houses have become the darlings of budget-minded minimalists, and Ryan Mitchell's book, "Tiny Houses Built with Recycled Materials," explores them.

Singer-songwriter, in collaboration with G-Star Raw, will create jeans made from plastic-based 'bionic yarn'.

It's rare to see anyone choose to throw away a plastic bottle if a recycling bin is nearby. Unfortunately, it’s still common to see carpet waiting curbside fo

Coca-Cola teams up with Tokyo-based design studio Nendo to release a collection of gorgeous recycled glass tableware dubbed, most fittingly, Bottleware.

Take your old writing instruments to Office Depot this week and earn Sanford coupons.

Artist and teacher Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire wins the first 10K prize at TEDxQuatar with his innovative recycling idea that helps kids in need.

Filipino artist and environmentalist Vincent Francisco Navarro paid homage to coffee farmers by painting portraits of them with used grounds.

Material from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to be collected, melted down and rebuilt into a floating paradise for green tourism.

Will our heroes make it or will they wind up in a landfill near you? Find out now: http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/sponsorstory/recycle-us-too-comic

Tons of textiles end up in landfills every year, and we need a solution.

Onward Bag is landfill-skirting design at its most ingenious.

In some cities, glass recyclables aren't being recycled at all.

If you can't throw it in the curbside recycling bin, is it really 'easy?'

We make interesting decisions when we choose what to recycle and what to throw in the trash.

Apple's recycling robot Liam disassembles iPhones in 11 seconds to more efficiently combat electronic waste.

Breathe new life into hard-to-recycle junk with these innovative solutions.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Blake McFarland says he just wants to make cool things.

There doesn't seem to be anywhere to recycle one-time-use polyester graduation gowns so maybe they shouldn't be an option.

The ReTuna mall in Eskilstuna provides a shining example of how the buy-use-dispose model can be turned on its head.

A river pollution clean-up project yields spectacular results in Rotterdam.

Starbucks just recycled 25 million unused Starbucks cups, and that's good news. But don't ditch your reusable travel mug just yet.

Plastic bottles and caps should now be kept together when you recycle them. The reason? It's easier to sort them that way.

Incineration has become America's stopgap solution following China's crackdown on imported foreign waste, and it's hurting low-income communities.

Incredible enzyme is capable of breaking down the PET in plastic bottles into raw materials in as little as 10 hours.

Curt Novara uses salvaged wood from the Motor City’s abandoned homes to build one-of-a-kind guitars.

Green considerations for the responsible homeowner and gadget-lover.

Turns out that food is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process.

Vanessa answers questions on recycling, including plastic bottle caps, plastic overwrap, motor oil, glass and taped cardboard boxes.

Danish artist Thomas Dambo creates 'forgotten giant' sculptures in the wilderness.

What to do with that old office building? Recycle it.