Circular economy

In the circular economy (English circular economy) are the raw materials used fully back go back into the production process throughout the life cycle of a product beyond.

The opposite cycle analysis is usually called linear system (including "throwaway economy "). It is currently the dominant principle of industrial production. During this production process, much of the raw materials used in landfills or incinerated according to the estimated useful life of the products.

Background

The basis for reflections on the circuit principle, the realization that in a finite world production only with a real material loop closing can continue indefinitely. In a few decades or centuries, the previously used non-renewable raw materials will be consumed as sources, while the available material sinks for waste and residual materials will be exhausted. Therefore circular economy takes the material cycle of nature as a model and tried cascading usage without waste ( zero waste ) and without emissions ( zero emission ) to reach.

History

The concept of circular economy (circular economy) was introduced in 1990 by the British economist David W. Pearce. It has evolved from the concept of industrial ecology (English industrial ecology ) developed that supports the minimization of resources and deployment of clean technologies. In the circular economy not only the use of the environment should be minimized as a sink for waste and residual substances of industrial production, but also the use of new materials in manufacturing.

Aluminum circuit

A very successful example of circular economy is the aluminum recovery.

" The economic value of the material of aluminum has made worthwhile has always been to lead aluminum in circulation of metal extraction, processing, use, recovery. The recycling of aluminum occur no loss of quality: From profile scrap, new profiles, or other high-quality products can be manufactured from aluminum sheet and foil rolling, new films are manufactured. The amount of secondary aluminum in circulation is growing steadily. The circular economy begins with closed internal recovery circuits. Thus, in the processing of aluminum production scrap resulting nearly 100 percent can be recycled into the production process. Also aluminum from dross, which arises when recycling is recovered. In addition, in the aluminum industry are operating and auxiliary materials - such as Core sands for the required sand casting molds for engine blocks and cylinder body, rolling oils semi production, solvent residues of the painting processes of films and sodium hydroxide to produce aluminum - recycled. Another example, the salts employed in the recycling, which contaminants are bound by scrap: Also, they are obtained back. In this way the interventions are reduced in the natural environment and landfills relieved [ ... ]. The closed material cycle is also important component for the efficient use of energy. Expressed in figures, this means that the energy used for recycling is up to 95 % lower than the primary production ".

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has set itself the goal of accelerating the transition to a regenerative cycle economy. On behalf of the Foundation in 2012 appeared the first and the beginning of 2013, the second report prepared by McKinsey & Company for the recycling economy. This has been discussed, among others at the World Economic Forum 2013.

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