At REUZEit, our entire mission is centered around cultivating a circular economy. Our manufacturing partners provide us with their surplus assets, which are then reconditioned by our equipment specialists before being redeployed to a customer or project. Visit the REUZEit website to find out how we’ve contributed to a circular economy by diverting over 4.6 million pounds of used lab equipment from landfills. 

Defined: A Circular Economy

The best way to describe a circular economy is through a comparison with our current linear economy, in which products are created with raw natural materials before eventually being thrown away. On the other hand, a circular economy is geared towards proactively eliminating waste at the source. This means that instead of ending up in a landfill, non-biodegradable waste is reused, remanufactured, and only recycled at the very end of its life cycle, while biodegradable waste is eliminated through composting. In other words, manufactured products and machinery are reconditioned and redeployed for continued use until repairs are no longer feasible, after which the unit is recycled. 

Oftentimes, a circular economy is confused with the process of recycling. Although it’s easy to mix up the two, their approaches to waste reduction are vastly different. 

Traditional Recycling vs. A Circular Economy

The distinction between traditional recycling and a circular economy is akin to a Band-Aid versus surgery. While a circular economy addresses the issues of waste and pollution at the source, recycling is employed after items have already been wasted. Additionally, recycling is focused on the end of a product’s lifecycle, while a circular economy aims to extend an asset’s life cycle for further use. A circular economy takes a different approach by looking at the beginning stages, so that waste and pollution can be prevented in the design phase before production even begins. 

Basic Principles of a Circular Economy

At the foundation of a circular economy is an intent to “design out waste,” since it’s actually rooted in the idea that waste is nonexistent. Biodegradable “waste” is composted and therefore reused naturally, and nonbiodegradable items are reconditioned for extended use until recycling is necessary. As a whole, a circular economy demands durable products with readily available upgrades so that they stand the test of both time and innovation. Given time, the destruction left by our current linear economy could prompt a transition to a circular one, marking the true beginning of recycling’s future. 

Browse REUZEit’s Extensive Catalogue of Used Lab Equipment

Let’s face it, investing in laboratory equipment for your scientific research is a necessary cost. Luckily, we’re committed to providing you with options that you can fit into your budget. Money saved on one product can be used to finance another resource that is just as important to your progress. Whether you’re searching for innovative chemistry lab equipment or looking to replace broken lab equipment, REUZEit offers low-cost solutions that work as hard as you do. Browse the best surplus and gently used biotech and pharmaceutical equipment on the market! Check out our USA-based store or our European-based store to shop discount laboratory equipment.