Common Recycling Terms

There are many terms used to identify recycled content, but do you know what they mean?

Here’s a quick rundown:

• Recycled material: Any material that has been diverted from a waste stream
• Post-consumer content: Any material that has been used by a consumer and then recycled
• Pre-consumer content: Byproducts from manufacturing
• Biodegradable: Material that will decompose if left on the ground
• Photodegradable: Material that will decompose if exposed to the sun
• Compostable: Material that will decompose if exposed to the elements that is also safe and beneficial to add to a compost pile

A full description of these terms can be found on the Keen for Green blog. You can also read our “All About Recycling” post on the main site to learn more about recycling.

Are there any terms we missed? Let us know in the comments below!