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I have recycled content information for a product, but it doesn’t specify whether it is pre-consumer or post-consumer. What should I do?

The recycled content percentage on the product data sheet is given as a range. What should I do?

The manufacturer can't give me product-specific recycled content data, but they say that they fall within the national industry average. Can I use that?

Is the default average recycled content value of 25% for steel still allowed?

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NC-2009 MRc4:Recycled Content

Recycled Steel content

We have several steel items that have been purchased for our contractors project. Most of the items show a total recycled content, then a post- and pre-consumer recycled content. I need to know if the total recycled content is less than 100%, does the recycled value after factoring in the post- and pre-consumer %'s need to be multiplied by that total recycled content. Example: $10,000 spent on steel with a post-consumer 83.6% and a pre-consumer 16.4%. but the product contains only 25% recycled material. (or explaied a little differently: 25% recycled material and of that 83.6% is post- and 16.4% is pre-) is the answer: $10,000(83.6% + 1/2 of 16.4%) then time 25% ? that would only make sense since most steel is not from 100% recycled material (usually there are addatives).

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Wed, 07/27/2011 - 18:44

So the total product value is $10,0000 and the product only contains 25% recycled content. So the total value of recycled materials is $2,500 (10000*.25). Of that $2,500, 83.6% is post consumer and is worth $2,090 (2500*.836) and the pre-consumer value is worth $410 (2055*.164).

Wed, 07/27/2011 - 18:48

That's what I thought, but it doesn't seem to be spelled out like that in LEED anywhere (that i could find). I'm looking for some documentation to show the contractor and others in our office. Any suggestions?

Thu, 07/28/2011 - 18:31

My first thought was to have you review the assembly recycled content calculation. But the situation isn't explicitly covered in the Reference Guide. You'll have to walk them through the same math. You could also try going to some of the 'greener' product companies websites and look for their LEED documentation for examples.
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Tristan Roberts
Representative
Vermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
7780 thumbs up

Thu, 07/28/2011 - 18:50

I agree, it simply seems like math to me. I don't know of any additional policies, etc, that would explain this.
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Keith Lindemulder
Environmental Business Development- LEED AP BD&C
Nucor Corporation
LEEDuser Basic Member
132 thumbs up

Wed, 08/31/2011 - 16:42

Sorry for the late reply but I think there is some confusion here...Is the 25% recycled content statement something from the manufacture or are you thinking the 25% figure is what comes from the LEED default post-consumer recycled content rate for all steel? If you have specific steel mill documentation which spells out the recycled content of the particular product, then the default of 25% does not apply since you have more specific information.

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