In sustainable material use and circularity, we look at the entire life cycle of all our materials. In doing so, follow the waste hierarchy of the Europese Waste Framework Directive or the corresponding R-ladder of circularity:
1. Prevention
If you can prevent creating waste, then of course that is the first step.
- R0 REFUSE: refuse unnecessary materials (e.g. unnecessary packaging)
- R1 RETHINK: look for other solutions such as sharing or more intensive use of existing products (e.g. reusable coffee cups with deposit in Coffee House Schoonmeersen)
- R2 REDUCE: use fewer (raw) materials where possible
Check out the federal government's guide to sustainable procurement
2. Preparing for reuse
When something is about to become waste, there are often still solutions to be found for reuse.
- R3 REUSE: see if someone else can still use it (e.g. via the thrift store for staff members or the giveaway cabinets on the various campuses)
- R4 REPAIR: ensure repair and maintenance of products to be able to use them longer (e.g. through a repair café)
- R5 REFURBISH: have products refurbished or modernised, possibly with new parts (e.g. old laptops are refurbished and donated)
- R6 REMANUFACTURE: turn all parts into a new product with the same function
- R7 REPURPOSE: repurpose the components of end-of-life products into other products (e.g. carrier bags and pencil cases made from old roll-up banners)
3. Recycling
- R8 RECYCLE: recycle the discarded materials via the sorting islands on campus
For more information, please check out the intranet for staff members or the intranet for students
4. Recovery
- R9 RECOVER: if it cannot be recycled, it may still serve a useful purpose, for example through incineration with energy recovery
5. Disposal
The very last and avoidable option is without any useful application, such as incineration without energy recovery or landfill. This step does not fit within a circular model.