Buy Recycled Products and Close the Loop on Recycling

Tetra Paks are made from paperboard, plastic, and aluminum foil. They can be fully recycled and reproduced. Flickr user: allybeag

In order to properly close the loop on recycling it is important to remember to buy recycled products.  Using products and materials made from recycled content helps reduce waste and the consumption of natural resources.  Materials previously discarded as trash are now recognized as valuable resources.  When recycled, these commodities become resources used for manufacturing new consumer products.  What we choose to buy as consumers is just as important of a step in the recycling loop as saving resources through collection. In other words, if you’re not buying recycled, you’re not really recycling.

We previously discussed what is recyclable, how to make money recycling, and recycling electronic waste, but now it is time to discuss how to close the loop on recycling. Three steps are necessary for the recycling process to succeed.  The first step is for consumers to properly dispose of recyclable materials, which are sorted, cleaned, and prepared for the sale and use by manufacturers.  The second step is for the manufacturers to make new products and/or packaging from the recycled resources.  The final step is for consumers to buy recycled content products, and once again, properly dispose the recyclable material and put the materials back into the recycling process.

Although many products are recyclable, not all have been made with recycled materials.  It’s important to read the product labels and look for the recycling symbol which signifies that a product is recyclable or has recycled content.  Most labels will specify how much of the product was made from recycled materials.  For example, a package of recycled cups may have a label that states:  100% recyclable.  Made from 70% post consumer recycled content.  Post consumer materials come from items that have already been used by consumers for their intended purpose and then collected for recycling.  These materials can be used to manufacture new products, rather than adding to the landfill waste.  Pre consumer materials are excess materials that have not been purchased by consumers, but are still recycled at the manufacturing plant.  Manufacturing waste includes scraps, trimmings, and excess materials from the manufacturing process that is recycled.

By purchasing products with a high post consumer recycled content, consumers are helping to support the manufacturing of recycled content products, strengthen demand for recyclable materials and assure the ongoing success of recycling.  Think about how inefficient our recycling programs would be if nobody bought recycled products.  Sure we would reduce waste, but the recycled materials wouldn’t serve any purpose and we would not have a complete cycle.

A rag chair designed by Tejo Remy, which can be found in upscale boutiques. Flickr user: bestbeon

Products made from recycled materials are easy to find and becoming more mainstream.  Recycled content paper products and packaging such as glass bottles, aluminum cans, and paperboard boxes can  be found at your local grocery store.   Office supplies such as notebooks, pens, printing paper, and recycled toner cartridges can be found at major chains like Staples and Office Depot.  If you’re thinking about doing any remodeling, it’s always a wise choice to buy recycled products such as lumber, steel framing, insulation, paint, carpet and flooring.  Not sure what to do with that stack of old T-shirts?  Why not turn them into an ultra-chic chair?  Jewelry, rugs, furniture…even houses can be built from recycled products.  With a little bit of research, consumers will be able to discover a wide assortment of available recycled content products.  In fact, major companies such as Nike, Starbucks, and Patagonia have instituted recycling programs to help close the loop.  As recycling continues to grow and our natural resources continue to dwindle, hopefully more companies will step up to the plate and offer programs to help close the loop.

We have the ability to make an environmental difference with products that we choose to buy.  When we buy recycled we conserve resources, conserve energy, decrease the dependence on landfills, support markets for recycled content, and maintain demand for collected recyclable materials.  The only way to bring our resources full circle, and close the loop, is if we buy recycled.  Please make sure you do your part and buy recycled.

Tagged as: Environmental Responsibility, Recycling, waste reduction