Today it is unlikely that any person could or would consciously ask these questions at the time of every purchase. Realistically, what is desired is to develop a deeper awareness of these issues and to gradually form a more environmentally informed base upon which decisions are made subconsciously. The initial question an individual can raise relates to the source of the product. Those products that are created from renewable resources are often the preferred choice environmentally, given no other decision factor. The informed individual can then begin to ask if both the product and its packaging can be economically recycled.
Some products consist of multiple materials that hamper the potential for material recapture.
Manufactured products are becoming more sophisticated and in many cases more difficult to recycle. Many goods are made with increasing amounts of nonrecyclable materials, such as thermoses plastics, safety glass and fabrics that create disposal problems. An example is the interior of an automobile. In addition, toxins that can make recycling hazardous, such as lead, cadmium, PCB's and CFS's, are found in a variety of consumer products. Ironically, many new products that are intended to protect human life and minimize risks become themselves risk inducing.