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Close the Loop...Buy Recycled!
Buy
Recycled at Home
Recycled materials are not truly recycled until we reuse them. The
materials that we recycle do not truly benefit the environment
until a demand is created for them. You can increase the demand
by using your purchase power. Be an environmental shopper!
Most importantly, buying recycled turns waste into a useful
resource for making other products and diverts waste from
our landfills. So close the loop and buy recycled!
What
Consumers Should Look For:
Check
for the recycle symbol on the following products:
- Cereal,
cookie, and cracker packages
- Canned foods and beverages
- Detergent and cleaning supply containers
- Glass containers
- Shampoo and beauty products
- Paper towels and bathroom tissue
- Writing paper, notepads, greeting cards, and stationary
- Carpeting
- Tools
- Plastic flower pots, trash cans, bins, and fencing
- Packing
boxes
- Re-refined
motor oil
- Retread
tires
- Automotive
batteries
- Insulation
in ski jackets, gloves, and sleeping bags made from
recycled PET bottles.
Definitions
of Terms on Product Packaging
Here are a few terms you may encounter on product packaging:
Pre-consumer waste: This includes the paper scraps,
overruns, and misprints from the manufacturer. These fibers
are reused to produce new paper. It does not include any material
from household or commercial recycling programs.
Post-consumer
waste: These materials have all been produced, sold consumed,
and collected. Anything you recycle at home or at work is
included in this category. Using these materials helps promote
recycling programs by creating a market for our recyclables.
In order for recycling programs to continue, we as consumers
must purchase products with at least some post-consumer waste.
Recyclable: The word "recyclable" simply
means that the product can be recycled. If you see this
on
packaging, it does not mean that the product is made of
recycled materials.
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