| Biodegradable: The ability of a material to be broken down into
simpler compounds by microorganisms or other decomposers. Many different definitions of
and tests for biodegradability exist. Definitions of the different tests are available
from the EPA.
|
| Durability: The ability of a product to be reused, without
significant degradation, for its intended purpose for a greater period than the average
useful product life-span of other similar products. |
| End Market: The user of diverted material that has been
returned to the marketplace as a feedstock or or raw material. |
Energy Star: is a Federal standard applied
to office equipment for the purpose of rating the energy efficiency
of the equipment. Energy Star computers, monitors, ad printers save
energy by powering down and going to “sleep” when not in use,
resulting in a reduction in electrical bills and pollution levels.
Visit the Energy Star web page at:
http://www.energystar.gov/ |
| Environmental Labeling: Any printed label on a package or product that provides
environmental information regarding recycled content, recyclability, reduced packaging
etc. |
| Environmentally Preferable Products: Products or services that have a lesser or
reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products
or services that serve the same purpose. Such products or services may include, but are
not limited to, those which contain recycled content, minimize waste, conserve energy or
water, and reduce the amount of toxics disposed or consumed. |
| Extended Producer Responsibility/Manufacturer’s Responsibility: A system
whereby the PRODUCERS (or distributors/retailers) of a packaged consumer product assume
primary responsibility for the management and recycling of the product packaging.
|
| Film (Plastic): A thin layer of plastic (e.g., stretch
wrap) that is used to wrap products, folding containers and pallets stacked with boxes.
|
| Group Packaging/Secondary Packaging: Point-of-purchase
packaging that does not come in contact with the product or that groups a number of sales
units. It can be removed from the product without affecting the products characteristics (e.g.,
the box containing a tube of toothpaste). |
| HDPE: High Density Polyethylene is a group of plastic resins
indicated by SPI Code #2.
|
| Industrial Scrap: Materials and manufacturing by-products (e.g.,
paper trimmings from an envelope manufacturer) reused in the manufacturing process (e.g.,
paper trimmings are collected and repulped at the beginning of the facility’s
manufacturing process). This material is not considered recycled or recovered material in
most processes. |
| LDPE: Low Density Polyethylene is a group of plastic resins
indicated by SPI Code #4. |
| Low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds): Products with a low-VOC content meant
for indoor use have been positively correlated with better indoor air quality. Using
products with low VOCs is especially important for chemically sensitive individuals. |
| PET/PET-G: Polyethylene Terephthalate is a plastic resin (SPI
Code #1=PETE) often used to make plastic containers and components. PET is a lightweight,
transparent, rigid polymer that is commonly recycled. PET-G is a new plastic resin. |
| Pollution Prevention: Any practice which reduces the amount of hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering the waste stream or otherwise released to
the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal;
and reduces the hazards to public health and environmental associated with the release of
such substances. |
| Post-Consumer Content: The manufacturing of a new product using materials that
have already served their intended uses and have been separated for recycling to be used
as a raw material. |
| Post-Industrial Materials: Materials generated by manufacturers or product
converters, such as trimmings, overruns and obsolete products, that are incorporating back
into the manufacturing process of the same or a different products are considered
post-industrial materials or scraps. |
| Post-Consumer Materials: Materials generated by consumer, business or
institutional sources that have served their intended use or completed their lifecycle and
would be destined for disposal had they not been diverted from the waste stream for
recycling (e.g., paper placed in a recycling bin by a consumer/end-user that is
collected and repulped to make new paper products) are considered post-consumer materials. |
| PP: Polypropylene is a plastic resin indicated by SPI Code #5. |
| Pre-Consumer Materials: Materials and manufacturing by-products that would be
destined for disposal had they not been diverted from the waste stream for reuse or
recycling (e.g., paper trimmings left over after cutting envelopes from paper that
are sold to another manufacturer to be used to make paper products) are consider
pre-consumer materials. Pre-consumer material does not include materials and by-products
generated by and commonly used in an original manufacturing process (see Industrial
Scrap). |
| Price Preference: When a government
agency, municipality or department, or any other entity is willing
to pay a higher price (usually 5 – 10%) for recycled or
environmentally preferable products. |
| Processed Chlorine Free (PCF): recycled
