Many Florida manufacturers produce recycled products.
Buying recycled products is an excellent way of reducing use of energy and natural resources. While the definition of a recycled product is not well-defined by Florida law, many manufacturers do offer products made from recycled materials. A recycled product does not usually contain 100% recycled materials, but a portion of its material can be attributed to either pre- or post-consumer recycling.
Understanding Recycled Products
In a recycled product, a percentage of the materials that went into its production were derived from previously recycled items. For example, some of the glass used to make a recycled bottle could come from other bottles that past consumers purchased and recycled. This is recycling from "post-consumer materials." A recycled product could also be made of materials that never left the manufacturer, or "pre-consumer materials". For example, a recycled bottle glass could partly be made from excess scraps of glass produced while manufacturing other bottles. In either case, materials are re-used to create a recycled product.
Types of Recycled Products
Items for every imaginable field are available as recycled products. A number of Florida manufacturers specialize in recycled products for construction, including highly-used materials such as lumber, concrete, sheet rock and gypsum board. Construction products also include picnic tables and benches, fencing, decking, flooring, and septic tanks. Other recycled products in high demand include office supplies. Various Florida manufacturers produce recycled binders, folders, pencils, copy paper, printers and cartridges. Recycled containers, printing paper and packaging, including bubble wrap and packing peanuts, can also be obtained from Florida manufacturers. More unusual items include recycled agricultural and marine supplies. Mulching, field soil, marine hardware, and playground surfaces are all produced from recycled materials. Recycled clothing and apparel is a fast-growing industry, with several Florida companies producing clothes, tote bags and caps.
Vendors and Resources
A guide to recycled products and their vendors is available online from The Southern Waste Information Exchange. (See Resources 1.) It provides descriptions and contact info for companies located throughout the state. Recycle Florida Today, a non-profit organization, provides conferences and quarterly reports on current recycling issues within Florida. (See Resources 2.) The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, provides state-by-state lists of recycled products as well as information on their manufacturers. (See Resources 3.) The "Official Recycled Products Guide" (or "RPG") is a thorough, nationwide directory that lists over 5000 products and 14,000 manufacturers and has been in publication since 1989. Some of its features can be accessed free online, though complete access is available only on a membership basis. (See Resources 4.)
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