The plastic revaluation mindset
Transform your business approach with life cycle, systems, and circular thinking to revalue and reimagine plastics in a sustainable future.
Introduction
The plastic revaluation mindset refers to a way of thinking about plastic that goes beyond its traditional use as a single-use, disposable product and instead views it as a valuable resource that can be reused, recycled, and repurposed. It is a mindset that values the use of plastic over its disposal, and seeks to find new ways to keep plastic in use for as long as possible.
This mindset is based on the principles of the circular economy, which aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, and to minimize waste. It involves designing products that are easy to disassemble, repair, refurbish, and recycle, and creating closed-loop systems where waste and by-products are used as inputs for new products.
The plastic revaluation mindset also encourages the use of renewable energy, and the development of business models that promote sharing, renting, and leasing instead of ownership, which can extend the life of products and reduce the need for new materials.
Adopting the plastic revaluation mindset requires a shift in thinking, from a linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular model that prioritizes the reduction, reuse, and recycling of plastic materials. It also requires collaboration across the value chain, from raw material suppliers to consumers, to develop new technologies, methods and policies that can help to reduce the use of finite resources, minimize waste, and lower the environmental impact of plastic products and services.
In general, the plastic revaluation mindset is a valuable tool for organizations, businesses, and governments to design and manage products, services, and systems in a way that reduces environmental impact and promotes sustainability.
Description
What is life cycle thinking?
Life cycle thinking is a comprehensive approach to evaluating the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. This perspective is crucial for plastic revaluation, as it helps businesses identify areas of improvement and understand the interconnectedness of various stages in the plastic life cycle. It involves:
- Assessing the environmental impacts of each stage of the product life cycle, including material extraction, production, transportation, use, and end-of-life management.
- Identifying potential trade-offs and opportunities for improvement in terms of resource use, energy consumption, waste generation, and emissions.
- Guiding the development of more sustainable products and processes by incorporating environmental considerations into decision-making.
For example, when it comes to plastic, lifecycle thinking would involve considering the environmental impact of extracting and processing the raw materials, manufacturing the plastic products, transporting them to consumers, and disposing of them at the end of their useful life (see Figure 1). This can help identify opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of plastic products, such as using more sustainable raw materials, designing products that are easier to recycle, and finding ways to reuse or repurpose plastic waste.
What is system thinking?
Systems thinking is a problem-solving methodology that focuses on understanding the underlying structure and interdependencies within a system, rather than just addressing its individual components. This approach is essential for plastic revaluation, as it helps businesses recognize the complexity of plastic waste issues and devise more effective solutions that take the whole system into account. Key aspects of systems thinking include:
- Analyzing the relationships between various elements in a system and identifying feedback loops, leverage points, and potential unintended consequences.
- Considering the broader context in which the system operates, including social, economic, and environmental factors.
- Encouraging collaboration and communication across different disciplines and stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of the system and its challenges.
- Continuously refining and adapting solutions based on new insights and changing conditions.
In the context of plastic revaluation, system thinking would involve looking at the entire system of plastic production and use, including the various actors and stakeholders involved (e.g. manufacturers, consumers, waste management companies, etc.). By understanding the relationships between these different actors and the feedback loops that drive the system, we can identify opportunities for making the system more sustainable.
For example, a system thinking approach to plastic revaluation might involve analyzing the relationship between plastic manufacturers and consumers. By understanding how consumer demand drives plastic production, we can identify opportunities for reducing the demand for plastic, such as promoting the use of reusable products or creating incentives for plastic recycling.
Source: https://www.appliedsystemsthinking.com/
What is circular thinking?
Circular thinking revolves around the concept of a circular economy, which emphasizes resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the extension of product lifespans. By implementing circular strategies, businesses can minimize waste, optimize resource use, and create value from previously discarded materials, such as plastics. Circular thinking involves:
- Designing products for durability, modularity, and ease of repair, reducing the need for new resources and minimizing waste.
- Implementing strategies for reuse, refurbishment, and recycling to keep materials in circulation for as long as possible.
- Collaborating with suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders to create closed-loop systems and eliminate waste throughout the value chain.
- Promoting business models based on product-as-a-service, sharing, and leasing to shift the focus from ownership to access and extend product lifetimes.
In the context of plastic revaluation, circular thinking would involve designing plastic products and systems that are restorative and regenerative, rather than linear. This would include designing products that are made from recycled materials, designing products that can be easily recycled or repurposed, and finding ways to reuse plastic waste as a resource.
For example, a circular thinking approach to plastic revaluation might involve designing products that are made from recycled plastic, such as recycled plastic bottles being used to make clothing. Additionally, a circular thinking approach would also involve finding ways to reuse plastic waste, such as converting plastic waste into fuel or using it as a building material.
