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Pre-Consumer Content: What Is It?

   
Question:

Abbie asks: What is pre-consumer content? Why isn't something like steel scraps in a manufacturing process that then go back into the mix considered pre-consumer recycled content??

According to the definitions in MR Credit 4, LEED describes pre-consumer content as material that is diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process which is then bought or traded and incorporated into another manufacturing process. It's an important distinction that content and materials that have been re-utilized within the same manufacturing process do not count. For instance, a manufacturing process for steel beams or carpet that collects any scrap and trimmings and then throws them back in the pot to make more steel and carpet products doesn't count.

A good example of pre-consumer content is denim that is taken from a jeans factory and then sold to an insulation company that is making cotton denim insulation.

Hope this helps!
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clairemolo's picture

Re: Pre-Consumer Content

Wed, 11/23/2011 - 11:43 — clairemolo

Thanks for this great explanation of pre-consumer content.

I am a recent graduate of Cornell University, where I studied Environmental Science and concentrated in Sustainable Development. My interest in green building and LEED stems from my project-based coursework at Cornell, where I proposed design strategies

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