Difference between revisions of "Recycling"

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A [[colony]] on [[Mars]] uses a number of materials to build everything they need for living. [[Mining]] is one way to acquire new materials - and a pretty laborious one.
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The term recycling commonly applies to recycling goods and consumer items.  For the large scale recycling of water and air, see [[Water Infrastructure|Water infrastructure]] and [[Life support]] articles.
  
A lot easier is the '''Recycling''' of litter, especially if the litter consists of only a few materials, and most easy if the pieces of litter are made from single material. The concept requires special manufacturing, that takes care to use pure single material if possible.
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A [[colony]] on [[Mars]] uses a number of materials to build everything they need for living. [[Mining]] or [[In-situ resource utilization|ISRU]] in the main way of adding materials to the settlement.  Importation from Earth or other planets is another.
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To reduce the need for extracting or importing materials '''Recycling''' can be used.  Especially if the litter consists of only elements including just a few materials, and most easily if the pieces of litter are made from a single material. The concept requires special manufacturing that takes care to use pure single material if possible, or allows for easy disassembly.
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==Things made from single materials==
  
==Things made from single material==
 
 
*Bottles from [[glass]].
 
*Bottles from [[glass]].
 
*Boxes from plastics (e.g. [[polyethylene]]).
 
*Boxes from plastics (e.g. [[polyethylene]]).
*Tins from [[stainless steel]].
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*Tins from stainless [[steel]].
*[[Insulating foam]] from melted [[regolith]].
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*[[insulation|Insulating]] [[foam]] from melted and expanded [[regolith]].
 
*Insulating foil, e.g. from polyethylene.
 
*Insulating foil, e.g. from polyethylene.
  
 
==Things made from a material composition==
 
==Things made from a material composition==
 
The following things need more than one material, but the materials can be separated easily for recycling:
 
The following things need more than one material, but the materials can be separated easily for recycling:
*[[Electric cable]] from [[metal]] and plastics (e.g. polyethylene).
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*[[Electric cable]] from [[:category:metal|metal]] and plastics (e.g. polyethylene).
 
*Insulating mat from mineral fibre and plastics casing (e.g. polyethylene).
 
*Insulating mat from mineral fibre and plastics casing (e.g. polyethylene).
 
*Laminated safety glass.
 
*Laminated safety glass.
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==Economics of Recycling==
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As the colony grows in size and population, the economics of the colony starts. Using free market it is easy to determine whether it costs more to mine material or to recycle it. Recycling may be a cheaper than mining in many cases.  This is already obvious on Earth, where plastics, lead, aluminum and steel have higher and higher recycled content as the recycling systems develop.
  
 
==List of Materials==
 
==List of Materials==
This list comprises recyclable materials, that are really needed by an [[Foundation of an Autonomous Colony|autonomous colony]]:
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This list comprises recyclable materials, that are really needed by an [[autonomous colony]]:
*[[Steel]] for [[digging machines]], pipes, [[building]]s.
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*[[Steel]] for [[digging machine]]s, pipes, [[building]]s.
 
*[[Synthetic materials|Plastics]] for [[greenhouse]]s, [[space suit]]s.
 
*[[Synthetic materials|Plastics]] for [[greenhouse]]s, [[space suit]]s.
 
*[[Glass]] for [[window]]s.
 
*[[Glass]] for [[window]]s.
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*[[Silicon]] for [[solar panel]]s.
 
*[[Silicon]] for [[solar panel]]s.
 
*[[Mineral fibrous insulating material]] for [[insulation of buildings]].
 
*[[Mineral fibrous insulating material]] for [[insulation of buildings]].
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*Light metals, such as Aluminum and Lithium.
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*Steel additives such as chromium and nickel.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[wear lifespan]]
 
*[[wear lifespan]]
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*[[waste biomass recycling]]
  
[[category:concepts]]
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[[category:Waste Management and Recycling]]

Revision as of 06:06, 28 October 2020

The term recycling commonly applies to recycling goods and consumer items. For the large scale recycling of water and air, see Water infrastructure and Life support articles.

A colony on Mars uses a number of materials to build everything they need for living. Mining or ISRU in the main way of adding materials to the settlement. Importation from Earth or other planets is another.

To reduce the need for extracting or importing materials Recycling can be used. Especially if the litter consists of only elements including just a few materials, and most easily if the pieces of litter are made from a single material. The concept requires special manufacturing that takes care to use pure single material if possible, or allows for easy disassembly.

Things made from single materials

Things made from a material composition

The following things need more than one material, but the materials can be separated easily for recycling:

  • Electric cable from metal and plastics (e.g. polyethylene).
  • Insulating mat from mineral fibre and plastics casing (e.g. polyethylene).
  • Laminated safety glass.

Economics of Recycling

As the colony grows in size and population, the economics of the colony starts. Using free market it is easy to determine whether it costs more to mine material or to recycle it. Recycling may be a cheaper than mining in many cases. This is already obvious on Earth, where plastics, lead, aluminum and steel have higher and higher recycled content as the recycling systems develop.

List of Materials

This list comprises recyclable materials, that are really needed by an autonomous colony:

See also