PLAYDECIDE! Reuse, Reutilization & Upcycling

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Author / translator Segreteria MAcA

Among the environmental problems we are currently facing, it is important to mention those of waste, the future shortage of raw materials for the production of material goods, and the excessive use we make of certain resources, such as water and energy, which are necessary in production chains.
Possible solutions to the problem certainly include reuse, which involves reusing items that would otherwise be destined to become waste.

Created 25 May 2024

Last edited 27 May 2024

Topics Economy, Environment, Sustainability

Original Italian

Policy positions

Policy position 1

The waste problem is obvious and undeniable. However, it is unthinkable to radically change our lifestyle and economic model: it could have disastrous consequences on the job market. Disposable materials are extremely adaptable to our needs, as in the food and medical sectors. Sooner or later science will find a way to deal with the problem, without the need for a major radical change.

Policy position 2

We, as consumers, are partly responsible for the waste problem. However, a complete revolution of our socio-economic system would not be desirable to address this issue. We need to invest in materials, such as bioplastics, that allow us to maintain our lifestyles and associated comforts while replacing "harmful" materials. Furthermore, separate waste collection counteracts excess waste.

Policy position 3

It is necessary to promote awareness and environmental education on good practices that each of us can implement in order to tackle the problem of waste proliferation and generation. From individual citizens to institutions, we must apply the 4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recover and Recycle) and implement circular economy models that turn our waste into resources.

Policy position 4

We must tackle the problem of waste through a change in the mindset of the consumer society. How? By moving away from the "new and beautiful" perspective, by encouraging the reuse of objects, clothes, the vegetable scraps from our kitchens. The problem with the consumption model is not only the production of waste: so many environmental resources are used in the production of goods, including water and energy.

Story cards

Tommaso has just finished his Master's thesis in Economics at the University of Padua. The main objective of his thesis was to understand the economic impact of the recent emergence of various smartphone applications that allow people to buy used clothes cheaply. "While promoting these phenomena is important from an environmental point of view," says Tommaso, "it could also be a double-edged sword for workers. If these applications aimed at reusing second-hand clothes continue to spread, we risk another economic crisis and the loss of jobs for the many workers in the big chains".

Point of view

Massimo is the historic bookseller of a small mountain village in Lombardy. His bookshop has always been the historic meeting place for all the readers in the area, as it is well stocked and always has the latest publications. Recently, Massimo had a disagreement with the mayor of the village, who allows an elderly pensioner to collect used books from house to house and give them away by driving around in a 'travelling bookshop' caravan. "In a small town like mine," says Massimo, "a phenomenon like this severely limits my activity. I don't deny that in the near future I will be forced to close down, I can no longer cover the cost of buying books and my clientele is dwindling".

Village bookshop

Vittoria is a young designer who has recently set up her own fashion house. She talks about flea markets, second-hand clothing sales and vintage events, which are growing in popularity thanks to increased environmental awareness. "Let's be clear, even in my fashion house I try to minimise the impact of production, something that other big chains are doing by recovering old clothes to create new ones, but for us fashion is a constantly evolving process, especially artistic. It regenerates and feeds on novelty to the extent that it is considered an art form, on a par with cinema and theatre. There is a balance to be struck between unbridled reuse and the 'new'. Recycling used textiles to create something new? Absolutely agree! Reuse? A little less."

A few words from Fashion Week

Gaia is a journalist who has moved to Norway. Her latest article tells the story of a Norwegian company that has experimented with a new technology that makes plastic degrade thanks to a special additive. In laboratory tests, polyethylene dissolved in 226 days and polypropylene in 336 days. It will be a while before this type of technology is used on a large scale, but it is easy to imagine the potential applications, such as transparent food films, bottle labels and sweet wrappers. In her article, Gaia argues that the use of such plastics could be the answer. According to her, it is the concept of disposability that can never be completely overcome, and reuse as an alternative is not easily applicable. For her, research into new materials and recycling are the Rs to focus on. Gaia sees reuse as a valuable ally in reducing waste, but only in certain areas.

New Frontiers

Giulia and Rebecca are two off-campus students at the University of Bologna. As they both love to cook, they often organise dinners at home with their classmates and friends. Giulia prefers to use ceramic plates, even when there are many people at the table, while Rebecca buys compostable plates from the supermarket that are thrown away after the meal. However, after a few particularly busy occasions, Giulia has also realised that it is much more convenient in terms of time, water use and effort to use biodegradable plates.

Roommate dinners

After graduating in biology, Anna decided to open a 'sustainable' agriturismo in Abruzzo, where she lives. Very sensitive to environmental issues, she decided to make her agriturismo a virtuous example of the "circular economy". She uses kitchen waste to make compost (an excellent fertiliser for the garden), has reduced the use of plastic to almost zero and reuses glass bottles for water and drinks. She is happy with her choices and would not go back. She has also severely limited the cost of buying new materials in favour of reuse practices. Her customers are very happy with the sustainable management of Anna's business, so much so that some of them have started to change their lifestyle after their stay on the farm, preferring to buy products in bulk and take them home in their own containers, as they have seen Anna do.

