| You're all excited because you're buying a | | | | the product together, this may also make the |
| recycled promotional product to promote your | | | | item ineligible for recycling. This raises a host of |
| new green initiatives. Congratulations on making | | | | questions about how we handle materials, but, |
| that first step by deciding on a more ecofriendly | | | | more importantly, how we design products for |
| item! | | | | diassembly and repurposing. |
| But is your choice really any better? Yes and no. | | | | So what should you do? Continue to look for |
| Pros - By buying an item with recycled content, | | | | recycled items to help close the green loop by |
| you are helping to reduce the amount of virgin | | | | preventing unnecessary production of virgin |
| material that must be produced. Using aluminum | | | | material and to divert materials away from |
| as an example, producing virgin ore takes 20 | | | | landfills. But if you are concerned about the |
| times the energy intensity of recycling aluminum | | | | downside, look for these: |
| according to the environmental economics classic | | | | 1. 100% Identified Recycled Content - Some item |
| Natural Capitalism by Amory Lovins, et al. For | | | | descriptions will tell you what recycled materials |
| glass, every 28 percent of recycled content | | | | were used. For example, one tote bag on the |
| saves 500 gallons of water per ton of glass | | | | market identified the content as being made from |
| produced and prevents 20 pounds of CO2 | | | | up to 10 plastic yogurt containers and water |
| emissions as noted in Ecological Intelligence by | | | | bottles. |
| Daniel Goleman. Even if the item you distribute is | | | | 2. Recyclability - Does the item identify its |
| not recycled again, you will have at least helped to | | | | recyclability with the Mobius loop (three chasing |
| reduce the amount of material and waste | | | | arrows symbol) and a number inside it? This will |
| produced, as well as detour or delay the material's | | | | help your item's recipients and the waste |
| journey to the landfill. So, yes, score one for you | | | | company know how to handle the item. |
| and for the environment. | | | | 3. Disassembly-Friendly or No Disassembly |
| Cons - In many cases, recycling equals | | | | Required - Are there several types of materials in |
| downcycling as noted in Cradle to Cradle: | | | | the end product such as plastics and metals |
| Remaking the Way We Make Things by William | | | | combined, possibly held together with adhesives? |
| McDonough and Michael Braungart. Plastic types | | | | These cannot be recycled without prior |
| are often mixed in the recycling process, creating | | | | disassembly. |
| a lower quality material. So the recycled plastic in | | | | 4. Biodegradability - If you're concerned about |
| the item that you are buying may not have as | | | | material quality or future recyclability, or that your |
| much durability or desirability as its pure | | | | item's recipients will not properly dispose of the |
| predecessor. As well, a mixed plastic recycled | | | | item you distribute, you may want to opt for a |
| material is difficult, maybe even impossible, to | | | | biodegradable product. There are various types of |
| recycle again and will be headed straight to a | | | | biodegradable materials, but many are constructed |
| landfill since it cannot be used in the recycling | | | | of plant-based materials which will naturally break |
| process. Additionally, if adhesives are used to hold | | | | down in a landfill or if exposed to the elements. |