Recycled content
Recycled content is the portion of a product or package made from material recovered or diverted from a waste stream during manufacturing or after consumer use. A quantified claim should identify the percentage, calculation basis, product or component covered, material type, and whether the feedstock is pre-consumer, post-consumer, or both.
In simple terms
Recycled content describes what is already in an item, not whether that item can be recycled later. Post-consumer input has completed its intended use and been recovered; pre-consumer input is recovered during manufacturing, subject to the applicable definition and exclusions. Mass-balance or average claims may use different accounting rules, so the method and boundary matter. A percentage alone also does not establish lower overall environmental impact, safety, quality, or circularity.
Why it matters
Demand for verified recycled content can create markets for recovered material and reduce some primary-resource demand. Ecodesign can specify appropriate material quality, while extended producer responsibility can create collection and market incentives. Transparent claims help prevent ordinary process reuse or unsupported allocation from inflating the percentage. Product performance, hazardous substances, traceability, biodegradability, and end-of-life options still need separate consideration.
Example
A bottle label states that its body contains 40 percent post-consumer recycled plastic by mass, excluding the cap and label. The manufacturer documents the calculation period, eligible feedstock, production records, and verification method. It does not imply that the bottle is biodegradable or locally recyclable unless those separate claims are supported.
How it differs
Biodegradable
Recycled content describes recovered material incorporated into a product. Biodegradable describes a material's capacity to be broken down biologically under specified conditions; neither property implies the other.
Mass balance accounting
Recycled content describes the proportion of recovered material attributed to a product; mass balance accounting is a chain-of-custody method for allocating an eligible material attribute through a mixed system.