Understanding what the circular economy is all about is necessary if your company wants to extend the life cycle of products and minimise waste generation. But what does this concept mean and what are the benefits of applying it? We will be discussing it in this article and answering the most common curiosities on the subject.
What does the circular economy mean
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that aims to maintain natural cycles as much as possible in order to extend product life and promote reuse. In other words, as soon as a good completes its primary purpose, the materials of which it is composed – if properly disposed of – can be recovered, processed and reintroduced into a new production cycle.
In contrast to the linear economy, which is based on a throwaway consumption model, the circular economy demonstrates a focus on the environment and the reduction of emissions. At the heart of it all is the notion that the planet’s resources will slowly run out and that waste can alter the natural balance.
The pillars of the circular economy and its benefits
Now that we have looked at what the circular economy is, let us delve deeper into the pillars on which this model, appreciated by sustainability-conscious companies is based on. There are three main principles:
- reduce consumption and waste, limiting the use of raw materials and preferring substitutes with a low environmental impact
- reuse, extending the life of the product
- recycle, properly disposing of waste so that it can be transformed into new resources
Recently, two new concepts have been introduced:
- remanufacturing, putting into practice measures to fix a damaged object instead of throwing it away
- composting, when processing is applied to organic waste instead of solid waste (such as plastic, glass, paper and metals)
The benefits of this model
The benefits of the system include:
- the reduction of waste and pollution, the amount of waste going to landfills is reduced and new materials are extracted
- efficiency in the use of resources, dependence on non-renewable sources is reduced
- an incentive for business innovation, competitiveness is fostered to meet the need to rethink goods and processes
- more responsible use of sources, raising environmental awareness and improving the quality of life of communities
Not only reuse, find out what bioplastics are. Read about it in our article:
The importance of bioplastics in the production of caps
How BMP TAPPI plastic caps fit into the recycling loop and their impact on the environment
At BMP TAPPI , we believe in sustainability and have established best practices for environmental compliance.
We make caps and protectors, both standard and customised from original materials:
- PIR, Post Industrial Recycled, from waste generated by industry
- PCR, Post-Consumer Recycled, obtained from consumer waste
Specifically, the reused material obtained from Post-Consumer Recycled – on which we are focusing most of our work – is collected, sorted, recycled and processed to make new items for common or industrial use. Our aim is to expand the range of sustainable products for use in different sectors, from automotive to hydraulics. The advantage? Responsible resource management that:
- reduces the need to generate new plastics
- limits waste
- lowers CO2 emissions related to factory production and transport
However, to complete this process, and to ensure that our plastic caps and protectors can be recovered, proper disposal is required. The end user must then dispose of them properly, so as to support reuse practices and the production of new items, possibly for other sectors. Good practices to reduce the volume of plastic waste going to landfills.
What is the recycling cycle in BMP and how does it influence the circular economy
The recycling cycle is one of the cornerstones of the circular economy which we also respect at BMP TAPPI. In our company, we specifically reuse plastic waste by collecting, sorting and separating materials suitable for reuse to ensure the quality of the recycled goods. In addition, we deal with:
- the treatment and processing of waste, shaping the material and transforming it to make it usable again
- the creation and reintegration of the processed waste, in order to generate and introduce the raw materials obtained from recycling into the production cycle, resulting in new or regenerated artefacts
- the control and access to the market, so as to evaluate the quality of the item obtained and introduce it into a new economic cycle
The process can replicate itself numerous times, depending on the type of recycled item. Plastic, for example, tends to degrade slightly with each reprocessing process. In order not to compromise its quality, BMP TAPPI’s technicians can evaluate different reuses to the previous one or add some new plastic material so as to maintain the desired characteristics.
What do recycled plastic caps consist of?
Find out in our article: Recycled plastic caps: sustainable materials for production
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