The 4Rs as a vision of the world to come

Andrea is an environmental engineer working on the DEMOSOFC project. The project concerns the installation of the first and largest industrial fuel cell plant powered by biogas, located near Turin. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system installed makes it possible to convert biogas produced from water treatment sludge - generally considered waste - into electricity and heat, with zero emissions to the atmosphere. It is considered a virtuous example of circular economy: from waste to resource. Andrea argues that this practice can combine the reuse and valorisation of waste. For Andrea, there are several production and processing wastes that could be reused or transformed in the industrial, construction and commercial sectors.

From discard to resource

Carlo is in charge of the 'Cit ma Bun' project, an initiative of the Triciciclo Cooperative in Turin, which aims to raise awareness of re-use 'family by family'. Its mission is to empty spaces where objects of all kinds in good condition have been deposited, to promote the trade of used goods at low prices and to give work to people in disadvantaged situations. Carlo argues that promoting reuse practices has not only environmental and economic benefits, but also social ones.

"Cit Ma Bun" Project

Ada has joined an initiative that proposes a different business model by collecting and reselling vintage items 'by the kilo'. Temporary events are organised in the main European cities to sell affordable, quality and eco-friendly clothes. Thanks to this initiative, more than 379,392 kg of clothes and accessories have been reused from 2016 to date, saving CO2 emissions, water and electricity. For Ada, reuse is a lifestyle choice where she feels she can make a real difference to the planet and save resources.

Vintage pieces per kilo

Fulvio is a manufacturer of household appliances who believes in the linear economy. For him, the concept of disposability is the basis of the economy. He argues that, sociologically speaking, people always need to buy something new to 'feel good'. Reuse? A practice destined to disappear. Who would ever want a second-hand mobile phone or an earlier model than the one that just came out? On the environmental sustainability of his choices, he says: 'Those who come after me will think about that, for now I only care about being able to sell my products'.

Linear economy

INFO CARDSISSUE CARDS

Plastic islands

In the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Japan, currents have formed a large "island" of garbage floating on the surface or 1-2 metres deep.
It is estimated that about 1/5 of this garbage comes from ships, with the rest being garbage dumped from land.

Food waste

According to one study, each one of us throws away 200 grams of food every week.

Microplastics

Microplastics are <5mm in size and approximately 68-81% are the result of the degradation of larger plastic objects.

Microplastics 2

In 2017, the UN declared that there are 51 trillion microplastic particles in the seas, 500 times more than all the stars in our galaxy.

Virtual water

The term "virtual water" refers to the amount of fresh water used in the production and marketing of food and consumer goods. For example, it takes 7,600 litres of water to produce a single pair of jeans.

Virtual water 2

The term "virtual water" refers to the amount of fresh water used in the production and marketing of food and consumer goods. It takes 910 litres of water to make a mobile phone.

National Reuse Report 2021

In 4 years, the turnover of Second-Hand shops has grown by 17%, passing the 400 million euro mark. Online second-hand platforms grew by 15% over the same period, bringing the total turnover of the sector to 230 million euros per year, but this represents several billion exchanges between individuals. Online, seen as the future of reuse, has yet to prove that it can achieve economic sustainability.

Protests against the law to stop single-use plastics

In 2019, with Italian government's consent, the EU had decided that any product that had more sustainable alternatives on the market must be banned from the EU market. But a month before the ban comes into force, protests erupt in Rome: "Absurd rules, packaging industry in danger".

Biodiversity issues

Sergio Costa, former Italian Minister for the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea, said that
570,000 tonnes of plastic end up in the Mediterranean every year, killing 134 species of animals that ingest the garbage.

End of resources – Overshoot day

Earth Overshoot Day is the day when humanity uses up all the resources the planet has produced in a year. In 2021, Earth Overshoot Day was 29 July.

Reuse in the construction sector

Reuse in the construction sector is not a difficult operation, but it has its drawbacks: different materials should already be separated into different containers at the construction site, an operation that requires more labour to sort and clean the materials; designers should be prepared to bear additional costs. In addition, resale of recovered materials is difficult due to the competitive prices of new materials.

Reuse in the construction sector 2

Reuse in the construction sector is not a difficult operation, but it has its drawbacks: the tight timeframe required for demolition does not allow for careful deconstruction of reusable items, reuse materials are not always accompanied by technical documentation and warranties, and there are no standard procedures for checking the quality of salvaged materials.

Fashion industry

The fashion industry is considered one of the most polluting sectors of the modern economy. This is due to cotton production, which uses large amounts of water, and the high levels of microplastics in clothing, which are released into the environment with each wash.

Packaging

A term used to describe how goods are packaged and presented for sale to the public. The main functions are containment (for formless products such as liquids) and protection of the product from the external environment. It is very often overused.

Plastics in health care applications

Modern healthcare would not be possible without the many plastic-based medical products (gloves, syringes, plasters, blood bags...) that we take for granted. Plastic packaging is particularly well suited to medical applications because its exceptional barrier properties provide significant protection against contamination. The problem of disposal remains.

Is everything reusable?

