What is a circular economy?

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What is a circular economy?

A circular economy is based on a regenerative system where resources input and waste are reduced by recycling, reusing and repurposing everything. It's a contrast to a linear economy which is structured on a 'take, make and dispose' system.

A circular economy is designed to extract the maximum value from the resources used in the initial development of products. This requires innovation from businesses to discover new ways to use existing materials rather than disposing them; and resourceful thinking from individuals to repurpose old or worn items.

 

Why is a circular economy important?

Along with forging new opportunities for product innovation and business development, a circular economy also helps to significantly reduce waste by keeping resources in a closed loop system for as long as possible. 

From start-ups to global companies, initiatives and innovations are beginning to form the cornerstone of business production models as waste continues to mount. TerraCycle, an international recycling and upcycling company, is a great example of a circular economy initiative that takes hard-to-recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, innovative products. From plastic pens and coffee pods to gloves and beauty packaging, TerraCycle collects and recycles these products eliminating them from landfill. TerraCycle has currently recycled over 3,783,212,164 pieces of waste.

How you can help

A circular economy relies heavily on consuming differently such as reusing products for as long as possible, recycling and upcycling. We can all work towards creating a circular economy in our own lives by repairing broken objects, buying second hand items, buying and using reusable items, recycling and finding a new purpose for old items. Below is a list of ways you can participate in a circular economy within your household.

1. Refurbish old furniture;
2. Mend worn clothing;
3. Recycle as much as you can;
4. Compost instead of purchasing fertiliser;
5. Use reusable products such as a KeepCup, shopping bag, produce bags and water bottle;
6. Shop at second hand stores;
7. Buy new products made using recycled materials instead of virgin materials;
8. Repurpose objects instead of discarding them;
9. Try to live zero waste as much as possible; and
10. Borrow and share household items instead of buying new ones.

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How to create a plastic free pantry

Creating a plastic free pantry is an easy way to reduce your contribution to landfill and exposure to chemicals from plastic.

Plastic free products are alternatives made from glass, stainless steel, organic cotton, hemp, jute, bamboo and wood, and have no plastic packaging. The benefit of glass is it is nontoxic, nonporous, stain resistant and infinitely recyclable whereas plastic is quite the opposite and made from a concoction of synthetic chemicals, some known carcinogens and hormone disruptors. Creating a plastic free pantry is easy and can be very affordable. Follow the steps below to create and maintain a plastic free pantry in your home.

1. Start by collecting and purchasing glass jars:
You can build up a collection on mismatched glass jars by collecting them as you use them from premade sauces and spreads. Alternatively, you can purchase a collection of matching glass jars specifically designed for storing a variety of foods. Kilner products are great for creating a plastic free pantry with its large range of glass jars available in various shapes and sizes. Kilner’s iconic clip top jars are perfect for storing pantry staples such as flour, sugar, pasta and rice whereas the preserving jars can be used for pickling foods or homemade jam.

2. Use reusable bags:
Maintaining a plastic free pantry is the most important aspect. It’s important to remember you are trying to eliminate all types of plastic from your pantry, including single use plastic from food packaging, grocery bags and produce bags. When preparing for your grocery shop, pack in your reusable shopping bags, bread bags, and produce bags. This will stop you from bring home additional single use plastic packaging.

3. Avoid purchasing anything in plastic:
When shopping, avoid purchasing anything in plastic packaging opt for foods in cardboard boxes, aluminium BPA free cans, and glass jars. Once used, the packaging can either be reused, recycled or composted.

4. Shop at local farmers markets and bulk food suppliers:
Instead of shopping at grocery stores where the aisles are filled with plastic packaging and premade foods, shop at farmers markets and bulk food suppliers where you can purchase wholefoods in bulk using your glass jars. Not only will you be supporting local producers and eliminating packaging, but you will also be reducing your food miles.

5. Bake and cook as much food from scratch:
A lot of premade foods are packaged in plastic. Instead of choosing the convenient option, use the wholefoods you bought in bulk to make your own foods from scratch. Not only does homemade cooking taste better, it does not contain artificial or synthetic preservatives, colours or ingredients.

Related: Shave waste free and save the environment; The environmental problem with palm oil; Hemp food approved for consumption

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Hemp food approved for consumption

Touted for its significant health benefits, it is likely hemp will rise to be Australia’s new favourite superfood.

After years of lobbying, national and state food minsters recently approved the consumption of low- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) hemp seed foods in Australia. Commonly misconceived due to its close relations to marijuana, hemp consumption was prohibited in Australia due to concerns it would alter roadside and workplace drug tests. However, the recent approval for hemp consumption has given the green light on this new superfood, giving Australians the opportunity to boost their health with a protein rich and environmentally friendly food source.

When you review the health and environmental qualities of hemp, it stands out among its counterparts. Hemp as a food source contains various vitamins, minerals, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids. It contains all 10 essential amino acids plus 14 fatty acids, making it a complete protein and one of the best plant-based proteins for vegans. Unlike marijuana, industrial hemp grown to produce food and other hemp materials contains much lower levels of the mind-altering chemical THC. Industrial hemp only contains approximately 0.3 to 1.5 percent of THC whereas marijuana can contain 5 to 10 percent or more.

