End-of-life

End-of-life is the final stage in the life cycle of a product or material, when it is discarded or no longer serves its original function. In the context of waste management, the term refers to the final fate or treatment of the material, whether managed or unmanaged.

According to the Waste Management Hierarchy developed by the Prevent Waste Alliance, end-of-life pathways can be classified as acceptable or unacceptable based on their environmental impact and level of waste management control.

Acceptable end-of-life pathways include reuse, repair and recycling (Class A), waste-to-energy and co-processing (Class B), and managed landfill (Class C). Unacceptable pathways (Class D) include open dumping, uncontrolled burning or incineration, and waste leakage into rivers and oceans.

The specific end-of-life pathway determines the material’s residual environmental impact and its potential to be recovered and reintegrated into the production cycle. Ogyre is committed to ensuring the best possible acceptable end-of-life outcome in each project, prioritizing recovery solutions over disposal, while taking into account the degree of degradation of the waste and the waste-management infrastructure available locally.

👉 Read How does Ogyre manage waste end-of-life? to know more.