Pre-cycling is eliminating the need to recycle or dispose of waste by not creating waste. This is a step that should be taken before you have to recycle.

Ways to Pre-cycle:

• Packing meals in reusable containers instead of buying food in takeout container or packing meals in plastic bags
• Avoid using paper by reading on a screen instead of printing
• Purchasing items in bulk to reduce the amount of individual packaging
• Using reusable bags while shopping to avoid using plastic bags

All of these are examples of pre-cycling because they eliminate waste from the source, never even giving it a chance to enter a landfill. Pre-cycling is making a conscious effort to do things in a certain way that does not create waste. This may be difficult to remember at first but the more often it is done, the more likely it will become a habit.

Pre-cycling should be used whenever possible. When pre-cycling is not an option the next best option is to recycle.