Today, Spaniards generate about 460 kg of municipal waste per person each year, roughly six times that person’s body weight. These striking figures come from a linear economic model built on extraction, production, consumption, and disposal. That model carries a high environmental cost both during production and at the end of a product’s life cycle.
1 Spaniard = 460 kg waste per year
Therefore it is urgent to adopt a more sustainable system that uses resources wisely and gives new life to the waste we produce: the circular economy.
Containers return to the production cycle as raw materials through recycling.
Extend the shelf life of products
The circular economy is an economic and social system whose aim is to produce goods and services while reducing the consumption and waste of raw materials, water, and energy resources.
Every production process involves an environmental cost. The circular economy promotes reducing material use and waste, extending the useful life of items. It moves away from the disposable linear model toward a framework based on prevention, reduction, reuse, repair, and recycling.
In short, the circular economy lets products live longer and serves as a path to a second life for items.
You can help us achieve a better world
From Ecoembes they want to explain to the public why the circular economy and recycling matter. They launched a highly emotional campaign that highlights how waste can be redirected, that discarded items hold potential for new life, and that recycling makes us part of a world that keeps turning. A more circular and sustainable world.
From Ecoembes they want to show the public the importance of the circular economy and recycling.
3R to 7R
As seen, the traditional linear model drives demand for fresh raw materials with each new product, causing significant environmental impact.
The familiar 3R Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle aim to minimize impact while conserving resources and energy. But why not make products more sustainable through design, or consider repair before buying new?
The circular economy adds concepts like eco-design and repair to the chain, expanding the original 3R to 7R. Do you know them?
- redesign: This means designing products with the environment in mind, focusing on environmental sustainability as part of the product’s function and longevity.
- reduce: We consume too much, too quickly. To protect the environment, we must cut both consumption and waste.
- reuse: The goal is to extend product lifespans by reusing items or giving them new life through crafts or DIY ideas found online.
- repair: When something breaks, people often replace it instead of repairing it. Repair is usually cheaper and better for the environment, saving raw materials, energy, and reducing waste.
- refresh: Update older items so they can serve their original purpose again.
- recover: Collect used materials and reintroduce them into the production cycle.
- recycle: Recycle residues from production to serve as raw materials for new products. After exploring the above options, recycling should be the last resort because the best waste is the waste that is not produced in the first place.
Recycling turns waste into new raw materials.
Each package in its own container
Recycling turns waste into new raw materials, so every container should be placed in its proper bin:
- It does not matter if the containers are small or dirty
- Always place them in the correct containers
- Avoid mixing waste that has its own container with other types
Do you have doubts about recycling?
Everything you need to recycle properly is explained at this link.