Wilmet, circular economy player
Managing waste in a circular economy can be defined via an inclusive concept around the 5Rs.
Reduce: Intrinsically reducing the amount of waste of each individual
Reform: Upcycling: valorisation of a product (component) after dismantling and/or repair
Reuse: Returning a product that no longer corresponds to the needs of the first consumer back to the cycle
Repair: Renovation – refurbishment
Recycle: Creation of new materials from waste
The aim of a global waste management is to reduce the quantity of waste that ends up in landfill. We must absolutely learn to no longer systematically throw away what we no longer use or what is damaged.
Too often, products only requiring a minor repair or maintenance end up in the dustbin.
Waste management in a circular economy
Recycling is not always the best solution!
Before thinking of recycling, you can quite simply re-employ an object that is no longer to your liking.
Nowadays, there are a lot of associations that collect second-hand objects that allow the less well-off to get clothes or other staple products at a cheaper price.
When an object is broken or damaged, it can be Repaired.
Often we throw away objects that no longer work without trying to repair them.
Most of the time it involves a minor repair that requires knowledge but little effort.
More and more repair centres or specialised websites are being created and allow anyone to increase the lifespan of equipment, through little repairs.
When an appliance is much damaged and it becomes economically difficult to repair, you can all the same dismantle the parts that still work to Re-use them as spare parts or transform them to give them a whole new purpose.
It’s only when these three stages have been gone through that we must turn to recycling.
Aware of what’s at stake and being in the firing line, the Wilmet Group decided to put a new dynamic in place in its approach to waste.
This shall no longer be directly destroyed to be recycled.
It will now go via a series of sorting and controls.
We try, as much as possible, to extract from the recycling cycle all waste that can still be used.
The process is laborious and energy-consuming, but we have established partnerships with local associations to favour re-employment, repair and re-use.
One of the short & medium-term objectives of this process is to extract and revalue before recycling 10% of the tonnage treated annually.
Of course, it would be a lot easier and cheaper to continue to recycle without asking questions, by favouring only the financial aspect.
But it would be completely incompatible with the values that the Wilmet Group defends.
Its involvement in a thorough change of our economic system is a priority area defined by the shareholders.
We are proud to contribute to transforming our society through our actions and decisions towards a society in harmony with our planet.
