2.3.2 Preparing for reuse According to the Directive, this refers to any form of operation which leads to product or material reuse for the same purpose for which they were manufactured as far as they have not become waste (European Commission, 2008). This is already covered on the first level of the US EPA waste hierarchy while it follows the reduction step on the Canadian hierarchy. It includes cleaning, repair or recovery operations such that products that have already become waste can be reused in another form, as we see in the reuse of motor parts of vehicles abandoned in one part of the world but resold in Africa for valuable use as replacement for damaged parts of vehicles (Wrap UK, 2011; ISWA, n.d.), thereby offering community, economic and environmental benefits (The Open University, England, 2017). Although reuse in another form is not included in the EU’s definition, the point being expressed here is to make productive use of a material as many times as possible till it’s usefulness fades out. 2.3.3 RecycleIt is a recovery operation that involves reprocessing of a waste material into other products that can be used for its original design or put into another use, but excludes energy recovery processes (European Commission, 2008). The US EPA (www.epa.gov/recycle) concurs with this definition but included unused items that are regarded as waste and puts recycling on the same level with composting, which implies, for example, that the composting of food wastes and other organic materials are categorised as recycling activities (Filho & Kovaleva, 2015). While the option of recycling depends on the type of waste, the sustainability of the process lies in creating a market for the end-product (The Open University, England, 2017). It should be stated, however, that, much success can be achieved in the recycling process, as already demonstrated in Sweden, if household wastes are separated from source. Sweden has been able to achieve nearly 100% recycling of household solid waste to the extent of importing solid waste from within the European Union for the purpose of energy recovery (Swedish Institute, 2013- 2018).
