Promotion of Closed Loop Recycling – Categorisation of Closed Loop Systems

The promotion of closed loop recycling is embodied in the “Kreislaufwirtschafts- und Abfallgesetz” (Law of Closed Loop Recycling and Waste), which aims at protecting the natural resources base. Principles of closed loop recycling are avoidance (in particular reduction of quantity and hazardousness) as well as utilization, both of materials and energy. Unfortunately, the law does not define the closed loop concept and does not give any instruction on how to evaluate closed loop systems, thereby hindering an active advancement of closed loop systems. To overcome this obstacle, a concept for the categorization and evaluation of closed loop systems is introduced.