What is the 4R concept | 4R principle guide and it’s importance? [2023]

4R concept of plastic waste management stands for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recovery. 4R concept or principle is normally applicable for the plastic or polymer made products or other products which generate the waste.

Specifically this principle is used to make the recycling process easier for plastic products or many other products. 4R principle also helps at certain extent to reduce waste and pollution. 

Before this concept of principle, before 3R have existed but when plastic pollution was increased at the global level then the 4R concept was introduced. And nowadays this 4R concept is highly used and recommended. 

So let’s understand the detailed meaning of the 4R concept or 4R Principle of plastic waste management.

Reduce

In the 4R concept first R stands for Reduce. Which means cut down the usage of unwanted or unnecessary products that generate the waste. 

What if we stop or decline buying the product that we don’t need or purchase the multi-purpose product then for sure we can help to reduce the product waste that thrown to the dustbin or trash bin.

So here the primary step towards minimizing the waste is examined and contemplate the thing that what one needs and the purpose of it.

To illustrate this concept explicitly you can go through these below examples.

The first step is finding or figure out that is there any alternative available for the product we want, that can be used to accomplish our purpose behind buying such a product and also we should buy multipurpose products that can be used to achieve multiple purposes through one product.

One important thing by assessing is one should consider the purpose of the product, to explain this practice we can take the example of the plastics bags, we all are aware with the fact that the plastic bag daily usage is high that means the plastic bag waste is also high but you all know that 99.9 % plastic bags are reusable so we can reuse the plastic bags so that way we can reduce the waste of the plastic bags.

If possible then both side printing on paper may reduce the paper waste.

Use the cloth napkin instead of the paper napkins

We can also avoid the usage of disposable products like spoons, plates, glass in some consequence if we can.

Decrease excessive packaging of the things when possible because extra material used for packaging later goes to waste.

The main purpose of the first R is to use what is necessary. We need to focus on the sources of the waste and how to cut it.

The ultimate goal of this concept is to reduce the overall percentage of waste.

Reuse

The second R of 4R’s of waste management stands for Reduce. It means to use the item again or use it differently for whatever another purpose it can be used.  It also means that using again the things for another purpose if can be used then instead of just throwing it to the dustbins.

Which item can be Collectable or picking items from the bins or waste and creating something is also one the way to reduce.

Here are some practical ways to reduce it.

Use the reusable bags instead of using the disposable bags.

If you use paper to write then writing can be done both sides that also reduce.

If you bought cooldrink and the cold drinks bottle is made of the plastic then you can reuse it for different purposes like pouring water or to pour any other liquid things.

Recycle

The third R is in the 4R concept of plastic waste management is to recycle.

Recycling allows to reintroduce the waste in the process of the consumption cycle. 

Recycle means to transform or convert waste materials into raw materials that can be used to create new things or products.

Recycling allows to reintroduce the waste in the process of the consumption cycle. 

Recycling reduces energy consumption and raw materials consumption.

Most of the plastics products can be recyclable and they can be recycled and created new objects or products, that are readily available to buy at cheaper prices.

We can use recycled paper for printing.

We can buy eco-friendly products or can buy the products that are made up of recycled materials.

Recover

The fourth R in the 4R concept of plastic waste management meaning is Recover. When the recycling of the waste is not feasible or there is no market for the recycled product in the market then the incarnation of the product can be used to generate energy from the waste combustion heat.

Those plastic materials which consist of the high calorific value that waste of plastic contribute highly to generate the energy from in the incarnation plant.

They can be also used as fuel in many applications such as powerplants, Industrial furnaces and also in the cement industries.

FAQ

Conclusion

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