What is it?
Though our project is focused on the potential that circular economy development has for Arizona, we are also developing a comprehensive national directory of circular economy businesses. Use the map below to discover businesses in your area that are working to recapture the materials we discard and utilize them as resources to manufacture new materials and products.
What is provided?
- How these businesses contribute to the development of the circular economy
- Access to businesses that are working towards sustainability and innovative material management
- Discarded materials are transformed into new products and resources
- Ability to find businesses in your area focused on recapturing and repurposing discarded materials
Circularity VS Recycling
Circularity
Circularity is an economic model designed to eliminate waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. It involves:
- Design for longevity: Creating products that last longer and can be easily repaired.
- Reuse and refurbishing: Using products again or restoring them to good condition.
- Remanufacturing: Rebuilding products to a like-new state.
- Recycling: Converting waste materials into new products.
- Resource efficiency: Using resources to reduce waste and conserve energy.
The goal of circularity is to create a system where materials are continuously reused, minimizing the need for new resources and reducing waste. In a circular economy, waste is defined as a resource.
Recycling
Recycling is a process within the circularity model that involves:
- Collection: Gathering used materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metals.
- Processing: Sorting and cleaning these materials, then breaking them down into raw materials.
- Manufacturing: Using these raw materials to create new products.
Recycling helps reduce the use of new raw materials, saves energy, and lowers pollution.
An example of recycling is when used aluminum cans are collected and melted down, but instead of being made into new cans, the aluminum is used to create a different product, like a bicycle frame or car parts. In this process, the material is repurposed for a new use, extending its lifecycle but not maintaining the original product form.
Closed-loop recycling of aluminum cans is a prime example of true circularity, where used cans are collected, melted, and reformed into new ones. This process can be repeated indefinitely without any loss in aluminum quality, creating a continuous cycle of reuse.
Key differences
- Scope: Circularity is a broad strategy covering a product’s entire lifecycle, while recycling focuses on turning waste into new materials.
- Focus: Circularity aims to design products and systems that avoid waste and keep materials in use. Recycling handles waste after it is created.
- Impact: Circularity seeks to change production and consumption patterns to be more sustainable. Recycling manages existing waste.
Recycling is a critical part of circularity. It focuses on converting waste materials into products within a broader system designed to minimize waste and maximize resource use.