content paper utilizing fibers that meet EPA guidelines for recycled
or post-consumer content and that have not been rebleached with
chlorine containing compounds. Contains a minimum of 30%
post-consumer content. Use of the PCF emblem certifies that the mill
has not current or pending violations and that the mill does not use
old growth forest for any of the virgin pulp. |
| PS: Polystyrene is a hard, stable thermoplastic that is easily molded and is
indicated by SPI Code #6 on a plastic container. |
| PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride is a plastic resin indicated by SPI Code #3. |
| Reclaimed: Refers to the specialized process of cleaning and
refurbishing an item for reuse. For example, carpet broadloom and tiles can be cleaned and
refurbished to replace overly worn segments. |
| Recovered materials: waste materials and
by products which have been recovered or diverted from solid waste
including post-consumer materials and materials generated in
industrial processes. |
| Recyclability: The ability of
a product or material to be covered from or otherwise diverted from
the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling. |
| Recycled Content: The amount of pre- and post-consumer recovered material
introduced as a feed stock in a material production process, usually expressed as a
percentage. |
| Recycled Products: means goods which
contain materials which have been diverted from the solid waste
stream, including post-consumer materials, and materials and/or
by-products generated in an industrial process, or which have been
wholly or partially remanufactured. |
| Remanufacturing: The dismantling of a spent product to clean and repair the
product for the same use. Replacement parts must be new after-market parts that meet the
same specifications as original equipment manufactured parts. |
| Remanufactured Products: those products or
equipment partially or fully manufactured from existing product
materials where such materials are cleaned and repaired to the
extent possible and reused in the new product or equipment. All
unusable parts are to be removed and replaced with new or
remanufactured parts that meet **contract** standards. |
| Reuse: Reuse is repairing, refurbishing, washing, or recovering worn or used
products, packaging appliances, furniture or building materials for internal use. Reusing
packaging and products prolongs the useful life of items and delays the final disposal or
recycling. |
| Rigid Plastic: Plastic components that hold their original shape and are not
flexible. |
| Shared Product Responsibility: A new trend in waste and
pollution prevention policies that seeks to expand the assignment of responsibility for
waste management of packaging and spent consumer goods beyond the producer and consumer to
include all participants along the life cycle of a product including designers, suppliers,
manufacturers, fillers, distributors and disposers, as well as consumers and governments.
Examples of policies that involve forms of extended or shared responsibility include
environmental procurement programs, minimum recycled-content requirements, advance
disposal fees, material restrictions, product taxes and deposit-refund systems. |
| SPI Code: A numerical code designed by the Society of Plastics Industries that
is stamped on plastic components to indicate the type of resin used to manufacture the
plastic component. 1= PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) 2=HDPE (high density
polyethylene) 3=V or PVC (vinyl or polyvinyl chloride) 4=LDPE (low density polyethylene)
5=PP (polypropylene) 6=PS (polystyrene) and 7=OTHER (other resins or mixed resins). |
| Totally Chlorine Free (TCF): virgin fiber
paper that does not use pulp produced with chlorine or chlorine
containing compounds as bleaching agents. Use of the TCF emblem also
certifies that the mill has no current or pending violations and
that the mill does not use old growth forest for any of the virgin
pulp. |
| Transport Packaging/Tertiary Packaging: Packaging that
facilitates handling and transport of a number of sales units or grouped packaging in
order to prevent physical handling and transport damage. Transport packaging does not
include road, rail, ship or air containers. |
| “Unreasonable Price”:
Prices for recycled paper goods may be considered “unreasonable” if
the cost is greater than 10% of the lowest responsive virgin
material bid. However, for other products, please remember that
purchasers should consider the cost of maintenance, frequency of
replacement and disposal costs, in addition to the purchase price,
to get the “true” or “life-cycle” cost of a product. |
| Virgin Product: Products that are made with 100 percent new raw
materials and contain no recycled materials. |
| Waste prevention: Also known as source reduction, means any
change in the design, manufacturing, purchase, or use of materials or products (including
packaging) to reduce their level or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste.
Waste prevention also refers to the reuse of products or materials. |
| Waste reduction: Means preventing or decreasing the quantity of waste being
generated through waste prevention, recycling, or purchasing recycled and environmentally
preferable products. |
