2.2 waste mitigation strategies

Question 1

what is circular economy?

Answer 1

the use of waste as a resource within a closed loop system. E.G. Patagonia’s Worn Wear programme for clothing repair and resale.
- resources remain in use for as long as possible
- maximum value is extracted while in use
- the products are recovered and regenerated at the end of the product life cycle

Question 2

what are the 5 R’s?

Answer 2

• Recycle
• Reuse
• Repair
• Reengineer
• Recondition

Question 3

what is recycle?

Answer 3

using materials from waste (obsolete products) to create new products. E.G. glass, thermoplastics, paper

Question 4

what is reuse?

Answer 4

using the same product either in the same context or in a different context. E.G. water bottles, jars, clothes.

Question 5

what is repair?

Answer 5

the reconstruction or renewal of a product once it has been broken to restore it. E.G. cars

Question 6

what is reengineer?

Answer 6

the redesign components or products to improve their characteristics or performance. E.G. F1 cars to improve their aerodynamics through changing material or shape.

Question 7

what is recondition?

Answer 7

rebuilding a product so that it is in ‘new’ condition. E.G. car engines

Question 8

what is dematerialisation?

Answer 8

reducing the quantity of materials. E.G. new macbook versus the old one

Question 9

what is raw material recovery?

Answer 9

separating the component parts of a product in order to recover its raw materials.

Question 10

what is WEEE recovery?

Answer 10

WEEE is a complex mixture of materials and components from electrical products that, if because of their hazardous content, can cause major health/environmental problems.

Question 11

what is the Life Cycle Analysis?

Answer 11

technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all stages of the product’s life cycle from cradle to grave.