A Better Way to Recycle: co-operative and community ... - Urbed

5. Engaging consumer co-operative societies in recycling5.3 Closed-loop recyclingManaging waste in a more efficient manner,through resources efficiency, minimisation, orrecycling would certainly cut costs. However,the use of some wastes to produce saleableproducts would maximise the economicbenefits, whilst simultaneously achieving thesocial and environmental objectives ofconsumer societies. Referred to as closed-looprecycling, this is where an organisation takesresponsibility for ensuring that any waste arisingfrom its products is collected, processed andre-used as a secondary material in otherproducts it sells. This calls for the integration ofprocurement, marketing, distribution andmanufacturing activities.Some consumer co-operative societies arealready engaged in closed-loop recycling, as theexamples of the Co-operative Group andMidlands Co-operative Society havedemonstrated. The Japanese consumerco-operative movement has also embracedclosed-loop recycling. JCCU, the JapaneseConsumer Co-operative Union, has developedclosed-loop recycling practices for six productareas (see Box 18), illustrating the breadth ofproduct range to which the closed-looprecycling concept can be applied. The story ofSabonso Co-operative (see Box 19)demonstrates how closed-loop recycling canalso lead to the formation of new co-operativeventures, as part of the strategy to close theBOX 18:JAPANESE CONSUMERS’ CO-OPERATIVE UNION (JCCU)JCCU, the umbrella organisation for Japanese consumer co-operative societies, hasdeveloped closed-loop recycling processes for six types of waste materials –1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles. Waste PET plastic bottles arecollected by consumer co-operative members, who clean the bottles and remove thelabels, before returning them via supermarkets, for their use as the raw material in themanufacture of refillable PET soap bottles. This closed loop provides an end use forrecycled PET, and fulfils the consumer societies’ packaging recovery obligations. Themanufacturing process uses PET flakes rather than PET pellets, further reducing energyusage.2 Milk cartons. Used cartons are collected at co-operative stores and recycled to produceown-brand toilet paper and tissues.3 Egg boxes. Used egg boxes are collected and recycled to produce new egg packaging.4 Glass bottles. Used bottles that contained own-brand soy sauces, rice vinegar and saladdressing are collected at co-operative stores, washed and re-used for the same purpose.5 Waste edible oil. Cooking oil used in co-operative societies’ stores or by their readymademeals subsidiaries, is collected, processed and used to fuel co-operative societies’delivery trucks.6 Fish waste. Raw fish waste from the JCCU fish processing centre and from theco-operative societies’ in-store processing, is collected and reprocessed into animal feedstuff. This is used in farms which have supply contracts with the co-operative societies.Key points• Demonstrates the scope for using existing organisational networks to develop newrecycling initiatives• Own-brand products offer greatest scope for closed-loop recycling and memberengagement in recyclingA Better Way to Recycle 43