A circular economy versus a recycling economy

I’m currently working on a fantastic initiative of Bayside City Council – the Roving Repair Program.

The program is designed to build community capacity to repair, as well as to foster a repair community.??

The need for a repair movement?

In a time when it is often easier and cheaper to buy something new, encouraging people to take the time to repair or repurpose items can be challenging. The decision to repair can come down to an ethical and/or environmental choice, rather than an economic one. Arguably a new, cheap product is probably not very good quality, so if people were able to spend more for the initial outlay on a better quality item, it would likely last longer. Also if they’ve paid more, they may feel more inclined to fix and keep the item than to discard it.?

We need a cultural, economic and systemic shift to reduce the availability and appeal of lower quality, cheap items. For a start “fast fashion” should not be a thing! The $12 pedestal fans that sell out on really hot days, and can be found in hard rubbish months, or even weeks, later are just as (if not more) of an environmental disaster than single use plastic. Governments in Australia and across the globe are already legislating to address single use plastics. We need this extended to other products.?

I know that not everyone can afford a more expensive, longer lasting fan. This is where Sam Vimes "Boots" theory of socioeconomic unfairness comes in – inferior products don’t last as long and therefore need to be replaced, ultimately costing the buyer more.

As we restructure our systems, this disadvantage needs to be addressed, so that people who at are at risk have access to potentially life saving items like quality fans.

If we lived in a circular economy instead of a linear one we could remove any stigma associated with buying second-hand, so people wouldn’t feel compelled to purchase new, making second hand quality options a financially viable and appealing option for those in need.?

What’s a circular economy??

For those not familiar with the term, “circular economy” refers to an economy where we try to keep things in circulation, at the highest value for the longest time. This model is in contrast to a “linear economy”, where we use, and then dispose of things, to make way for new things.?

A linear economy means:?

1. Mine/obtain raw materials?
2. Use the materials to create the item we want?
3. Dispose of that item when we no longer want it/it breaks?
4. Mine/obtain more raw materials
5. Repeat the process?

Or put even more simply: take, make, dispose, repeat.?

In a circular economy we would:?

1. Refuse?
2. Reduce?
3. Reuse?
4. Repair?
5. Refurbish?
6. Repurpose / remanufacture?
7. And then... if necessary and possible Recycle?

In a circular economy materials are not thrown away – existing materials become the raw materials. The circular economy aims to eliminate waste and to keep materials in circulation - at their highest value. ?

So recycling??

Recently, I heard someone refer to the circular economy as recycling. I get it, it does sound a lot like recycling and recycling is a necessary part of keeping materials in circulation. However, “at the highest value for the longest time” is an important distinction.?

Recycling as we know it means products reach the end of their use and then get broken down and made into something new. This process can only be done a finite number of times, as materials deteriorate or become an inferior version of what they previously were (except for aluminium!).?

The process of recycling is also labour and resource intensive.?

In a circular economy, materials won’t devalue in the same way. Keeping them in circulation at their highest value is the goal. Ideally keeping them intact.?

For example, when I was a kid (in England) we left our empty milk and juice bottles on the doorstep, they would be collected to be sterilised and reused for the milk and juice that was delivered on another day. This is a great example of a circular economy.

We are starting to see the resurgence of business models like this with the Returnr Marketplace and Zero Waste Shops popping up, as well as shops and restaurants offering a bring your own container option.

But not everything can be re-used multiple times?

A cultural shift?

As I said, I believe there needs to be a cultural shift i.e. people wanting to hold on to things and repair them when they break, rather than dispose of and replace items. We should also encourage repurposing, for example adjusting, dyeing or swapping clothing, or reupholstering furniture, when the desire to replace is more a style choice.?

Mend It Australia have been tirelessly working to foster a repair culture across Australia.?I recommend you follow them on LinkedIn, as they regularly post useful content about the right to repair movement.

There are also companies working to make reuse easier in the hospitality industry. For example Green My Plate and BYO containers.

Some cafes and restaurants incentivise BYO cups and containers, by offering a discount to customers who bring their own.

If we make reuse the easier (and cheaper) option, then we will reduce the dependence on disposable items like coffee cups and containers.?

There is also a grassroots movement to share and repair. For example, Good Karma Networks and tool libraries are enabling people to borrow instead of buy things, or take unwanted items from their neighbours.

The Repair Café movement is taking off in Australia, helping people get their items repaired and build their own skills in repair.?

The Roving Repair Program of Bayside City Council is a great example of a coordinated effort to engage the community in circular economics.?

A legislative shift?

There also needs to be a systemic shift i.e. legislation that ensures a Right to Repair for consumers and encourages circular design, as well as legislation that prevents poorly made products saturating the market.?

For example, smart phones and other electronic items should be made to last – as opposed to in-built obsolescence. Owners of these products should be able to buy parts and upgrade software, without having to replace the whole device.

This year, a voluntary scheme launched to try to address waste in the fashion industry. In Australia approximately 200,000 tonnes of clothes go into landfill each year! That’s a staggering amount. The new scheme aims to raise $36 million each year to improve the fashion industry's sustainability. It’s currently a voluntary scheme and, disappointingly, only six of Australia’s 30 major fashion brands have signed up so far. It’s likely the scheme will become mandatory if the uptake doesn’t increase.?

The European Union is working towards Right To Repair legislation to address barriers to repair and in-built obsolescence.?

Another example of legislation designed to reduce waste in the US requires producers of products to pay into a fund, based on the amount and the recyclability of packaging associated with their products. The funds then go toward reimbursing recycling and waste management costs, as well as toward investments in recycling infrastructure. This will discourage overuse of packaging, as well as making overly packaged products more costly, and therefore less appealing to buyers on a budget.?

I could go on, but this gives you a taster. It’s clear that take, make, dispose, repeat is not going to sustain life on earth! Thankfully a lot is happening to shift the economy from linear to circular. It will take time but the current climate and economic crises we face are speeding up this necessary transition.?

Want to repair??

If you’re interested in engaging with the repair movement I recommend these sites and resources:?

These websites have lots of how to guides to help you develop your repairing skills?

• Fix It
• Repair Cafe?
• Repair what you wear

And this website is where you can purchase service manuals, to repair items you have bought second hand or lost the manual for.

I also recommend you follow Mend It Australia and remember your reusable cups and containers next time you're getting takeaway!