How To Buy
Recycled - It's
Easier Than You Think
Every time you go to
the grocery store you
are likely to buy products in packages made partially or
entirely of recovered materials. Almost all cereal, cracker, and cake mix
boxes are made of 100% recycled
paperboard. Steel cans and glass bottles also contain high percentages of
recovered materials. Paper towels and
tissues may be made entirely or partially of recovered materials.
At the office
supply store there are
choices to make. Whether you are looking for copier paper, printer
paper, fine writing paper, envelope toner cartridges, or even rechargeable
batteries, there are likely to
be products made partially or entirely of recovered materials. Read the
labels and shop with
environmental care. Look for recyclable products and for the highest
percentage of recycled content
you can find.
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KEYS TO STARTING YOUR OWN BUY RECYCLED PROGRAM
Find Your Champion.
You
need someone in your organization who will be enthusiastic and push
your objectives
through.
This is true for any type of waste reduction program.
Obtain
Support.
Establish
Guidelines and Policies.
It
also is important to establish internal procurement guidelines and a
supplierenvironmental
policy.
Set
up a Green Procurement Team.
Gather
team members from your purchasing department, and possibly other
areas, to generate ideas
as well as develop and implement your game plan.
Network
and Educate Yourself.
Participate
in buy recycled seminars. Opportunities to learn about other
programs and
network
are invaluable.
Work With Your Suppliers.
Buying
recycled is a partnership between you and your supplier. They should
be able to
support
your efforts in locating high-quality products at competitive
prices. |
Safe Bets
No matter where you
live, you probably have access to recycled products in your stores. These
five materials almost always have a
significant amount of recycled content even though many such
products are not often labeled "recycled:"
 |
Steel, including
food cans, cars, appliances, bicycles, furniture, nails...anything
made with steel; |
|
Aluminum, including
beverage cans; |
|
Glass bottles and
jars; |
|
Paperboard products
such as cereal boxes, mailing containers, jigsaw puzzles, and game
boards; |
|
Rechargeable Nickel
Cadmium (Ni-Cad) Batteries can contain cadmium that is recovered from
recycled Ni-Cad batteries |
Read the Label
Wherever you are, at
the hardware store, auto supply store, shoe store, pharmacy, or shopping
center, you are likely to find products
made of, or packaged in, recycled material. These products
may contain recycled content:
|
Paper Products --
facial tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, corrugated
cardboard boxes, writing
paper, greeting cards, copier and printer paper, and office paper
products. |
|
Plastic Bottles --
bottles and jugs containing liquid laundry detergent, dishwashing
liquids, shampoos, and
household cleaners. |
|
Other products --
re-refined motor oil, fiberfill for sleeping bags, carpeting, pencils,
recycling bins, clothing, building
insulation, wallboard, tile, rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries, and many
more products. Read the labels! |
Here are two
definitions you may see when looking for recycled products:
| Post-consumer
content refers to material, or a finished product that has
served its intended use
and has been discarded for disposal or recovery, having completed
its life as a consumer
item. By looking for the highest post-consumer content you can find,
you help build demand for
material collected in community and office recycling programs. |
Pre-consumer
content refers to material such as factory trimmings, damaged or
obsolete products, and
overruns generated by manufacturers. Such materials have been
recycled for decades. |
Buyer Beware!
Don't let the symbols
deceive you. A recycling symbol does not necessarily mean that a product
is made with recycled content or can be
recycled in your community. It may just be there as a reminder
for you to recycle in general. So read the label carefully for specific
information on recycled content.
If the information is not available or is unclear, call the manufacturer's
toll-free number if provided on
the label and ask.
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2004
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