paper newspaper cardboard metal container

glass bottles steel tins

When upcycling, the original form is retained and the object is recognisable, which gives it a story — you can see what it has been and also what it has become.

Recycling involves the destruction of waste in order to create something new, whereas upcycling takes waste and creates something new from it in its current state

Recycling prevents the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, and saves energy.

Using recovered material generates less solid waste. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials. Also, when products are made using recovered rather than virgin materials, less energy is used during manufacturing, and fewer pollutants are emitted.