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What is Zero Waste?

We live our lives within a badly designed materials system, depicted by a linear economic model. In this model, scarce resources are extracted, manufactured, packaged, sold, used (often briefly) and then discarded.

One of the main myths sustaining this model is the simple idea that there is such a thing as “away”. Deceptive words like, “waste” would have you believe that our materials are designed with a natural ending encoded into them, but they are not. The materials we toss aside so conveniently, are durable. They are so durable that they pose one of the largest and most costly problems our governments, civil societies and natural ecosystems must face today. We’re producing more waste than available disposal methods can handle, leading to the rapid depletion of landfill space, increased pollution, and strained waste management systems. The unfortunate truth is that recycling is not the answer to this problem. Recycling is itself an expensive and incomplete endeavour.

Being the industrious and persistent species human beings are, another solution has been developed. “Zero waste” is an ambitious goal defined best by the Zero Waste International Alliance:

“The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”

The concept of Zero Waste was designed to help us see the materials we come across for the resources they are. A rich and active value chain has been experienced by every one of the simple consumable items that pass through your hands.

The Zero Waste hierarchy is a helpful graphic that can teach us to prioritise our approaches to dealing with our earth’s resources. According to our experts, recycling is only the fourth port of call.

Zero waste hierarchy as per the International Zero Waste Alliance

Rethink/Redesign: The first thing we need to do is shift toward a closed-loop model. Instead of just dealing with the aftermath of our linear way of using materials, we need to dig deeper and tackle the root causes of the problem. By creatively revamping our systems, we can solve the problem of waste far more effectively and sustainably.

Reduce is about taking action to cut down on the amount and toxicity of resources, products, packaging, and materials we use, along with minimising their negative impacts on the environment and our health. While the focus is on reduction, it’s important to remember that everyone has basic needs that should be met—so not everyone will need to reduce in the same way.

Reuse: This is all about reusing products or their components for the same or similar purposes they were originally designed for. It’s about finding ways to keep using items in a way that maintains their value, usefulness, and functionality.

Recycle/Compost: This involves taking discarded items and either mechanically transforming them into new products or materials, or biologically breaking them down to enrich the soil. It’s a way to give waste a new lease on life and support a healthier ecosystem.

Material Recovery: This refers to efforts aimed at recovering extra materials after previous processes, excluding practices like energy recovery or transforming materials into fuels (these methods aren’t considered acceptable because they don’t align with the goal of true material recovery).

Residuals Management: This involves responsibly managing waste materials to ensure they don’t harm the environment or public health. It’s about examining what was discarded and understanding the reasons behind the waste.

Unacceptable: These are systems and policies that promote wastefulness and pose risks to both the environment and public health. Such practices include waste incineration and other similar waste-to-energy processes that create pollution.

This hierarchy can (and has) informed policy makers, private industry, and communities in steering our human societies away from a linear model of consumption towards a circular one. A circular economy is a model designed to minimise waste and make the most of resources by keeping products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible. It emphasises regeneration, restoration, and recycling to create a sustainable system that benefits businesses, society, and the environment. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation wrote the book on this concept, providing resources and frameworks to help transition toward circular practices.

Zero Waste is a useful concept that sits within the broader circular economy model, and can guide us towards achieving circular solutions. However, how can it inform you?

The Zero Waste lifestyle for households

Bea Johnson is a pioneer of zero waste living. She has achieved what seemed impossible: to reduce the waste of her household of four down to one jar a year.

How did she achieve such a feat? Luckily, she has created her own zero waste hierarchy to help us do the same. Similar to the hierarchy designed by the Zero Waste International Alliance, recycling is only the fourth resort.

Zero waste hierarchy according to Bea Johnson

We have taken her hierarchy and localised it for you.

Refuse. The first thing Bea advises is to be uncompromisingly selective in what you are bringing into your house. She describes each purchase as a vote you are throwing. When you support a certain product, you are endorsing the value chain that led that product to you. It goes even further, even the simple act of accepting a product from someone else (like that terribly exciting corporate freebie) is an endorsement. You are saying to the suppliers: there is value in this, make more!