In our blog on concepts of circularity, we went over the 5 pillars of circularity to achieve better sustainability. In this blog, we will explore the importance of circularity in waste management. In circular waste management, we focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling waste to keep waste materials in circulation and prevent them from becoming waste in the first place.
Indian culture and traditional practices have always been based on circularity, and thus this is not a new concept to us. Old sarees were stitched into warm quilts, wornout chappals and shoes were renewed with a new sole at the mochi; preference was always given to repair our radios, TVs and watches instead of throwing them. We need to relearn these habits to
The circularity approach aims to close the loop by creating a regenerative system where waste is transformed into new products, energy, or other valuable resources.
How does circularity improve waste management?
Minimizing Waste Generation
Circularity encourages waste prevention at its very core. By prioritizing waste reduction strategies, such as product design for durability and recyclability, we can minimize the generation of waste. For e.g. for a party use steel, glass, or ceramic plates instead of paper plates; shop offline and prevent packaging waste, always carry a cloth bag while shopping. This not only conserves resources but also reduces the expense and energy consumed in transporting the waste, processing it, and the environmental impact if dumped in landfills. The average Indian city pays about Rs 1500 per Metric Ton to collect and transport waste. Reducing the quantity to be collected and transported can bring down the public expenditure on waste.
Resource Conservation
One of the primary benefits of circularity in waste management is the conservation of valuable resources. By reusing and recycling waste materials, we reduce the need for extracting fresh resources for the production cycle. For e.g., construction debris, such as concrete chunks from old demolished buildings can be crushed and graded into aggregates that can be reused for a new slab. This leads to a significant reduction in energy consumption, water usage, and the environmental degradation associated with resource extraction.
Energy and Emission Reduction
Circular waste management practices, such as recycling and energy recovery, contribute to energy conservation and emission reduction. Recycling materials requires less energy compared to the extraction and production of new materials. Moreover, the use of waste-to-energy technologies can convert organic waste into renewable sources of energy, further reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Segregated wet waste is a good resource to generate Biogas and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) which can be easily used directly for cooking, vehicles or to convert to electricity. .
Economic Opportunities
A large-scale informal market in India has thrived on recycling valuable waste, showcasing the potential for livelihood generation in waste. The unhygienic conditions, unsegregated waste, and issues in waste collection hamper the formal sector economic opportunities; however new waste processing technologies are creating several economic opportunities in waste. By introducing the need for reusing, repairing, and recycling waste materials, we create growth opportunities for industries such as remanufacturing, recycling, and waste processing. These sectors further go on to generate jobs, stimulate local economies, and promote innovation in sustainable technologies and business models. The town of Ambikapur in Chattisgarh has created jobs for 471 women in waste collection and segregation. The women operate a Material Recovery Facility where they segregate and recycle the waste into more than 150 types.
Environmental Preservation
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to Earth with far-reaching impacts on the environment. The total mass of plastics on the planet is now twice the mass of all living mammals.[1] Our oceans are becoming sinks of the waste plastic impacting marine life. Circularity in waste prevents the waste from going into our oceans and landfills, and we prevent the pollution of soil, water, and air. Additionally, reducing the need for fresh resource extraction and manufacturing in turn decreases the ecological footprints of manufacturing industries, thus contributing to the safeguarding of natural habitats, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
Sustainable Consumption and Production
Circularity aligns with the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG12) of Responsible Consumption and Production. It encourages a shift towards more sustainable and responsible consumption patterns, where products are designed with longevity, repairability, and recyclability in mind. Moreover, circularity leverages Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to encourage producers to switch up their designs to something more sustainable. For e.g. The sports shoe company Adidas provides opportunities for customers to recycle their old shoes. Adidas has set a goal to use recycled materials in all of its products by 2024. As of 2020, the company reported that 40% of its products contain recycled materials
In these ways, circular waste management enables us to transition back from a linear “throwaway” culture to our intrinsic traditional culture of being more conscious and resource-efficient society. The NITI Aayog’s program _ LiFE promotes the transitioning from throwaway culture to a circular economy.
The importance of circularity in waste management cannot be overstated. By embracing circular principles, we can transform waste from a burden into a valuable resource.
If you have ever thought of introducing the principles of circularity at an individual, community, or even organizational level, we give our kudos to you! Kushaagra Innovations Foundation will gladly stand behind you in case you face challenges actually implementing circular waste management. Get in touch with us if you need our support.
Citations:
1: A Down to Earth annual – State of India’s Environment – A treaty for a start, Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, Kiran Pandey and Zumbish.