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RECYCLE (AND BUY RECYCLED PRODUCTS)

by Deborah Mitchell
Recycling Tips

Recycling paper, plastic, glass, metals, and other items is critical, but it's only part of the challenge. The other part is buying goods made from recycled materials (also called "post-consumer content"). Recycling can be cost effective and successful only if there is sufficient market demand for products that contain post-consumer content.

Manufacturing products from recycled materials conserves natural resources, consumes less energy, and saves landfill space. Here are a few examples:

  • Recycled aluminum saves 95 percent energy compared with virgin aluminum
  • One ton of paper made from recycled fibers instead of virgin materials saves 7,000 gallons of water, 17 to 31 trees, 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, and 60 pounds of air pollutants
  • One ream of 100% post-consumer recycled paper prevents 5 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere
  • Using recycled glass requires 40 percent less energy than making glass from all new materials.
  • Recycling plastic takes 70 percent less energy than it does to make it from raw materials.

Purchasing products made from recycled materials closes the recycling loop, helps preserve more natural resources, and fuels a growing industry in recycled products, which creates more jobs and thus is ultimately good for the economy as well as the environment. Are you ready to enter the loop?

You can make a difference when you (1) reduce your use of throw-away items; (2) recycle all items that can be recycled in your area; and (3) buy products that contain materials that you are recycling. The plastic detergent bottle you recycled last month may come back to you in the plastic picnic table you buy next month!

  • Talk to the appropriate person in your office about buying recycled office products. Organizations like the Recycled Products Cooperative offer many different products made from recycled materials, with varying amounts of post-consumer materials.
  • Look for items made from recycled plastic. Recycled soda bottles, shampoo containers, and other plastics are being made into everything from pens to coats, carpet, and picnic tables. The Recycled Plastic Products Directory helps you find products made from recycled plastic.
  • Buy from resale shops. Such shops are run by nonprofits and for-profits alike, and typically offer clothing, household items, toys, books, even furniture and appliances. Some stores specialize in just one or a few types of items, such as clothing and shoes only, or books and records. Check your phone book for area listings. 
  • Get recycled items for free. Many people recycle goods through internet portals such as Craigslist, Freesharing, and Freecycle.

What It Means

The US Federal Trade Commission explains terms you will see when shopping for recycled products.

  • If a label says "Recycled," the package must also tell you exactly how much of the product is recycled unless the product contains 100 percent recycled materials.
  • "Recycled" products are made from materials that have been recovered from discarded items. These items are then (1) melted down; (2) pulverized, crushed, or ground up; or (3) rebuilt, reconditioned, or remanufactured. Items such as glass, metal, newspaper, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans typically fit into (1) or (2). Items such as used auto parts, printer cartridges, and some appliances fit into category (3). Products in the (3) category must state that their recycled content came from rebuilt, reconditioned, or remanufactured parts if it is not obvious that it contains used parts.
  • "Post-consumer" material comes from previously used consumer or business products, such as plastic bottles, glass containers, aluminum cans, and newspapers. Therefore, if you buy copy paper that ways "50% post-consumer material," you know that half of the content is from recycled substances.
  • "Pre-consumer" material is manufacturing waste. A plastic bottle manufacturer, for example, may collect and recycle the pieces of plastic trimmed off during manufacturing and recycle them into making other bottles.
  • Product labels that claim the item or packaging uses less material or has less waste is only meaningful if exact information is provided. For example, "uses 35 percent less waste than our previous package" tells you much more than "35 percent less waste."
  • Claims on product labels that say "environmentally friendly," "eco-safe," or similar statements are too vague to be meaningful. You need specific information on how or why the product is good for the environment and how to evaluate the claims.
  • When you do buy products, make sure you buy those that are in containers or packaging that you can recycle in your area. A product label may say "recyclable," but if the item is not collected in your area or you have no way to recycle it, then it is not "recyclable" for you.