Learn about pre-consumer recycled content, waste materials diverted from manufacturing for use in new products, and its role in LEED green building certification.
Table of Contents
Question
What is pre-consumer recycled content?
A. Virgin material that is not utilized in production
B. Waste material that is generated from factories
C. Waste material that is generated by households or by commercial use
D. Waste material that is diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process
Answer
The correct answer is D. Pre-consumer recycled content refers to waste material that is diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process.
Explanation
Pre-consumer recycled content refers to waste material that is diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. This can include scraps or trimmings that are collected and returned to the manufacturing process. It does not include rework, regrind, or scrap materials capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated them. Reference: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources.
Pre-consumer recycled content, also known as post-industrial recycled content, is material that is recovered from the manufacturing process of a product, before it reaches the consumer. These materials are waste byproducts generated during production that have never reached an end user or consumer. They are then collected, processed, and incorporated into new products.
Examples of pre-consumer recycled content include:
- Scrap metal, plastic, or wood from a factory that is re-melted or re-processed into new products
- Paper trimmings and scraps collected from a printer that are recycled into new paper products
- Sawdust or wood chips from lumber mills that are used to make engineered wood or particleboard
Utilizing pre-consumer recycled content in building materials and products is an important strategy in green building and LEED certification. It reduces waste, conserves raw materials and energy, and lowers environmental impacts compared to using virgin materials. LEED awards points for using materials with recycled content, including pre-consumer recycled content.
In contrast, post-consumer recycled content refers to waste materials generated by households or commercial consumers that are diverted from disposal and recycled into new products. Options A and C are incorrect because they describe virgin or post-consumer materials, not pre-consumer content.
USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the USGBC LEED Green Associate exam and earn USGBC LEED Green Associate certification.