Doing more with less: How recycling can shape our circular future

Extracting and processing natural resources account for 90% of biodiversity loss and one third of all global CO2 emissions. But by recycling and reusing materials that are already in circulation, we can recover value that is already in the system. It is estimated that recycling has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 10.4-11.2Gt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions between 2020-2050, which would be equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide Japan emits in a year.

At Siemens , using recycled materials is a crucial part of our circularity approach. And that starts right at the beginning of our product design process. By using recycled materials, which are already part of the circular economy, we prevent waste creation from the very start.

Earlier this year, for example, we announced that we would be using recycled material developed by Domo Chemicals, a leading provider of sustainable polyamide solutions, for electrical safety products for the first time. The groundbreaking TECHNYL® 4EARTH® material is composed of 50% recycled content, including chemically recycled PA6 from various post-industrial and post-consumer sources such as fibers and textile filaments, as well as glass reinforcement. It will enable our company to produce most of the covers and housings of one of our residual current circuit breakers, with significantly lower environmental impact, while offering the same performance and quality as conventional materials.

As well as expanding the use of recycled materials in our products, we are also committed to developing more products that themselves can be recycled easily at the end of their life, closing the loop. These innovations are part of our Siemens EcoTech label, a mark of excellence for products that accelerate circularity by outperforming in value recovery, optimal resource efficiency, and the use of sustainable materials.

The latest version of our Aspirating Smoke Detector (ASD+), for example, has a modular design, which means it can be easily dismantled and recycled when it reaches end of life. This configuration also prolongs its operational lifespan as vital parts ‒ the detector chamber and aspirator ‒ can be replaced individually without substituting the entire unit.

The shift from a linear to a circular economy demands a fundamental rethink of traditional business models. But it’s one we have to make. This includes creating products that integrate circularity principles, including recycling, at the design stage and reimagining how we treat those products at the end of their life. By thinking again about both of these elements, we’re demonstrating it’s possible to drive real environmental impact with zero impact on product performance.

Find out more about Circularity at Siemens and how we do more with less for our customers, society, and planet on our website.

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