How to Buy Recycled Products

Most people know how to get involved in a recycling program by taking bottles and newspapers to their local center or following the recycling guidelines of their community's sanitation service. But what about first part of the process? You can further contribute by looking out for recycled products in the store, and buying them instead of products made from non-recycled materials. Spotting such products is easy if you know what to look for.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Focus on types of products with high recycling potential: plastics, aluminum cans, paper and cardboard products, glass and the like. Recyclables usually focus on the packaging or the containers, rather than the product itself.

2. Look for the recycle label on the products you buy, but do not assume that it means they are recycled. The ubiquitous triangular arrows appear on products which are recyclable, but it doesn't mean they come from recycled sources.

3. Seek out specific information about the recyclable material. Some companies make phony claims about being "earth friendly" or "green," which actually means nothing. The more detailed their claims, the greater the chances that they are truthful.

4. Find recycled products guides for consumers on the net. A number of places, such as Ecomall.com and the Recycled Products Cooperative website, advertise products with a high recycled content and can point you to companies with eco-friendly products (see Resources below).

5. Check the packaging for the percentage of recycled or post-consumer content. Recycled products tend to list what portion of their raw materials came from recycled or post-consumer sources.

6. Check plastic products for the precise code accompanying the recycled symbol. Only some of the codes can be recycled. Buy products with types 1 and 2 listed on the package, or type 4 if it is a bag. These types of plastics can be recycled. Plastics with other code numbers cannot be easily recycled, and should be avoided if a more eco-friendly option is available.

7. Pay a little more if you have to. Recycled products may cost a bit more than other products. The extra money helps support recycling and keeps the Earth green.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the best ways to "buy recycled products" is to buy reusable products rather than disposable products. A cloth bag to carry your groceries or a permanent coffee cup you use every morning for your trip to Starbucks keeps you from consuming throwaway materials that might otherwise need to be recycled.
• Note that plastic caps are often made from materials that differ from the containers they cover. Check them for their recycling codes and toss them out if they don't match the right code.

Resources

• Ecomall.com for lists of recycled consumer products
• Recycled Products Cooperative for recycled paper and office supplies