What is CO2eq? What is the difference between CO2eq and conventional CO2? In a world increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability and the much needed mitigation of climate change, the term “CO2eq” has become a key concept in our environmental vocabulary. In this blog post we will talk about what it really means, and what is the role that Grassroots Recyclers play in reducing these emissions.
Before talking about the negative effects that both CO2 and CO2eq are having on our planet, it is important to first establish that greenhouse gases (GHGs) are necessary to maintain the Earth's temperature. The problem is not that they exist, but rather the disproportionate way in which they currently exist based on human activity, for example, in the indiscriminate manufacture of plastic (which generates more GHGs in its extraction/manufacturing stages), and in general in the manufacture of excess products linked to consumerism.
CO2eq: THE UNIVERSAL GREENHOUSE GAS CURRENCY
First things first, let's establish the difference between CO2eq and CO2.
When we talk about CO2, we refer to Carbon Dioxide, which although it is one of the main gases that cause global warming, he's not the only one. There are other gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, water vapor, etc., which have a negative impact on the environment today because they are generated at a rate and levels that nature cannot process, and which remain on Earth altering ecosystems and causing imbalances.
That is why the concept of CO2eq, i.e. CO2 Equivalent, That what it does is equate the impact of all these gases on a “same currency”, allowing us to speak in a common language.
THE ROLE OF LAS AND GRASSROOTS RECYCLERS IN MITIGATING CO2eq
This blog was inspired by the chapter “The value they provide: inclusive recycling, social innovation and climate action”, of the book Urban political ecology in the face of climate change (2021), published by the FLACSO Ecuador Library.
This chapter focuses on the importance of identifying at which stages of material production generate the highest CO2eq emissions, and to see how inclusive recycling with Basic Recyclers can help mitigate them. To demonstrate this, a study was carried out on the plastic recycling system, as it is the material that Basic Recyclers recover and sell the most, and they took as an example the association of basic recyclers Creciendo Por Ti Mejía (ASERECIME), located in Mejia (Pichincha), which processes waste high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to convert them into hoses.
“The emission of GHG in the analyzed system is mainly associated with the extraction of raw material and polymerization of plastic resin. The replacement of virgin raw material with recyclable waste generates a 90% reduction in GHG emissions associated with the manufacture of hoses, compared to the use of virgin raw materials for the same purpose.”
In other words, in the case of this study, the phases where GHGs are generated the most could be reduced thanks to the raw material for the manufacture of hoses could be made with recycled HDPE and LDPE plastic. In the most polluting phase of manufacturing these types of plastic, it could be reduced by 90% because the material that already existed was recovered, reused and used... and that is precisely what Basic Recyclers do.
We know that each material represents a different reality, and that to determine how many emissions there are in each process, a study must be carried out in each specific case, with validated methodologies that contemplate the perspective of the life cycle. However, we hope that more studies like this will continue to be done to determine with data what are the options we have to start reducing CO2eq effectively.
You can read the full study hither.
On the other hand, by avoiding the generation of greenhouse gases and extracting virgin raw materials, while encouraging the reuse of materials at their highest value, they are also contributing to the fundamental pillars of Circular Economy.
“This quantification of their current and potential climate action highlights the value that these women [and men] they also provide the relevance of considering inclusive recycling in planning and public policy instruments, which promote its formal integration and recognition as a fundamental part of the solid waste management system.”
For the reasons set out in this blog, among many others, at ReciveCi we advocate promoting the formal, economic and social recognition of the role of Grassroots Recyclers in the fight for the mitigation of climate change.
It is always important to highlight that although we promote inclusive recycling because it is one of the first steps we can take in our contexts towards a society with a culture of environmental care, we know that recycling in and of itself should not be considered as a first option in the long term, but really since the governments implement changes that resolve the fate of recyclable-returnable materials from their manufacture and promote their reduction.
ReciApp: A TOOL FOR REDUCING CO2EQ
ReciApp, our mobile application for recycling and strengthening inclusive recycling, was designed from the outset as a tool to contribute to the mitigation of climate change with the social innovation component that also makes it possible to strengthen the work of thousands of grassroots Recyclers and Recyclers in the country.
This application has a calculator that allows citizens and companies to quantify the CO2eq emissions they are avoiding with their material deliveries, in addition to evaluating the impact this has on the planet in detail. Here's an example:
TOWARDS A FUTURE WITH LESS CO2eq
In a global context where we are in a race against time to reduce CO2eq emissions, Basic Recyclers in Ecuador contribute significantly to this mission. From ReciVeci, we urge companies and citizens in general to promote through ReciApp the social inclusion of these people, recognizing their importance and value in the inclusive recycling model, and understanding that if we work together, we can dignify their work while contributing to the reduction of CO2eq emissions.
We also encourage everyone to get involved in political debates that contemplate the reduction of these emissions in our country, and to demand that governments guarantee concrete public policies that improve recycling and returnability systems, and the link with Basic Recyclers.
Thank you for reading!
Sources:
- Urban political ecology in the face of climate change
- https://klima.com/blog/CO2-vs-CO2e-what-is-the-difference/
- https://globalcarbonatlas.org
