It is made from recycled materials by consumers such as water bottles, food containers, aluminium cans and shipping boxes that are collected through municipal recycling programs or store drop-off locations. Following these, post-consumer recycled (PCR) content is transported to recycling facilities which are processed into resin pellets to use as raw materials for a variety of products.
Using PCR promotes circular economy concepts and reduces dependency on virgin resin contributing to sustainable practices. Nevertheless, production waste that does not reach the consumer market is not considered post-consumer recycled content.
What are Post-Consumer Recycled Plastics?
It is made by reprocessing previously used consumer products. Local recycling programs often collect these materials and transfer them to recycling facilities, sorting them into bundles by material type. Following that, these bundles are purchased and then melted or ground into small pellets that are subsequently molded into new items like packaging material.
Recycled plastic is frequently remanufactured into identical items successfully closing the waste loop and limiting the amount of waste ending up in landfills or the ocean. However, it can be difficult and expensive due to the complicated procedures of collecting, cleaning, disinfection, sorting, reprocessing and redistribution. Concerns such as color variations and differences in plastic grade can add to the complexity.
Also See: What is Downcycling?
What are the Benefits of PCR Materials?
The advantages of using Post-consumer recycled (PCR) content are:
1. These materials decrease the demand for new raw materials in product manufacturing leading to lower carbon footprint and waste for companies.
2. It helps combat climate change without requiring extra effort from customers allowing them to support environmental solutions.
3. PCR materials are widely used in the production and packaging of electronic goods like routers, laptops, wearable smart devices, Bluetooth headphones and PC components.
Compare Pre-Consumer Vs Post-Consumer Recycled Fibres
Both contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry and help reduce textile waste. However, both offer different approaches are listed below:
| Parameters | Pre-Consumer Recycled | Post-Consumer Recycled |
| Definition | Textile waste produced during production such as cutting and trimming is recycled before reaching consumers. | Textiles used and discarded by consumers are diverted from landfills and recycled. |
| Environmental Impact | It addresses only a portion of industry waste and does not address post-consumer trash directly. | It significantly lowers landfill waste and conserves resources but requires a more complicated recycling procedure. |
| Availability | Many textile producers generate this waste throughout the manufacturing process making it widely available. | Its importance is growing and the necessity for sorting, cleaning and repurposing has resulted in limited availability. |
| Cleanliness | Materials are often cleaner because they haven’t been exposed to wear and tear or environmental influences. | More cleaning may be required owing to wear and tear, exposure and sorting procedures. |
Recommended: 15 Problems with Recycling Plastic and Solutions for Recycling
