Page - 687 - in Menschenrechte und Gerechtigkeit als bleibende Aufgaben - Beiträge aus Religion, Theologie, Ethik, Recht und Wirtschaft

© 2020, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847111658 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737011655 WithintheWaste(Resource)Hierarchy,“NoWaste”or“WastePrevention”(“Re- fuse!”)comesinfirst,asZeroWasteMovementsgloballyaffirm.ZeroWastedoes notmeanthat therewillbenowasteatall,but thatwaste is radically reducedin thebestwayspossible,atbestdowntoZero.Thisneedsafundamentalchangein theDesignofProductsandServices(DfE).17PlannedObsolescencemustbecome a serious socio-ecological crime, as it is in fact.Within theWaste Hierarchy, second comes in “Re-Use”, of which Deposit Return systems and Repair are important practical examples. Policies have topromote “reparability, upgrad- ability, durability, and recyclability of products by developing product re- quirementsrelevanttothecirculareconomy.”18Thisalsoneedsproperincentives andtheuseof“economic instruments, suchas taxation, toensure thatproduct prices better reflect environmental costs.”19 Reusing has priority before Re- cycling, as the latter can demand “lengthy transport with additional energy consumptionandgreenhousegas emissions.While thereareenergysavings in recycling, it still consumesmore energy than either reusing a product or not producingit inthefirstplace”.20Anuncritical focusonrecyclingalonecanlead toahigherresourceuseandcaneveninhibitnecessarysystemicchangesinview ofpreventionor reuse,whichareonahigher levelwithin theWaste (resource) Hierarchy: “Recyclingoftenhastheeffectofencouragingevengreaterconsumption,knownasthe rebound effect. Consumers seeing the recycling symbol on a plastic containermay assumethatconsuming theproduct iswithoutenvironmental costs andmay feel that consuming and discarding are environmentally-responsible actions. Recyclingmay point us in thewrongdirectionanddistract us frommoreefficient and fundamental changes.”21 Nevertheless, in specific cases, such as aluminium cans, recycling is amust. “Virgin aluminium contains an extremely large amount of embodied energy; recycled aluminium can save 75 to 96 percent of that energy”.22 The energy requiredfor“aluminium’sprimarymanufactureis lockedinsidethemetal,only a fraction, just 5%, of that original power is needed to drive the recycling process. It is as if the energy is ‘banked’ for the future.”23The recycling rateof aluminiuminconstructionandautomobilesectorinEuropeisabout90%andin packagingabout60%.TherecyclingrateoftheAluminiumBeverageCanwithin 17 DfE=Design for theEnvironment. 18 EUCommission,Closing theLoop,p. 4. 19 Ibid., p. 6. 20 Robertson,Sustainability,p. 275. 21 Ibid., pp.275–276. 22 Ibid., p. 277. 23 EuropeanAluminium,RecyclingAluminium:APathwaytoaSustainableEconomy,Brussels September2015,p. 5. Resources forFuture inaCaringEconomy 687 Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0