Pre-consumer: Materials that have been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream, excluding those materials generated from and commonly reused, such as mill broke and home scrap.
Post-consumer: Only those products generated by a business or consumer that have served their intended end uses, and which have been separated or diverted from the solid waste stream for the purposes of collecting and recycling and disposition. Post-consumer material does not include manufacturing wastes.
Recyclable: A product or material that can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream for use as a raw material in the manufacture or assembly of a new product.
Recycled Content: The percentage of recycled material used in the manufacture of a product. Federal Trade Commission guidelines only allow recycled content claims that include material recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer) or after consumer use (post-consumer).
Recycling: Any process by which waste or materials that would otherwise become waste, are collected, separated, or processed and revised or returned to use in the form of raw materials or products.
Virgin Materials: Any materials used in industrial processing or manufacturing that have not been previously used.
