Reuse.
Reuse means taking an item to another use after it has fulfilled its original function.
The circular economy is the economic system designed to maximise reusability of products and raw materials and minimize value destruction. You often deposit your used product directly with the landfill waste. Everything that ends up in the waste is incinerated or buried. So, no reuse! It’s a shame, isn’t it? That can and must be different! How then?
From now on, think of waste as valuable and consider it that way. Unlike in the current linear system where raw materials are converted into products that are destroyed at the end of their life. With an increasingly acute shortage of raw materials, this is no longer the way forward.
Very important part is to start thinking different, when you buy something, buy smart, spend your money wisely.
Unwanted or damaged products can find a new life, just by offering them to others. If we look at how many 2nd hand shops we have in New Zealand, this shows we like to support a good cause.
Recycle
Recycling is a process by which a used item is converted into a new product to reduce waste of potentially usable material.
A circular economy can contribute, among other things, to preventing resource scarcity and unstable commodity prices. For example, by reusing waste as raw materials for new products as much as possible. The underlying idea of the end-waste principle is that the recycling and reuse of waste contributes to a circular economy that reduces the total use of raw materials.
Luckily enough we starting to see businesses using these opportunities, and using our waste to create new products.
A great example is Green Gorilla in Onehunga. When visiting their plant, I was amazed to see what they do with building waste. They turn treated wood waste into little chipped pieces and this is used as bio-fuel to replace coal. Untreated wood turns into landscaping chip and animal bedding. Plasterboard will be separated into paper and gypsum, with the latter being used in horticultural and agricultural sectors.
Another company is Future Post, using commercial and domestic waste plastic. They turn this into fence posts which they expect to last 50+ years. The best part is, they are able to recycle your plastic fence post again into a new one, meaning no landfill waste. That’s what we call recycle!
I believe that many businesses could be smarter with their waste, by looking into your production process you could see opportunities to reuse materials, or perhaps look for a better waste management, knowing that it will be properly managed before any of it goes to landfill.
Improve the world, start with yourself!
Andre Hendriks
Off The Wall Marketing