The study divides recycling into 19 categories. Five involve the business of supplying recycled raw materials to manufacturers, including municipal and commercial collection programs, sorting facilities and commercial scrap processing facilities.
In 1998, close to 6,000 of these businesses employed almost 40,000 people. The other 14 recycling business categories involve manufacturing new products with recycled materials.
The re-use industry is comprised of seven categories. In total, re-use represents 5,000 employers, 27,514 jobs, and gross revenues of close to $3 billion.
In addition, the report contains information on the following: estimates of indirect and induced economic activity, estimates of business activity associated with reuse and remanufacturing businesses.
The study was prepared by R.W. Beck Inc. The expanded will be complete by this spring. States that are part of NERC include Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

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