People sometimes think that the local recycling center that takes their separated material is the market. People say that they are willing to separate more materials and bring them in if only the recycler will take them. The local recycler is only one part of the recycling market, and curbside or other collection programs are only the beginning of recycling. Markets are the meeting of willing buyers and sellers, who agree on the product, price, and transfer of goods. Local recyclers market materials to mills in the U.S. and all over the world.
Mills use the recovered material and produce new material, which is the feedstock for manufacturers.
Consumers buy recycled content products or packaging, and separate and take the recovered material to recycling collection programs in their community. That s why recycling has been described as a closed loop, with many market participants. There are almost no mills in Montana. Most mills are located close to their customers, the manufacturers who use recycled content materials in their products. As a result, materials collected for recycling in Montana are sent all over the U.S. and even other countries.