We must not only look for the circularity of the components of the products, but we also verify the sustainability of the production chain. An Italian company sets the standard

When we talk about sustainability and circularity we very often refer to the single product that can be made with recycled materials and, even better, also 100% recyclable.

This combination helps us understand how our actions as consumers can lead to reducing the waste we produce, saving natural resources and protecting the environment.

Although there is still a long way to go in this sector, as the recycling rate of the waste we produce does not exceed 10% worldwide, that it exists a lot of confusion about what is recyclable and what, despite being made from recycled materials could, in fact, be no longer recyclable, we do not care enough about the sustainability of the production chain.

We can take as an example the world of the electric car, to understand the problem, where, the recent increase in circulation of Plugin or Full Electric cars, is not matched an adequate recharging network with totally renewable energy.

So, often, the battery is recharged using a power supply network from which electricity is supplied made with natural gas, or coal or nuclear.

Even in the realization of the so-called circular products, we must consider not only if they are composed of recycled and recyclable raw materials, but we must know if the production cycle is sustainable, therefore if it draws on energy from renewable sources.

There aren't many industrial activities that can boast a completely green production cycle, but there are some examples in the industrial world.

An interesting one can be found in an Italian company, Saxagres, which produces tiles for outdoor and indoor flooring, which has applied the extension of the concept of circularity both on the product and on the production.

As for the circularity of the product, in the production of outdoor and indoor ceramics, the company uses up to 30% of production waste, and also uses ashes from blast furnaces that are produced as waste in the incineration of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.

As regards the circularity of production, the company has equipped itself not only with solar panels but, to be totally independent and support the great demand for energy that comes from from the kilns for firing tiles at 1200 degrees, it has created, in collaboration with other companies, a biogas production plant, through the anaerobic management of urban waste in the area pertaining to the company.

By doing this we can talk about the circularity of the product and the production chain, contributing to the management of urban waste, liberation from fossil resources and energy independence.

Automatic translation. We apologize for any inaccuracies. Original article in Italian.