Recycling Saves Energy and Protects the Environment

Recycling Used Oil
Cars are an indispensable fact of life for most of us. By operating and maintaining our vehicles responsibly, we can balance our desire for convenient transportation and a clean and healthy environment.
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Recycling Catalysts Saves Energy and Protects the Environment
The petroleum industry uses valuable metals in the production of fuels. These metals are incorporated in "catalysts" which are materials used to make the chemistry of oil refining more energy efficient and selective in producing fuels to the desired characteristics. Once these catalysts no longer are as effective as necessary, it is time to remove them from service and replace. Refineries utilize catalysts that are "reclaimed", the metals reused to make new catalysts. Some of the catalysts instead have the metals extracted and used for new purposes. For example, a nickel catalyst can be processed into nickel again, eventually becoming part of the shining new stainless steel refrigerator.

Every time metal is reused or reclaimed it means there is no need for expanding a mine, working a smelter harder, or using rail and trucks to deliver it to market.  All the stages of mining use fuels and cause pollution. Recycling thereby pays many dividends, not only saving something valuable, but reducing energy use and environmental stress.