Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function. It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products. Reuse—by taking, but not reprocessing, previously used items—helps save time, money, energy and resources. In broader economic terms, it can make quality products available to people and organizations with limited means, while generating jobs and business activity that contribute to the economy.
A bathtub upcycled into a bench in Munich.
An electric wire reel reused as a center table
Reusable glass bottles collected in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Deposit values (0.5-2 Kyrgyz som) are posted next to the sample bottles on the rack
After a pallet has been used for transport, the pallets can be picked up by pallet dealers for reuse which is usually preferred over the cost of disposal fees
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.
Inside a British factory, a textile worker rakes newly-made 'shoddy' which was then combined with new wool to make new cloth
American poster from World War II
British poster from World War II
Poster from wartime Canada, encouraging housewives to "salvage"