DIY Upcycling, Downcycling and Recycling

Different Forms of Reuse
  • Upcycling
    • Process of taking post-consumer products and turning them into products with more value than the original
  • Downcycling
    • Recovery of material from post-consumer products that cannot be fully recycled
    • Leads to products of lesser quality than original
    • Ex. melting plastic bottles for use in polyester clothing
  • Recycling
    • Process of breaking down a product into its base components
    • Can be made into products of comparable quality
    • Ex. breaking down scrap paper into pulp to make new paper
Tips for Recycling
  • Make sure you understand what materials can actually be recycled
  • Wash recyclable before putting into receptacle
  • Know the recycling codes (generally 1-5 are accepted everywhere)
    1. PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
    2. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
    3. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
    4. LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)
    5. PP (Polypropylene)
Recycle Upcycle Poster

Quick Links

DeKalb County Local Recycling

Contact Us

Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy
325 Montgomery Hall
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: 815-753-6563
Fax: 815-753-2902
Email: envs@niu.edu
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