Hemp is a highly sustainable quick growing plant that requires little water to produce, and is naturally resistant to pests which means it does not require chemical pesticides or herbicides. Unlike cotton and flax which can adsorb up to 50 percent of the pesticides sprayed on them. For farmers, hemp can be used as a rotational crop between planting periods. Its thick foliage and dense growth prevents sunlight reaching the soil which aids in reduce weed growth. The plant helps to replenish nutrients and improve soil tilth, reduce salinity, and absorb toxic metals from the soil. At its end of life, hemp can be recycled, reused or composted as it ire environmentally friendly thamore environemntally ore are limited in their scope and can be inconclusive, however as a conscis 100 per cent biodegradable.


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Shave waste free and save the environment

 There are many ways plastic can sneak into our lives, and a disposable plastic razor is one of them.

According to the EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) approximately two billion disposable razors enter landfills every year in the United States of America. Men and women spend a small fortune on these plastic items which are designed to be discarded and replaced frequently. These items are used for approximately two weeks to three months before the entire razor or razor head is replaced.

Most disposable razors are made from a plastic that never truly breaks down. Limited recycling programs make it difficult for people to dispose of their razors responsibly, with most ending up in landfill. The plastic can last in the environment for over 1,000 years and then eventually break down into smaller fragments.

You can still have an incredibly close and comfortable shave while reducing your impact on the environment – simply swap a plastic disposable razor for a reusable safety razor. Every part of a reusable safety razor is truly zero waste. Parker safety razors, made from brass with a chrome plating, are 100 per cent plastic free and designed to last a lifetime. The replaceable razor blades can be recycled at the end of their use, unlike disposable razors, which cannot be easily recycled as they are fixed inside the plastic razor head.

Investing in a reusable razor will not only reduce the impact on the environment, but will potentially save individuals hundreds of dollars every year.

Related: Your war on waste; Battling Australia’s bottled water crisis; The state of Australia’s waste    

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Park Lake State School recycles over 14,700 empty beauty products

Park Lake State School in the Gold Coast, Queensland, has won Australia’s first playground made from recycled beauty products in the national Garnier Recycled Playground Competition, in which schools around the country recycled over 145,000 empty beauty care products otherwise destined for landfill.

Technically, beauty product waste – such as empty shampoo bottles, used lipstick and body wash dispensers – is recyclable in Australia, however due to the high cost of recycling mixed-plastic items like these, most beauty product waste ends up in landfill. TerraCycle is an international recycling and upcycling company that takes hard-to-recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, innovative products.

From 9 October to 8 December 2017, Garnier and global recycling pioneers TerraCycle ran the Garnier Recycled Playground Competition to encourage preschools and primary schools nationwide to collect and recycle empty beauty products of all brands, and raise awareness about waste and recycling. Park Lake State School was the competition’s top collector for 2017. The school won a $45,000 recycled playground made from beauty product waste, which all schools collected during the competition period.

The empty beauty products collected by schools will be cleaned, shredded and melted down into hard plastic, which will be remoulded to make the playground. In its operations, TerraCycle’s goal is to create materials that can be used as a sustainable alternative to virgin materials and plastics, which require more crude oil in their production.

The Garnier Recycled Playground Competition was open to all pre- and primary schools and together, all participating schools collected an outstanding 145,000 units of empty beauty products. The competition runners-up up were Colyton Public School in Mt Druitt, NSW, and Main Arm Upper Primary School in Main Arm, NSW, who won $4,500 worth of prizes between them.

“We’ve been really inspired by Australian schools’ commitment to recycling in this program, and by their hard work in raising awareness about waste and sustainability,” said Jean Bailliard, General Manager of TerraCycle Australia & New Zealand. “The level of community support for local schools has been phenomenal.”

The 2017 Garnier & TerraCycle Recycled Playground Competition is part of the broader Beauty Products Recycling Program sponsored by the L’Oréal Australia Group, which includes brands such as Garnier, Maybelline, L’Oréal Paris and La Roche-Posay. The program allows all Australians to divert empty skin care, hair care and cosmetic products from landfill free-of-charge. Additionally, for each approved unit of beauty product waste received, collectors earn AU$0.02 per item for funding towards their school or nominated charity.

It’s free and easy to recycle beauty product waste with the Beauty Products Recycling Program – everyone can join and collect! The Beauty Products Recycling Program is ongoing, so schools and the community can continue to collect, recycle and raise funds in 2018. For more information about the Beauty Products Recycling Program, visit garnier.com.au/green.

TerraCycle program at Biome:

Biome Eco Stores currently offer a complimentary in store 'end of life' recycling program to all Biome customers. They accept all used product packaging and beauty and cleaning containers, which will then be responsibly recycled through the TerraCycle program.

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