The line graph depicts the recycling rates of four distinct materials – paper, cardboard, glass containers, aluminium cans and plastics between the years 1982 and 2010, in one specific country.
Overall, all four materials experienced an upward trend throughout the given period. Paper and cardboard experienced the highest recycling rates across the period, whilst plastics stayed at the lowest rates. Notably, the recycling rate of aluminium cans increased considerably.
Paper and cardboard started at around 65% and fluctuated until 1998, peaking at 80%, followed by a gradual decrease until the end of the period, finishing at just around 70%. In contrast, glass containers began at 50% and steadily declined to an all-time low of 40% by 1990, before gradually rising to peak at around 60%.
In comparison, aluminium cans started at roughly 5% and saw a consistent upward trend, reaching a record amount of 45% in 2010. Plastics, on the other hand, began at around 4% and rose steadily reaching a peak of around 9%, showing a modest increase of roughly 5%.