Circular Approach ' Recycling'
Recycling is defined as the recovery and utilization of resources by breaking down disposed products into materials and raw material while its shape, application and identity is relinquished.1 That includes products which reached their End-of-Life as well as waste created during manufacturing.
The biggest challenge for recycling is the return flow and the separation of materials and raw materials. A sorted collection system requires a high level of organisation and infrastructure. This can be helped by deposit systems and transferring the responsibility to the producer. The subsequent industrial separation involves large-scale machinery or high amount of labour. 2 If the emissions and costs caused by the recovery process exceed these produced by the extraction of raw materials, recycling is economically and ecologically not viable.2 Large quantities of returned material or a high concentration of raw material is required to make recycling profitable.3
Furthermore, the quality of the recovered resources is problematic. The quality has to meet the requirements of the previous product or have to be used in applications with lower quality constraints. The use of toxic elements in products should be avoided because it impedes recycling completely. Eine weitere Herausforderung liegt in der Qualität der wiedergewonnenen Rohstoffe. 4
To optimize the recycling process, a straightforward disassembly and an automated separation process should be considered during the design phase. A smooth transfer of information regarding the chemical composition of materials is necessary to preserve the purity and quality of materials and raw materials, while reducing the cost for separation. Clear labelling of materials, a modular design, clear regulations regarding to toxic substances and technological progress concerning automated separation could make recycling economically viable. 2, 4
References
1 Reith, Sören: Einfluss der direkten Zweitnutzung energieintensiver Materialien auf die Energiewirtschaft - Masterthesis am Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion Karlsruhe. Karlsruhe: KIT, 2011
2 Deutsches Ressourceneffizienzprogramm (ProgRess) - Programm zur nachhaltigen Nutzung und zum Schutz der natürlichen Ressourcen. Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU), Berlin: 2012
3 van der Laan, Erwin Dr.: What it takes to close loops - CircularX_2015_2_1_Key_Erwin OLD in: Online-Portal: Youtube. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1SnosZ-lJI#t=61 (besucht am 07.07.2016). Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6ioouus3t. Rotterdam: Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2015
4 Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Towards the Circular Economy 1 - Economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition. Cowes, UK: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013
5 Europäische Kommission: Den Kreislauf schließen – Ein Aktionsplan der EU für die Kreislaufwirtschaft - Mitteilung der Kommission an das Europäische Parlament, den Rat, den europäischen Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss und den Ausschuss der Regionen. Brüssel, Belgien: Europäische Kommission, 2015