PET bottles are designed and marketed to be used only once. This means that they should be disposed of once emptied. Prolonged use of these containers could affect both their technological and chemical properties, making it easier for the plastic to come into contact with food.

Is everything reusable? Plastic Bottles Vs Glass Bottles

Repeated use of PET bottles is not advisable from a hygiene point of view, as microbial contamination can occur. Although water is relatively inert in terms of its ability to extract unwanted molecules from containers, it is preferable to choose an alternative. Glass bottles are a good compromise for safe reuse, are easy to wash and offer greater hygiene.

Agenda 2030

The 2030 Agenda, published by the United Nations in 2015, includes 17 goals to address social and environmental issues of global concern. Goal 12 aims to ensure sustainable patterns of production and consumption.

Controlled landfill site

A controlled landfill is a final waste disposal facility that allows waste to be buried under environmentally and hygienically controlled conditions. It requires the sealing of the landfill ponds to prevent pollution of the surrounding environment, particularly groundwater. Controlled landfills are regulated by a specific European Directive.

"Il Tavolo del riuso" (The Reuse Table)

"Il Tavolo del Riuso" was founded in Turin in 2016. The table brings together cultural associations, social cooperatives and non-profit newspapers that deal with the environment or perform valuable functions in the context of the circular economy. Of the "three R's" (reduce, reuse, recycle), the table has chosen to work on the second one - reuse - which is too often confused with recycling.

"Celocelo" project

Celocelo is a project born in a Turin neighbourhood and consists of a digital platform that connects those who have something to give with those who work in social work. All citizens can donate material goods or a little of their time and skills to people in need through social work agencies.

4R's

The 4R rule is the application of four behaviours to limit our waste production and thus be responsible consumers: Reduce - Reuse - Recycle - Recover.

Circular economy

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, borrowing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling materials and products at all levels. This 'closes the loop' and extends the life cycle of items, helping to reduce waste.

Linear economy

The linear economic model focuses on profitability and assumes that every consumer good has a beginning and an end. The stages of this model can be summarised as follows: Raw materials > Production > Distribution > Consumption > Waste.

Second life

Between 2010 and 2017, Italy was the European country where the percentage of materials recovered and reused in the production of new goods increased the most.

"VIVILIBRON" project

"Vivilibron" is a circular economy project born in 2017 within the activities of "Il Tavolo del Riuso". The protagonists of the initiative are migrants and asylum seekers who recover books destined for pulping and distribute them for free to promote reading, integration and environmental sustainability. Around 14,000 volumes are recovered each year.

A bit of psychology

Studies by anthropologists and psychologists show that "throwing away" is a gesture that has always been a true rite of purification for man: by getting rid of an object that characterises his present, man seeks regeneration.

Difference between recycling and reuse

Recycling means transforming waste and refuse into new goods, called secondary raw materials, through separate collection and giving them a new life. Reuse means reusing things that have not yet become waste or rubbish. By reusing something, we have a chance to keep its life cycle from ending. The purpose of the original item may remain the same or it may evolve into something else.

Paper recycling

Recycling paper not only saves raw materials, it also saves resources. Producing one tonne of paper from virgin pulp requires 440,000 litres of water and 7600 kwh of electricity. Producing the same amount of recycled paper requires 1800 litres of water and 2700 kwh of electricity.

Quantifying waste

When we throw away a consumer good, the waste we generate includes the waste generated upstream in the production chain to make that good. It takes 15 times as much material to make a car as the car itself.

Smartphone

In 2015 alone, 1.430 billion smartphones were sold, in 2014 1.300 billion.

WEEE recycling and the economic benefit

The recovery of precious materials used in smartphones, for example, would enable the collection of rare earths with a market value of more than €150 million.

Online platforms of second-hand clothes

Several apps and sites allow people to buy and sell second-hand clothes. From March 2020 onward, 7 out of 10 Italians bought second hand.

Polylactic acid

Polylactic acid, known by the acronym PLA, is a material made from raw materials of natural origin and is therefore biodegradable. It is a bio-plastic, so its properties are similar to those of plastic, to which it is a viable alternative.

Definition of biodegradable and compostable

In the packaging industry, products can only be labelled as "compostable" if the composting process takes place in an industrial facility within three months. In contrast, "biodegradable" is defined as all organic materials that can be broken down by microorganisms. A product can only be labelled as biodegradable if 90% of the decomposition takes place within 6 months.

The praise of plastic

Plastics are multifunctional. They can sometimes have the characteristics and properties of wood, leather, metals, glass, ivory and natural resins. In fact, historically, the first plastics were used to replace materials of natural origin. It was only thanks to plastics that it became possible to produce high-quality objects and make them accessible to more people.

Shopping on tap

Grocery shopping on tap means buying products, whether food or healthcare, and taking home only the amount you need, with no disposable packaging. These products can be transported by reusing the containers you have at home.

Upcycling

This term refers to the recycling of objects to create a product of higher real or perceived quality. The areas where upcycling is most commonly used are furniture and clothing. For example, you can use scraps of fabric to make a new dress, or you can modify used clothes that are still in good condition.