How to ... remake
'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.
Remaking products is a fast-growing sector 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 and construction materials, such as concrete
- used equipment rebuilt with new parts e.g. photocopiers
- useable parts 'cannibalised' from one machine are put into others e.g. plant and equipment, computers
Traditionally paper, glass and various types of metal have been recycled and made into new products. However, advances in material and manufacturing technology have led to a whole new range of recycled content products entering the market. Recycled content products are available in NSW and other states. Refer to Links for more information.
- Identify opportunities to use recovered waste material in your organisation. For example you may be able to process waste material and substitute it for a new or natural product e.g. crushing demolition concrete to make roadbase or making single-sided printer paper into message pads.
- Identify virgin products that could be substituted by the remade product
- Identify types of waste that could be used as a 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 be sold for a profit or provided to other agencies on an 'in-kind' basis.
Page last updated: 27 February 2011
