… RE-frain from buying

… make product abundant by abandoning its function or by offering the same function with a radically different product

… shift towards a postmaterial lifestyle

… avoid waste, RE-ject packaging

Purpose:
change lifestyle, manufacture smartly

Circularity level:
very high

… make product use more intensive, e.g. share the use of the product

… more effective product use

… RE-think and adapt services and the development of product service systems as part of circular economy business models (may overlap with the term ‚RE-use‘)

Purpose:
smart product use and manufacture

Circularity level:
very high

… increase efficiency in product manufacture and use by consuming fewer natural resources, materials and energy

… use less, use longer

… use less natural resources, materials and energy per unit of production

Purpose:
smart product use and manufacture

Circularity level:
high

… other consumers RE-use a discarded product which is still in good condition and fulfills its original function

… second hand use

Purpose:
extended lifespan of a product and its parts

Circularity level:
high

… make the product work again by RE-pairing and RE-placing detoriated parts so it can be used with its original function

… plan RE-pair as part of a longer lasting maintenance plan or RE-pair ad-hoc

Purpose:
extended lifespan of a product and its parts

Circularity level:
high-medium

… RE-store an old product and bring it up to date

… overall upgrade of an product

… overall structure of a large multi-component product RE-mains intact while many components are RE-placed or RE-paired

Purpose:
extended lifespan of a product and its parts

Circularity level:
medium

… use parts of a discarded product in a new product with the same function

… decompose, RE-compose

… full structure of a product is disassembled and RE-processed

Purpose:
extended lifespan of product parts

Circularity level:
medium

… use parts of a discarded product in a new product with a different function

… popular in industrial design & artist communities (e.g., transform textile wastes into a quilt or plastic sheeting into a handbag …)

Purpose:
extended lifespan of product parts

Circularity level:
medium

… process materials to get the same or lower quality

… RE-apply RE-cycled materials anywhere (RE-cycled materials do not maintain any of the original product structure)

… either process mixed streams of end of life products (secondary RE-cycling) or RE-cycle product wastes in business to business relations (primary RE-cycling)

… keep in mind: RE-cycling typically RE-quires high energy inputs and expensive technological equipment

Purpose:
useful application of materials, avoid /reduce further mining

Circularity level:
low

… capture energy embodied in waste (by incineration or by use of biomass)

Purpose:
useful application of materials

Circularity level:
very low

… RE-trieve materials after landfilling phase (landfill mining, urban mining, informal sector)

… concentration of various minerals is nowadays higher in landfills than in original mines

Purpose:
useful application of materials

Circularity level:
very low