Learning objective

The aim of this module is to provide a basic understanding of the importance of recycling, especially when developing new products/services. From a business point of view knowledge of recycling is necessary to encourage companies to take appropriate actions in order to reduce production costs, to conserve resources, to keep the environment clean etc. After reading the component you will be aware of:

  • How to implement recycling in the company
  • The factors which should be considered in analysing your waste stream
  • The steps that should be followed
  • Benefits of recycling

The estimated time to go through this module is about 20 minutes.

Introduction

Over the last two centuries population growth has increased the demand for goods and services. This large increase in the geographic concentration of people increases the need for employment and livelihoods, which especially in crowded rural areas exerts direct pressure on natural resources and creates waste disposal problems. Economic growth is an essential means for enabling development which is connected with exploitation of resources and converting them into products .This causes large quantities of natural resources to be lost. The rising scarcity of raw materials may, in the long run, lead to an economic recession. A long term development requires careful handling of resources and efficient use which could be achieved through recycling and reuse. Therefore, environmental costs will be reduced and the depletion of natural resources postponed.
In today’s world the importance of recycling is becoming a greater concern both for the general public and the economy, the latter of which is the object of discussion in this module.
Today many companies and individuals are improving their recycling habits by coming up with ways to reduce what they use. They are also reusing much of the original materials sent out for consumer use.1
When developing a new product or service thinking of later recycling implications should be a must.
To begin a recycling programme, a company must consider all the cost factors involved and analyse its waste stream while keeping in mind that recycling has become the most difficult part of a product’s life cycle.
The aim of this text is to provide managers and their staff with a basic understanding of all crucial factors which should be considered, and steps that should be followed in order to get them prepared for implementing a recycling strategy.

1 Gerald S.: The Importance of Recycling, Ezine Articles

Download module as PDF

6_2_Recycling_strategies.pdf

Icons to be used in the module

learning objective at the beginning

 

hint/tip/advise

background information

 

problem/question

definition

 

task/To-do

important to know

 

download of documents/attachments

memorize/to keep in mind

 

summary at the end

 Icons to be used outside the module

link to the WWW

related articles

download of additional documents and articles