Photo from: X5 Group
Discussing the problem of our country’s transition to a circular economy is necessary. But the question is what exactly is meant by a circular economy. The regulator implies the collection of materials and subsequent recycling. In reality, however, not everything can be recycled efficiently, especially not everything that would result in a final product. For example, this would be difficult to achieve with green glass bottles, as the glass must be well assembled and colour-matched, otherwise the bottle cannot be restored to its original state.
The efficient use of resources implies the principle of reusability. If there are reusable glass green bottles instead of disposable ones, then you can talk about a circular economy. If you produce disposable containers, which then have to be collected and recycled, a huge amount of resources are wasted. Instead, you need to keep the material in the cycle as long as possible. Thus, the most important thing is to increase the lifespan of goods between recycling acts.
The transition to a green economy is hindered by Russia’s dependence on mining and quarrying. This directly contradicts the principles of the circular economy. Current state programmes state the need to halve landfill disposal, but this will only provoke incineration.
It is more correct to aim at halving waste production, which would be much cheaper and would save raw materials in the production cycle. If their generation is reduced, landfill disposal will automatically be reduced. This is why it is important to set targets, starting at the top of the waste management hierarchy.
The government fears that a full transition to a closed-loop economy will lead to job losses in the fuel and energy sector, but in reality it is worth talking about reformatting the labour market. When consumers shift from ownership to sharing, it will stimulate the development of a huge service market and more efficient use of resources.
Cover photo: Group4 Studio / iStock
Comments