The graph below shows the proportion of four different materials that were recycled from 1982 to 2010 in a particular country.

The graph illustrates the percentage of four different

materials

,

paper

and

cardboard

, glass containers, aluminium cans, and plastics, that experienced recycling between 1982 and 2010.

Overall

,

paper

and

cardboard

were the most recycled

materials

,

although

their trend was declining

while

others experienced an upward trend, albeit with some fluctuations.

Initially

,

paper

and

cardboard

had a higher recycling

rate

than the other

materials

, which was less than 70% in 1982. The

rate

increased to 75% in 1986 but dropped abruptly to around 65% in 1990. The recycling

rate

fluctuated

thereafter

, with a peak of over 80% in 1994 and

then

gradually declining to 70% in 2010. Compared to the other

materials

,

paper

and

cardboard

had a higher recycling

rate

. The recycling

rate

for glass containers increased by 5% in 1982 but significantly dropped to 40% in 1990. It

then

rose again to 50% in the following year and continuously increased throughout the period, reaching 60% in 2010. Aluminium cans and plastics followed a similar pattern, with aluminium cans beginning to be recycled in 1986 at a

rate

considerably less than 10%.

This

rate

increased significantly to 45% in 2010.

In contrast

, the recycling

rate

for plastics was the least throughout the period, ranging from under 5% to close to 10%.