a) Pre-consumer material or Post-industrial material
Material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Pre-consumer material is a synonym for post-industrial recycled (PIR) material.
Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.
Example: Paper trimmings left over during manufacturing that are sold to another manufacturer for use in their paper products.
b) Post-consumer material
Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product which can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.
Example: Used plastic beverage bottles are recycled, palletized and used in the manufacturing of fleece garments. Old corrugated cartons are recycled, and used in the manufacture of new corrugated linerboard.