What is the “Circular Economy” and how does it affect waste management in Brighton?

One of the hot topics for the British government isclimate change, and how to mitigate the environmental impact of individualhouseholds and businesses.  You haveprobably heard the words, “Circular Economy” bandied about and maybe disregardedthe concept as yet another buzzword that means very little to your everydaylife.

As tempting as it is to lump the “Circular Economy”into one of the many infuriatingly intrusive and often pointless regulationsthat are foisted upon an unsuspecting public, this would be a big mistake. Muchmore than a buzzword, the Circular Economy is in fact an important strategy forreducing waste and pollution by using resources more effectively.

G&S Clearance wastemanagement service in Brighton is anardent advocate of working towards a more sustainable society. So, we’d like toprovide a quick guide to the Circular Economy principles and regulations todebunk any mystery and misconceptions.

Eliminating waste and pollution

Currently our society is built around using materialsto manufacture products, which are then used and ultimately thrown away aswaste. But what if you could move away from this ‘linear’ process to create a‘circular’ process, whereby waste is never generated?

The current system (linear economy) is nowunsustainable and there is an urgent need to address climate change by closingthe loop and creating a circular economy. The aim of the Circular Economy is todevelop a system where materials and nature are reused and never discarded aswaste. In other words, material and products are constantly in part of acircular process, of either being reused, refurbished or recycled.  By ensuring materials are in constantcirculation, it will be possible to reduce waste and pollution, also ensuringthat economic activity doesn’t deplete the finite supply of precious resources.

How to transform to a circular economy

Carrying on as usual is not an option, eachorganisation (and household) needs to evaluate how they can adapt towards amore circular economy model, whereby waste and pollution is literally designedout of manufacturing and everyday life whenever possible.

The World ResourcesInstitute reported that by creating a circular economy for these key fivefields of manufacture alone: cement, aluminium, steel, plastics and food it wouldbe possible to cut C02 emissions by 3.7billion by 2050, which equates to thesame level of emissions as produced by every form of transport. Anothersobering statistic shows, that if food waste was reduced by 25 per cent, itcould feed over 870 million people.

Here is a simplified list checklist suggesting how wecan all do our bit to create a circular economy:

Consumptionand use

·       Consume less (fast fashion,food waste, plastics and packaging etc)

·       Consume better (choose moresustainable products that can be recycled, produce lower emissions and usefewer natural resources)

·       Use less packaging to minimisewaste (for example, avoid individually wrapped products and use a bag for life)

·       Collect and sort waste (sort glass,plastics, paper and contract a professional wastemanagement service (for example G&S Clearance waste management service in Brighton) to collect largeitems to be disposed of, donated or recycled correctly.

Recycleand reuse

·       Reduce waste sent to landfills

·       Composting organic waste

·       Use fewer precious naturalresources (lithium batteries)

·       Extend the useful life ofproducts

Manufacturingand business

·       Adapt designs aimed at greaterdurability and easy repair

·       Adapt manufacturing processesto a more sustainable model (for example, use renewable energy, localmaterials, less plastic, less packaging, less waste)

Business incentives

Thesame research indicates that the creation of a circular economy could offercommercial opportunities. The processes involved in avoiding waste can createbusiness growth and employment opportunities. Of course, substantive changecannot be achieved by consumer action alone, the products that we buy need tobe designed for durability, instead of the easy come and easy go mentally offast fashion.  

Ifsaving the planet is not a strong enough pull, there needs to be incentives forbusinesses to get on board and to start making systemic changes to theirproduct design, manufacturing processes and waste management processes. The UKgovernment has recognised the need for incentivising companies to do their bit,which was illustrated by recently implemented tax on all plastic packaging thathas less than 30 per cent recycled content.

Tosuccessfully achieve the changes required to save the planet, it is necessaryfor consumers and suppliers to work together to create a system that benefitssociety as a whole.

If you have anyhousehold, garden waste, bulky items or WEEE waste thatneeds removing; we can collect it and deliver it to the appropriate facility,where any recyclable elements will be stripped down and the rest disposed ofsafely.  Any items that are in goodenough condition and working order, will be given a second life by donating tocharity. Get in touch to request a waste removal quote.

You can contact G&S Clearance on WhatsApp +447817 647075 to request an instantquote by providing a brief description and photo or email info@gsclearance.co.uk.