People often have different ideas on what recycling is. Some may think of recycling as reusing, but they are actually two different things. Reusing is finding ways and means on how to use a product, aside from its original purpose. Recycling, on the other hand, is commonly understood as the process by which waste products would be used again. However, there are actually two types of recycled products.One is post-consumer recycled products and the other is pre-consumer recycled products.
Post-Consumer Recycling
Post-consumer recycling involves the process by which products that have fully served their intended use are recycled into a new product to be used again. For example, paper has been manufactured and sold in a store. A consumer purchases the paper and uses it. Since this product has been utilized for its original purpose, it becomes waste. If the material is recycled, it essentially gains another purpose. Suppose a paper mill then purchases the recycled paper and decides to use the recycled material to manufacture toilet paper out of it. The new product now contains post-consumer recycled content.
Pre-Consumer Recycling
Pre-consumer recycling refers to the process of finding a use for by-products of some industrial material. Let’s take that manufacturer who’s making paper. Let’s say that the production of paper creates trimmings and scraps, by-products of the paper. If this unused portion or scrap material were used for some other purpose like making toilet paper, the new product now contains pre-consumer recycled content. This material has been manufactured but not yet used, hence the term “pre consumer”. In a certain sense, it is similar to reusing since the material has never technically been utilized for its original purpose nor made it to the waste product stage to be diverted to recycling.
Pre- vs. Post-Consumer Recycling?
The first step is to reduce paper or plastic consumption. This will help to decrease the overall amount of production needed to meet demand. The second step is to support recycled paper products. If you want to take it even another step, look for post-consumer recycled products. Manufacturers are likely to find a use for their scraps and pre-consumer materials are not as likely to end up in the landfills. By purchasing post-consumer recycled products, you’ll help to support people’s initiative to recycle and encourage companies’ to continue to utilize recycled materials.