How are they related to each other?
These three concepts are knotted and complementary. Life cycle thinking provides a holistic perspective on the environmental impacts of products and services, while systems thinking helps to understand the complexity of the waste issue and devise more effective solutions. Together, they pave the way for circular thinking, which focuses on creating a more sustainable and resource-efficient economy. The interrelations between these concepts can be summarized as follows:
- Life cycle thinking informs systems thinking by providing a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impacts at each stage of a product’s life.
- Systems thinking complements life cycle thinking by considering the broader context in which products and processes operate and emphasizing the importance of collaboration and communication across disciplines and stakeholders.
- Circular thinking builds on the insights gained from life cycle and systems thinking to develop strategies that minimize waste, optimize resource use, and create value from discarded materials.
How can these concepts be applied to plastic revaluation?
Incorporating life cycle, systems, and circular thinking into business models allows SMEs to better comprehend the plastic waste challenge and develop innovative solutions for plastic revaluation. By applying these approaches, companies can:
- Identify opportunities to reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency: By understanding the life cycle of plastic materials, businesses can pinpoint areas where waste reduction and resource optimization can be achieved. This may involve redesigning products or altering manufacturing processes to minimize waste and enhance the use of recycled materials.
- Design products and services that minimize environmental impacts: Life cycle assessments and systems thinking can help businesses evaluate the environmental impacts of their products and services. By considering the entire life cycle of a product, from raw material extraction to disposal, companies can make more informed design choices that reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainability.
- Extend the life of plastic materials through reuse, repair, and recycling: Circular thinking encourages businesses to explore strategies that extend the lifespan of plastic materials. Reuse, repair, and recycling initiatives can help companies extract more value from plastics and reduce waste. For example, a packaging company may invest in developing reusable packaging systems or a manufacturer might design products with components that can be easily repaired or replaced.
- Explore new business opportunities in waste recovery and material innovation: Adopting a plastic revaluation mindset can lead to the discovery of new business opportunities in waste recovery and material innovation. For instance, a company might develop a new line of products made from recycled plastics or partner with waste management organizations to recover valuable materials from discarded plastic waste.
- Engage stakeholders and collaborate across the value chain to achieve systemic change: Addressing the plastic waste challenge requires collective action and collaboration among various stakeholders, including businesses, governments, and consumers. By adopting systems thinking, SMEs can identify key stakeholders and collaborate with them to drive change throughout the entire value chain. This might involve joining industry initiatives, partnering with other companies for joint research projects, or engaging with local communities to promote plastic waste reduction and recycling.
In conclusion, developing a plastic revaluation mindset requires understanding and applying concepts such as lifecycle thinking, systems thinking, and circular thinking. By considering the entire lifecycle of plastic products, analyzing the relationships and feedback loops that drive the plastic production and use system, and designing systems that are restorative and regenerative, we can work towards creating a circular economy for plastic and reducing its environmental impact.
Case studies & Examples
By delving deeper into case studies and practical examples, SMEs can find the knowledge and tools they need to adopt the plastic revaluation mindset and contribute to a more sustainable and circular future for plastics.
Humanscale, a global leader in the field of ergonomics, has demonstrated their adoption of the Plastic Revaluation Mindset by incorporating recuperated nylon from fishing nets into their Ocean Chair line of products. The company has embraced circular thinking by partnering with Bureo, an organization that retrieves discarded fishing nets and transforms them into pellets. Humanscale’s employment of revalued plastics in the tough components of their chairs reflects their commitment to sustainability.
Humanscale’s unwavering dedication to sustainability is reflected in their participation in the Living Product Challenge, which is the most stringent sustainability certification that mandates manufacturers to have a net positive environmental impact. As a result, their Smart Ocean chair became the first chair ever made with recovered ocean plastic, and their expanding Ocean chair collection (Liberty Ocean, Smart Ocean, and Path) manifests their passion for ocean conservation. Additionally, Humanscale is a founding member of NextWave, an initiative that strives to establish ocean-bound plastics as a commodity and create the world’s first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. By incorporating life cycle, system, and circular thinking, Humanscale serves as an exemplar of how businesses can implement plastic revaluation strategies into their operations and product offerings, which ultimately results in significant environmental and social benefits.
La Hormiga Verde, an electronics recycling company, is a shining example of the Plastic Revaluation Mindset. The company does not only extract raw materials from discarded devices, but they also transform plastic waste into valuable products. By focusing on the creation of plastic wood and turning it into furniture, such as tables, benches, wastepaper baskets, and flower pots, the company showcases its dedication to circularity and material reuse.
