‘Remaking’ products

‘Remaking’ (or ‘remanufacturing’) is the last part of closing the loop. This is where recovered waste materials are used to make new products for sale. Turning recovered waste materials into marketable products delivers significant economic, social and environmental benefits.

Remake

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‘Remaking’ or ‘remanufacturing’ products is the where new products are made from recovered materials. This is fast-growing sector of the market and increasing numbers of remade products are entering the market. The NSW Government is using its considerable purchasing power to encourage this important market sector.

Like ‘recovery’, ‘remaking’ encompasses a wide range of processes or actions. Generally remaking involves the use of recovered waste materials or parts in a product. It could also include refurbishing and reselling of equipment. Some examples of remaking:

virgin and recovered waste materials blended to make a new product e.g. paper, glass, plastic construction materials such as concrete
used equipment rebuilt with new parts e.g. photocopiers
useable parts ‘cannibalised’ from one machine are put into others eg. plant and equipment.

Traditionally paper, glass and various types of metal have been recycled and made into new products. However, advances in material and manufacturing technology has led to a whole new range of recycled content products entering the market. Recycled content products are available in NSW and other states.

How to remake materials

Identify opportunities to use recovered waste materials in your organisation. For example you may be able to process waste materials and substitute it for a new or natural product eg. crushing demolition concrete to make roadbase or making waste paper into message pads.
Identify virgin products that could substituted by the remade product.
Identify types of waste that could be used as raw material and sources of this raw material.
Determine if the remade product meets performance specifications.
Estimate processing or remanufacturing costs.
Identify if other remade products are available on the market.
Gauge staff support for using the remade product.
Identify commercial applications for any remade products. Many types of remade products could they be sold for a profit or provided to other agencies on an ‘in-kind’ basis.

How to remake ...

Paper

Bind sheets of paper printed on one side into notepads (old or outdated letter head is excellent for pads).
Print up message pads using paper printed on one side.
Put stickers over addresses on envelopes and file tabs so they can be used again.

More about paper & WRAPP >>

Office equipment and consumables

Investigate if machines can be rebuilt or refurbished by the manufacturer. Establish if the machine comes with a guarantee. This can be much cheaper than buying a new machine.

More about office equipment & WRAPP >>

Vegetation materials

Research and understand compost or mulch processing systems.
Investigate the use of vegetation and green waste processing technologies such as composting, digestion and fermentation in your organisation.
Seek professional assistance to assist you to set up your processing system.
Refer to Australian Standards for recycled organic products including composts, soil conditioners and mulches, general and specialist potting mixes.
To improve the quality of recycled organic products, ensure that product standards are being met.

More about vegetation materials & WRAPP >>

Construction materials

Mulch and reuse vegetation wastes in landscaping.
Crush large quantities of concrete, bricks and hard materials and use as roadbase, footings (if they meet the specification) retaining walls, drainage etc.
Broken pallets can be ‘cannibalised’ to repair others for reuse.
Break irreparable pallets up to use as fire wood.

More about construction & demolition materials & WRAPP >>