Post-consumer waste is material that has served its intended purpose as a consumer item, and has then been separated from other material, which is to be disposed of. Post-consumer waste has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and can now be recycled and reused. Post-consumer waste is different from pre-consumer waste or post-industrial waste as this is waste taken from a different source.
Post-consumer waste comes from a large number of locations in small amounts, such as residential areas where consumable items are disposed. Pre-consumer or post-industrial waste is the opposite, and is produced in large amounts, in a small number of locations. Post-consumer waste is very important to recycle, as it prevents a huge amount of material being dumped in a land-fill, but it is difficult to separate and collect. Many public areas now have separate recycle bins for post-consumer waste like coffee cups.
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