What is it?
While our project focuses on the potential of circular economy development in Arizona, we are also building a comprehensive national directory of circular economy businesses, including recycling and organic waste organizations. Repurposing these into valuable resources like new products, compost, biofuel, and soil amendments.
What is provided?
- Reducing waste and extending material life through innovation.
- Turning discarded materials into new, valuable products.
- Keeping resources in use longer to minimize environmental impact.
- Helping you locate sustainable solutions in your area.
| Circularity | Recycling | Organics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | A system that eliminates waste by keeping materials in use as long as possible | A process that turns used materials into raw materials for new products | The recycling of organic waste (e.g., food, yard waste) into compost, biofuel, or soil amendments |
| Goal | Prevent waste before it’s created and design systems for reuse and regeneration | Manage existing waste by repurposing it | Divert organic waste from landfills and return nutrients to the environment |
| Processes | Reuse, refurbishing, remanufacturing, recycling, designing for durability | Collection, sorting, cleaning, breaking down, and remanufacturing | Composting, anaerobic digestion, biofuel production |
| Materials | All materials and products throughout their lifecycle | Paper, plastic, glass, metals, etc. | Food scraps, yard trimmings, agricultural waste, biodegradable packaging |
| Impact | System-wide transformation of production and consumption to sustainability | Reduces resource extraction, energy use, and landfill waste | Reduces methane emissions, enriches soil, and supports regenerative agriculture |
| Focus | Design and system-level change to avoid waste | Managing waste after it’s been produced | Transforming natural, biodegradable waste into useful resources |
| Example | Aluminum cans recycled endlessly into new cans (closed-loop system) | Aluminum cans melted into new bike frames | Food scraps composted into nutrient-rich soil |
| Relation to Others | Circularity includes both recycling and organic processing as part of its broader sustainability strategy | A sub-process within circularity that deals with non-organic waste | A specialized form of recycling that fits within circular economy principles |