About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T24: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Enhancing Recycling and Reuse of Secondary Materials to Support a Circular Economy
|
| Presentation Title |
We Love the “Circular Economy” – But We Must Challenge Our Assumptions |
| Author(s) |
Jeff Zeman , Theresa Millard |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jeff Zeman |
| Abstract Scope |
Every day we see organizations driving toward circular economy concepts without understanding that not all circular economy solutions are in fact better for the environment. Yes – we must make sure that we keep products and materials in the global economy, however let’s understand the end game; what is the impact of our decisions? And what decisions might we make differently if we understood just a little bit more? We will dive into 3 examples that we know well:
The dos and don’ts of using hospitality glass waste streams;
Understanding when to call it a day on wastes and use for energy production;
The conversion of industrial wastes into everyday products.
Let’s discuss what kinds of questions must be asked, what kinds of tools must be used. And, to separate out “feel good” from “really good.” |