Reuse means using a product or pack again, for the same purpose or a different one, without reprocessing it into raw material. It is the second of the three Rs, after reduce and before recycle.
Examples include refillable bottles, returnable crates and pallets, drums that are cleaned and refilled, and sturdy carry bags used many times. Reuse saves the energy and material of making a new item each time, but it depends on the item being durable and on a system for returning, cleaning and refilling it. India’s EPR rules include reuse obligations for certain rigid plastic packaging. When a reusable item finally wears out, it should be recycled, so reuse and recycling work together in a circular economy.
