It is more than 30 years since the last lead mine in Spain closed for environmental reasons. Since then, all lead used for the manufacture of car batteries and similar items has been recycled. An excellent example to demonstrate that a system based on recycling and circular economy is totally possible. At Plásticos Alser we would like to talk to you about the responsibility that the different sectors in our country have in this regard.
But what is the circular economy?
The circular economy is one of the main objectives of the 2030 Agenda. Until a few years ago, resources were extracted as raw materials and then manufactured, consumed and disposed of in landfills. A system that, in the face of increasing global demand, promised to use up these resources in a short period of time.
When countries became aware of the unfeasibility of this system, they began to take measures to recycle materials. In other words, to give them a second life. However, this concept was not sufficient either, despite the application of increasingly innovative and environmentally friendly technologies.
This is where the concept of the circular economy came into being. It is a model of production and consumption that aims to reuse, repair, renew, recycle and share resources as often as possible. Only when materials reach the end of their useful life does the process of treating them as waste begin. By minimising them, it is possible to treat them appropriately and meet sustainability objectives.
The responsibility of different sectors in recycling and the circular economy
Recycled plastic is one of the key focal points in this regard. The reason is simple. This petroleum derivative is currently widely used in most of the country’s economic sectors. Just think of the packaging used in the food industry or in the manufacture of technological products.
Without both these industries and the end users themselves making a commitment to quality recycling, it will be impossible to achieve the sustainability objectives of the 2030 Agenda. Fortunately, at the moment, more than 80% of the plastic used in Spain is recycled.
But it is not only the sectors in which plastic is a vital resource that have a responsibility in the implementation of the circular economy. The same applies, for example, to the textile industry, which uses chippings and discharges a multitude of highly polluting and health-damaging substances into the seas and rivers.
In short, if these sectors and the rest manage to enter the circular economy loop, achieving the environmental objectives set by the 2030 Agenda will be much easier. At Plásticos Alser we know how important this is for protecting the planet for future generations, which is why we have been offering innovative plastic recycling solutions since 1977.
