Recycling and repurposing

Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as rubbish and turning them into new products.
It usually involves three steps: collection and processing, manufacturing, and purchasing new recycled products.
The collection and processing stage involves gathering recyclable materials and sending them to a recovery facility to be sorted and cleaned.
The manufacturing stage is where the collected materials are made into new products. This could be the same product or a completely different one.
Purchasing new recycled products is an important step as it creates a demand for recycled goods, which further drives the recycling process.
Repurposing, on the other hand, involves using an object or material for a new purpose without significantly altering its original form.
This could take the form of creative reuse, for example using old jeans to make a bag, or functional reuse, such as using a glass jar to store pencils.
Both recycling and repurposing are important for sustainable design as they reduce the need for raw materials, which in turn saves energy, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and decreases the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Recycling and repurposing also encourage innovative thinking in design, as designers must find new ways to use old and discarded materials.
Recycled or repurposed materials can add value and uniqueness to a product, allowing designers to meet consumer demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly products.
It is also worth mentioning that the Waste Hierarchy, defined in the EU Waste Framework Directive, suggests an order of preference for actions to reduce and manage waste. The order is: prevention, minimisation, reuse, recycle, energy recovery, and lastly, disposal.
Designers can use this hierarchy as a guide to make more sustainable design decisions. Remember, the goal of sustainable design is to reduce the overall impact on the environment and human health.
Some challenges with recycling and repurposing include: establishing effective collection systems, dealing with contamination of recyclable materials, and encouraging user participation in recycling schemes.
Understanding and implementing recycling and repurposing strategies can be a crucial step in reaching sustainability goals in design.