Initially, La Hormiga Verde was dedicated to material extraction but faced the challenge of disposing of tons of plastics. This led to the innovative idea of treating plastic waste to create plastic wood, a durable, hard, and flexible material that can be worked in the same way as conventional wood. The company now produces a variety of products from plastic wood, including benches, chairs, tables, shelves, and other items. They actively collaborate with different entities and organizations to turn their plastic waste into new products, demonstrating the possibilities of recycling plastic waste and motivating people to participate in waste collection efforts.
La Hormiga Verde’s operations not only have environmental benefits, but they also have a positive social impact. The company functions as a special employment center, providing work opportunities for individuals at high risk of exclusion. With plans to continue transforming plastic waste into reusable raw materials and partnering with other businesses to develop standard products for a larger market, La Hormiga Verde serves as an inspiring example of how companies can implement the Plastic Revaluation Mindset and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Smetumet is a company that utilizes a broad range of waste materials to create upcycled products such as bags, rucksacks, pencils, and toys, which are sold through their online shop. The materials they use include advertising flags, car seat belts, curtains, egg boxes, paper, plush toys, shoelaces, ribbons, suspenders, tapps, threads, and twines. By upcycling these materials, Smetumet not only gives new life to discarded materials but also helps reduce the demand for virgin resources.
In addition to producing sustainable products, Smetumet offers consulting services to other companies, aiding them in understanding their waste production and transitioning to a circular economy. By forming connections with local businesses and communities that support and donate waste materials, the company encourages broader participation in waste reduction and recycling efforts. Smetumet also organizes workshops that promote critical thinking and reflection on the issues of waste, society, and the environment. These workshops serve to bridge art, ecology, design, and play.
By transforming waste into valuable products and raising awareness about sustainability, Smetumet serves as an exemplar of the Plastic Revaluation Mindset. Their innovative solutions demonstrate the potential for creating a more sustainable future, and their efforts highlight the significance of waste reduction and recycling.
New Marble is a company that demonstrates the potential of the Plastic Revaluation Mindset by repurposing discarded PET bottles into sustainable tiles. The company is paving the way for a circular economy in the building industry by creating a fully recyclable product made from waste plastic.
New Marble’s sustainable tiles are produced from old PET bottles, with 1m2 of tiles made from 302 plastic bottles. These tiles have been used in notable projects such as the first circular bathroom in the Netherlands and the floating Recycled Park in Rotterdam. Both the tile designs and recycling technology are innovative solutions to plastic waste, developed by Better Future Factory.
Initially designed as a low-tech and sustainable building material for African countries, New Marble’s tiles are now being further developed for the European market. The challenge was to create a scalable product while finding a low-tech solution for recycling PET, which typically requires expensive machinery. The tiles can be processed with industry-standard tile glue and grout, making them practical for various applications.
New Marble’s tiles have received full certification by KIWA, the leading certification company in the Netherlands, for indoor applications. They have also received a Castor Gaea certificate, which independently certifies innovative sustainable products and services. By creating tiles made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic that are fully recyclable, New Marble exemplifies the Plastic Revaluation Mindset and demonstrates the potential for sustainable solutions in the construction industry.
Resources
Links:
– Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution. Life Cycle Initiative. https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/activities/life-cycle-assessment-in-high-impact-sectors/life-cycle-approach-to-plastic-pollution/
Videos:
– What does a life cycle approach applied to address marine litter and plastic pollution look like?. Life Cycle Initiative. https://youtu.be/tfmr-h0bVLA
– Full life cycle thinking for plastics. INEOS Styrolution. https://youtu.be/wheCjlTF9zo
– Systems Thinking for Digitalised Circular Plastic Value Chains. PREVENT Waste Alliance. https://youtu.be/LUl7sZwXo8w
Papers (press articles, guides, reports):
– A Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution. UNEP.
– Addressing Single-use plastic products pollution, using a life cycle approach. UNEP.
– Solving The Plastics Problem Demands Systems Thinking. Forbes.
– How To Unlock Sustainability Solutions With Systems Thinking. Scott Millat. Medium.
Graphical content (infographics, schemes, slide presentation):
– The need for a complex system perspective in dealing with plastic pollution in the oceans. Mare Plasticum – The Plastic Sea.
https://indico.cern.ch/event/953495/attachments/2097868/3540106/RamkumarCasoliCERNPresentation.pdf
Podcasts:
Social media posts:
– LinkedIn: The Challenge of Waste Plastics – Striving For a More Circular Economy.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/challenge-waste-plastics-striving-more-circular-economy-di-mondo/