The Butterfly Diagram: Circularity at work
When we talk about WEEE compliance, registrations, reporting… It often seems like a bureaucratic matter, related to the environment in only a conceptual and distant way. However, e-waste management and its regulations are a crucial part of the circular economy. A great way to see where it fits is the butterfly diagram.
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A visual diagram of circular economy
The butterfly diagram was developed by the authors of the Cradle to Cradle methodology, and popularized by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. It’s a graphic representation of circular economy that explains circularity in a simple and visual way, while highlighting the most important aspects of it.
It has two main cycles, the biological cycle on the left and the technical cycle on the right. Both of them begin linearly: products are manufactured, and services are provided from industry to consumers, flowing downward. But where the linear economy would continue flowing into landfills, following the “take-make-waste” principle, in a circular economy the flow comes back, giving our butterfly its wings, a double closed-loop system.
What is the biological cycle in the butterfly diagram?
As mentioned, the left wing is the biological cycle , which focuses on biodegradable products from raw materials to edible goods. These products can return to the consumer in cascades and, at the end of their life, be composted, digested by anaerobic bacteria or returned to the environment in other ways, helping to begin the cycle again. When managed well, this wing is almost identical to natural cycles like the trophic web.
How is the technical cycle represented in the butterfly diagram?
The right part of the butterfly chart represents the technical cycle, which includes all non-biodegradable products. It’s a more complex cycle, and instead of the cascades we saw in the biological one, we have different loops. Small, inner loops require less economic investment and less changing of the product. As the loops grow and move farther from the centre, they are more inefficient and expensive.
In a circular economy we should always aim to repair our products first (and here, companies play a crucial role by making spare parts and instructions available) and then reuse or redistribute them (for example, by selling them on second-hand markets). These two loops are the ones consumers can close on their own.
Once a product can no longer be repaired or reused, companies take over, and refurbishing becomes the next loop. Refurbishing, or remanufacturing, involve collecting products, disassembling them and building new ones -improving them if possible- so that a whole new item can be sold to consumers using old parts.
The most distant and least desirable loop is recycling, though it is still very important. The recycling process breaks a product down to its smallest parts, shreds it, and uses these pieces (as far as possible) to create new things. It’s a long and complex process, and not every product can be successfully and fully recycled. That’s why recycling is the last option and why we should always prolong products life, ensuring they only arrive to the recycling facility when no other loop can be closed.
How can we close the loops in the butterfly diagram for a circular economy?
More and more, companies design products and put them on the market with this diagram in mind. Especially electronic and electrical equipment, which are not only more hazardous to the environment but also contain expensive and rare materials that are much more useful when recovered by the manufacturer than when thrown away.
Governments and institutions are also working to improve the way we close the technical cycle loops so companies and society can benefit from this life cycle circularity. This is where the compliance requirements become crucial. They help manufacturers and distributors ensure their products align as closely as possible with the principles of the butterfly diagram. If your company needs help with environmental compliance and closing the loops, we can provide the services you need. Schedule a consultation, we would be happy to help you!
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