Buying Recycled

How to close the recyle-loop

If you do not buy recycled,
you are not recycling.

What is the Buy Recycled Program?

We work with other departments and programs on the UC Davis campus to encourage:

Purchasing products made from recycled materials
Rebuying used products that are still in good condition
Purchasing products with environmentally friendly packaging
Being more environmentally conscious when making purchases

How do I get started buying recycled products?

Be positive. Start with only a few changes in what you buy. Avoid buying items with excess packaging. Buying items in bulk is friendlier to the environment. Take the following steps to become more environmentally aware with your purchases:

Ask yourself whether or not you really need to buy items individually wrapped. If so, is the wrapping material made from recycled materials or could you buy the same product made from recycled materials?
Look out for items made out of recycled materials such as recycled toilet paper, kitchen rolls, tissues, refuse sacks, recycled paper and envelopes.
Visit the UCD Buy Website and look for products with the chasing arrow symbol next to it for items made of recycled products.

Importance of Rebuying

Rebuy is one of the 4 R’s because it closes the recycling loop. You’re not fully recycling if you don’t buy recycled products. By purchasing products made from recycled materials, we are creating a demand which encourages suppliers to use recycled materials when making their products.

A committee made up of individuals from various campus units, including Purchasing, Environmental Sciences, Repro Graphics, Storehouse and the R4 Recycling Program, developed procedures enabling the campus to buy recycled paper with minimal change in service or procurement procedures. The approved recycled paper product is available for departmental purchases through the UCD Buy website.

Common Questions

Are products made from recycled material poor in quality? No. Aluminum and glass can be recycled repeatedly without a loss in quality. Paper does suffer from degradation in quality as paper fibers shorten with each reprocessing. This limits the number of times it can be recycled but does not stop it being reprocessed into other suitable products. Many paper processors mix raw materials with reprocessed paper to make new newsprint. Even in safety critical situations, recycled products can be used. Next time you take a flight, remember that you may be landing on re-treaded tires.

But don't recycled products cost more than non-recycled products? Recycled products should not cost more, but for some product areas, economies of scale do result in higher prices. Creating consumer demand for products using recycled materials is important and will help to lower prices in the longer term.

But don't recycled products cost more than non-recycled products? By making products from recycled material, aren't you using more energy and resources than a product made from primary raw materials?
Many recycled products offer significant savings in terms of energy and water as well as potentially significant reductions in raw material usage.

1 ton of recycled paper results in 74% less air pollution and 34% less water pollution

This is in comparison to using the equivalent quantity of virgin wood pulp to make the paper. As new technology and processes become more widely used there will be increasing opportunities to substitute or incorporate greater amounts of post consumer wastes instead of virgin materials.

For more information on buying recycled products

...visit the following websites!

• R4 Recycling Program • Administrative and Resource Management • Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability •

• The University of California, Davis • One Shields Avenue • Davis, CA 95616 •
•Monday - Friday Hours: 10:00AM - 2:00PM (Reduced Office Hours) •
•Phone (530) 752-7456 • Fax (530) 754-9895•

R4 Program Manager: Lin King
Webmaster: Brandon Dutra