The line graph below illustrates the amount of four distinct materials that have been recycled in a 30 year span, between 1982 to 2010, in a specific country. There have been some overall common trends between the four categories, nearly each one rising from their starting point.
The most proeminent feature of the graph is the proportion of recycled plastic. Other than the fact that people haven’t started recycling it until the 1990’s, it can be observed that plastic has suffered this process the least, reaching slightly under 10 percent by 2010. In contrast, the materials that have been recycled the most in 30 years are paper and cardboard. It started as roughly 65% in 1982, but for the next 8 years the total fluctuated. However, from 1990 to 1994, a sharp rise occurred, reaching it’s peak, though in the years to come, a drastic fall is noticeable. In 2010, the proportion of recycled paper and cardboard was 70%.
Nevertheless, the remaining two categories have also seen some marked changes. Aluminium cans went from nearly 0% in 1986 to almost 40% in 24 years, while the number glass containers that have been recycled increased with 10% from 1982 to 2010. Both materials have suffered a few changes, though they have both increased considerably by 2010.
In light of all the above, the proportion of recycled materials has certainly grown from 1982 to 2010, all categories of materials going through fluctuating changes.