5 Reasons to Recycle and Buy Recycled Products

The paper, plastic, metal, and glass that you’ve been recycling is now being made into all sorts of everyday products and packages. There’s just one thing left to do: Look for products made from recycled materials, and buy them!

Save Natural Resources

By making products from recycled materials instead of virgin materials, we reduce the need to cut down trees, drill for oil, and dig for minerals.

Save Energy

It usually takes less energy to make recycled products. Recycled aluminum, for example, takes 95% less energy to make than new aluminum from bauxite ore.

Save Clean Air and Water

In most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from virgin materials.

Save Landfill Space

When the materials you recycle go into new products, they don’t go into landfills or incinerators, so landfill space is conserved.

Save Money and Create Jobs

By increasing your recycling efforts, you may need only small, 20-gallon garbage service, which costs less than standard residential garbage service. By purchasing products made with recycled content, we encourage manufacturers to use recycled material.

Here are some examples of products that may be made with recycled content:

Paperboard Boxes

Lightweight cardboard boxes such as cereal, cracker, and shoe boxes are often made from recycled paper. Read the label.

Bath & Facial Tissue

Toilet paper and facial tissue made from recycled paper meet consumer expectations and cost about the same as or less than their non-recycled counterparts.

Plastic Bottles & Jugs

Some household cleaners, dishwashing liquids, shampoos, and other products can be found in plastic bottles with 25% or higher post-consumer recycled content. Check the label.

Paper Towels

Paper towels with recycled content are competitive in price and performance. But don’t forget you can use a sponge or rag to do the same job!

Writing Paper & Envelopes

To-quality recycled paper, envelopes, and greeting cards are increasingly easy to find. Some designer recycled stationery is meant to look rough and unfinished, but most recycled paper looks just like the paper made directly from trees. Check the label for post-consumer recycled content. (And don’t forget to ask for recycled paper if you order printing or copying.)

Other products made from recycled materials include:

re-refined motor oil, fiberfill for sleeping bags, carpets, dog collars, shoes, pencils, recycling bins, building insulation, outdoor furniture, corrugated pipes, garden tiles, sweaters, cameras, cat litter, wallboard, tiles, and many more.

Oro Loma residents can recycle plastic containers, aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles, newspapers, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, used motor oil, yard waste and food scraps.

To find out more about Oro Loma’s recycling program, browse our recycling section or call (510) 276-4700.