Each year a new wave of computers, smartphones, and accessories swarm the market with smaller components made from increasingly complex materials. While this technological evolution may be exciting for consumers, the trend towards obsolescence is impeding our progress towards a zero-waste society, according to researchers working in the area.

The idea of a zero-waste society, also known as a circular economy, is to cut resource use, reduce waste and boost recycling.

We can't talk about the circular economy, or a zero-waste economy, as a silver bullet solution. The concept is, the implementation isn't. But there are a lot of actors in the field who want to develop solutions.

With new designs released each year, waste companies are struggling to adapt their sorting technology to this ever-changing world.

A smartphone, for instance, can include up to 50 different types of metal. Similarly, plastics can contain over 25 different compounds, and this makes recycling tougher.

'It is difficult for plastic packaging recyclers to come up with good quality plastic that also can compete with the currently low costs of virgin (new) plastics,' said Dr Wardenaar.

Combined, these factors remove economic incentives to adapt to a circular economy.

Read the source article on a zero-waste economy by Steve Gillman at The Naked Scientists