Impact of a higher degree of recycling

​​A better material quality

Better recycling provides better material, which in turn brings more value. When more and more of the material is either reused or recycled, the quantity of material will impact the market. This will increase the need for improved processes and methods. Those processes will, in their turn, improve the quality of the recycled materials even more. We are also on the path to creating broader markets for secondary or recycled materials.

Preventing material loss

As the recycling rate goes up, we automatically lift the material up the waste hierarchy. This prevents the material from leaving the loop, and instead, we can use, for example, metals repeatedly. Another aspect is early material handling. For example, there are many different kinds of steel. Separating them before they are recycled ensures that the other alloys can be used more efficiently and for more products. When steel is sorted correctly, the material price rises, compared to poorly sorted steel, which prevents downgrading of the material.

Comprehensive sustainability values

A higher degree of recycling also means a lesser need for virgin material, like metal ore. We can achieve this by improving all parts of the production chain, from design to waste handling. One important factor is design for recycling so that no product is designed to be thrown away at its end-of-life. We also maximize the material handling so that the production spill is kept to a minimum. Also, we must see the co-workers in an industry as a vital resource. By supporting and training the staff, they can help us find new and more efficient ways to sort and recycle material.

Opportunity to build new processes and to improve existing ones

We can tailor the reuse and recycling processes to the customers’ needs. Today, we are also building new, more extensive circulation loops, where the recycled waste material does not necessarily return to the same business that generated the waste. By partnering with several different industry segments, the material can be used in totally new products, regardless of the material’s original use. It is one of the many ways to prolong the life of a material. With better recycling rates, we’ll have a significantly lesser need for virgin material, allowing the material used to have a prolonged life.

Building a market for recycled materials

As mentioned above, a higher recycling rate and grade help building new commodity markets for secondary or recycled materials. It is an essential step to help the industry as a whole to switch to a circular economy. One of the more critical incentives is to ensure that there is enough material for the companies producing recycled material products. And in the end, it can make the industry much more inclined to use secondary material, as virgin material possibly will be more expensive and complicated to use in the future. A larger market for recycled material will also be an incentive for creating even better recycling processes.