Som du kan se nedan lägger de sina smutsiga diskar och koppar i replikatorn, som reverserar replikeringsprocessen (för att materialet ska användas senare);
Från DS9: Hård tid
KEIKO : Make sure to put your plate in the replicator.
MOLLY : Okay.
Molly picks up her plate and puts it in the replicator. It disappears...
och DS9: Ascenten
SISKO : I'm afraid Jake's going through a phase of his own.
(a beat)
I don't know what's so difficult about putting a dirty plate back in the replicator.
Det finns också en anteckning i Star Trek TNG: teknisk manual att vissa replikerade material (vatten och kläder) återvinns genom mekaniska och kemiska medel, medan mat oftast returneras till matvaror på grund av begränsningar på resupplies i rymden:
Material that cannot be directly recycled by mechanical or chemical means is stored for matter synthesis recycling. This is accomplished by molecular matrix replicators that actually dematerialize the waste materials and rematerialize them in the form of desired objects or materials stored in computer memory. While this process provides an enormous variety of useful items, it is very energy intensive and many everyday consumables (such as water and clothing) are recycled by less energy intensive mechanical or chemical means. Certain types of consumables (such as foodstuffs) are routinely recycled using matter replication because this results in a considerable savings of stored raw material