Whats the difference between postconsumer and preconsumer recycled content?
Postconsumer materials are finished products that have served their intended end use and would otherwise end up in a landfill or incinerator. Preconsumer materials include trim and scrap from manufacturing processes (e.g., the conversion of paper rolls into envelopes) and overissue publications. Unlike preconsumer fiber, postconsumer fiber is not typically included in paper at any significant level unless purchasers specify it. Buying paper with postconsumer recycled content achieves direct reductions in wood, water, and total energy use, releases of pollutants during manufacturing, and solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions from paper decomposing in landfills. It also supports business and community recycling programs, and creates an incentive for paper manufacturers to use more paper diverted from disposal.
