Waste and everyday-life products: reconcile circular economy and chemical regulations | Guest corner

Sooner or later, everyday life products will become waste, and in a circular economy, waste become again part of everyday life products. Therefore, in a circular economy products and waste have to be regulated similarly, but not exactly the same way. Here’s why.

The challenge of recycling everyday life products

Let’s take the example of an old TV, after several years of use and repair, it will be discarded, sorted and sent to recycling. TVs’ composition is fairly different depending on factors such as the brand or the age, containing very different types of materials (metals, plastics) and substances, and in different proportions. 

It is possible that some of these substances are no longer allowed today in products, and need to be treated according to dedicated regulations to protect human health and the environment. For example, plastic parts in an old TV can contain legacy additives that became prohibited during the lifetime of this product. If some chemicals are not allowed in products anymore, it also means that the waste recycled to make those products is also regulated.

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