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.