Closing the Loop

Do you know why the recycling symbol has three chasing arrows? Each arrow represents one step in the three step recycling process that completes the recycling loop.

The first step is collection. This is when you put your recyclables into your blue recycling cart or take them to a drop-off site. The collected materials are then prepared for market and sold to a manufacturing facility.

Manufacturing is the second step in the recycling process. The recyclable materials are converted into new products and shipped to stores to be sold as new consumer goods.

The third step is where you, the consumer, purchase products made with recycled content. When you "Buy Recycled", you complete the recycling loop. Always check the % post consumer recycled content (% pcr) of the products you buy. A higher % pcr means more of the product was made from recyclables collected from residential or commercial recycling programs.

Examples of Recycled Content Products

A wide variety of products containing recycled materials are available. Some products, like those made from glass, steel, aluminum, and cardboard almost always contain recycled content. Many other products can be found that contain recycled materials if you look for them. The following table lists a few of the recycled-content products that can be found locally.

Recyclable Materials	Recycled Content Products	Brand Name	Stores
Glass bottles and jars	Glass bottles and jars, glass bowls, vases, and candle stick holders	All brands	All stores, Home Environment
Steel (tin) cans	Any steel product	All brands	All stores
Aluminum cans	Aluminum cans	All brands	All stores
PET plastic	Carpet, fleece jackets, hats, and gloves	Kid Tough, Radical, Rockhill Manor, Patagonia	Menards, Home Depot, REI
HDPE plastic	Trash bags, plastic lumber	Renew, Seventh Generation	Pick 'n Save, Hy-Vee, Whole Foods, Menards, Home Depot
Newspaper	Cellulose insulation	All brands	Menards, Home Depot
Office paper	Office paper	Geocycle, Great White	Office Depot, Best Buy, Office Max, Staples, Wal-Mart
Mixed paper	Paper towels, napkins, bathroom tissue	Green Forest, Seventh Generation	Pick 'n  Save, Hy-Vee, Whole Foods, Home Environment, Community Pharmacy
Corrugated Cardboard	Corrugated cardboard boxes, Cereal boxes	All brands	All stores

Recycled Product Resources

• EPA Buy Recycled Fact Sheets
• Treecycle Recycled Paper Products