Which form of recycling turns a product into a different product?

• A. Open-loop Recycling
• B. Closed-loop Recycling
• C. Compost
• D. Incineration

Answer: (A)

Open-loop recycling is when a material is recycled into a product different from the original item. This is downcycling—the material loses some quality or properties and ends up in a new use that isn’t the same type of product. For example, plastic bottles can be recycled into fibers for clothing or carpeting, or paper can become tissue or cardboard. That change in product type distinguishes open-loop recycling from closed-loop recycling, where the material is remade into the same kind of product. Compost and incineration are not recycling into new manufactured products either—they involve decomposing organic matter into soil or burning waste for energy, respectively. So turning a product into a different product fits open-loop recycling.