Cradle to Cradle: How to secure raw materials

Are you satisfied with the circular economy in Switzerland?

Albin Kälin, owner and managing director of EPEA Switzerland GmbH: No, not at all. Both companies and politicians do far too little to operate according to a true closed-loop principle. Switzerland is one of the world's top three producers of waste, and we are world champions in the incineration of resources. Unfortunately, the framework conditions in Switzerland are still not conducive to a clean circular economy. But there is good news: There are a few lighthouse companies that have successfully implemented the circular principle.

Foreign countries praise our recycling system.

Separate collections for waste fractions such as PET or aluminum work. But not infrequently it is a case of downcycling. The more recycling cycles these materials undergo, the poorer their quality becomes and more primary raw materials have to be added. In some cases, the recycled materials also contain toxic substances that pollute the environment. The EU recently adopted a "Green Deal" - a roadmap for a sustainable EU economy. An important element of this is the circular economy, but also the issue of a "toxicfree environment". In other words, products should come onto the market free of pollutants so that they can later be recycled without any problems.

What's wrong with the circular economy?

There is usually a linear way of thinking behind it, which ultimately leads to so-called end-of-pipe technologies. These are closed-loop systems in which downstream environmental protection measures have been added. The production process itself is not changed, but only the environmental impact is reduced by subsequent measures. The end result is still "waste". The challenge is to develop products in such a way that they are available again to the economy as new raw materials. Only this is a well thought-out closed-loop concept. Such a principle according to Cradle to Cradle (C2C) needs innovation, because it is not uncommon that harmless materials have to be developed first in order to be able to produce a clean and recyclable product. Only chemicals that have been assessed as safe may be used in the process.

Can the concept always be applied?

Cradle to Cradle can in principle be designed for all products and services. However, a service provider can work according to the closed-loop principle. But C2C is only given if he also sells materials that are harmless and can be kept in the cycle.

Where should a company start with Cradle to Cradle?

The central point is that the existing product, which is problematic for people and the environment, is not made worse; that's what I call "ecojunk". No one is served by greenwashing. If you want to start with C2C as a company, you have to understand the principle and think in cycles. Only those who are willing to make such a transformation in their company can bring environmentally compatible products to market.

Please be specific.

Consumer goods such as natural fibers or detergents must be designed by the manufacturer so that they can be used again and again in the biological cycle. This means that the consumer goods decompose into biological nutrients after use and promote biological systems such as plant growth. The renewable raw materials and substances then form the basis for new products.

That sounds good. But what about technical circuits?

Just think of the mountain of e-waste that is generated because product design is not well thought out. A clean C2C works like this: When consumer goods such as televisions, cars or synthetic fibers have had their day, break them down into technical "nutrients." The goods are to be developed in such a way that the materials used can be used for several product life cycles, and without any loss of quality. The materials are kept in the technical cycle via take-back and recycling systems. This benefits the company, because it does not have to procure the raw materials anew on the world market. Hence the term cradle to cradle.

Which industries are exemplary?

In the textile industry, there are some companies that produce according to C2C. The manufacturer Calida, for example, already has over 200 products in its range that are certified accordingly. But furniture manufacturers, cosmetics companies or the packaging and chemical industries also show that it works.

Which standards are helpful?

There is the globally recognized product certification "Cradle to Cradle Certified" - incidentally the only certification for products in the cycle. Another is called "Material Health Certificate" as part of the principle. Here, the focus is on material health. This certification is used for the global supply chain. In this way, the supplier guarantees its customer that it is using a material that is not harmful to health.

Does the ISO 14001 standard support Cradle to Cradle?

We entered into a cooperation with Quality Austria two years ago. The organization, which specializes in management systems, also certifies to ISO 9001 and 14001. These systems date back to a time of linear thinking. Two years ago, we started to train Quality Austria's auditors according to C2C. In other words, away from end-of-pipe solutions - towards thinking in cycles in order to put less strain on the elements of water, air and soil. And to ensure the raw materials! Regarding your question: today's ISO 14001 standard has partially incorporated this way of thinking by evaluating a life cycle approach. But end-of-pipe is still possible. No C2C closed-loop principle is required for successful certification.

Is digitization helping?

Digitization does not bring much in terms of C2C if the Circular Economy is not implied. However, those who implement circular thinking and are already very advanced in digitization do excellently. A good example is the furniture retailer Pfister with its curtains: The consultant comes to the customer's home and shows his collection, including products manufactured according to Cradle to Cradle. The specialist takes measurements on site and all data is entered into the iPad, which communicates directly with the company. The process is therefore digital. The highlight of the matter: Pfister takes back the C2C curtains at any time, for which the customer receives remuneration analogous to the raw material price.

What is the situation regarding costs?

From a business perspective, a C2C product does not have to be more expensive. Goods produced according to the closed-loop principle create new perspectives from an accounting point of view. This is because a clever entrepreneur secures the raw material that he no longer has to buy. On the market, such a product fetches a higher price because it offers added value. It is a product that is safe for people and the environment and therefore receives a sympathy bonus.

What has changed since the early days of C2C?

We developed the first C2C product in 1992 - it was a biodegradable upholstery fabric. Over the last 30 years, numerous harmless materials have been developed. This is probably the biggest change - because it is the only way to produce C2C compliant goods.

Cradle to Cradle

The Cradle to Cradle concept was developed by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart together with the American architect William McDonough. Braungart is founder and director of EPEA - International Environmental Research (cf. www. epea.com), which was launched in 1987. In 2009, Albin Kälin, former Managing Director of Rohner Textil AG, founded EPEA Switzerland GmbH. The organization is an accredited general assessor for "Cradle to Cradle Certified" certification.
> www.epeaswitzerland.com

Has the construction industry discovered Cradle to Cradle yet?

"A building that becomes construction waste and trash at the end of its use has a design problem," reads the EPEA website of Cradle to Cradle developer Michael Braungart. Construction waste is the largest waste fraction in Switzerland. In addition to large quantities of excavated and excavated material (57 million tons), construction activity generates about 17 million tons of deconstruction material annually.

Closing the recycling loop in the construction and real estate industry is therefore an urgent concern. The young association Madaster with its platform of the same name therefore wants to make building materials available forever (cf. www.madaster.ch). Swiss property owners can register their buildings in the platform's material register to create a material passport for a specific building. The goal of the organization is to ensure that new houses in Switzerland are built from old ones, according to Eberhard Unternehmungen, a Mastar member from the very beginning. This is the only way to sustainably eliminate the country's largest waste stream. With this concept, the network wants to use buildings as raw material storage facilities and cities as raw material mines. But has the environmentally friendly cradle-to-cradle design principle thus arrived in the Swiss construction industry? Patric van der Haegen of Eberhard Recycling AG says: "Within the framework of the Madaster association, we are committed to ensuring that building materials are systematically recorded. Because only if you know where which materials are used can you plan better and reuse them later. In this way, we are helping to promote the cradle-to-cradle concept." (rs)