Built into our firm’s name, the ‘5R’s — refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and remanufacture — are the pillars of the work we do. The very definition of 5REDO means helping businesses adopt the 5Rs; essential ingredients in the circular economy.
The original three
You may be familiar with the commonly known ‘three Rs’: reduce, reuse, recycle. Taken together, it’s a catch-phrase that dates back to the 1990s, when environmental movements began to call for recycling efforts in earnest. At the time, the impacts of human-caused climate change were only starting to become known on a wider level, and environmentally conscious efforts were slowly being introduced in government policies and business practices.
The first three Rs are important, and they’re still part of the broader 5R definition. However, as the climate crisis has become more urgent, environmental activists and innovators have agreed that reducing, reusing and recycling simply doesn’t cover the range of activities needed to combat climate change. From there, the broader definition evolved.
The original three
The 5Rs include: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and remanufacture (some say ‘repurpose’ instead of reuse, though the idea is the same). The two additions are refuse and remanufacture; and it’s not just the addition of these two concepts that’s important, but the order.
Refuse
Nowadays, we start with refuse because, put simply, the best approach to cutting down waste in all sectors is to not generate it in the first place. Refuse can be interpreted broadly, from opting out of purchasing or using wasteful items like plastic cutlery, or rejecting the pressures of our over-consuming culture by not buying things you don’t really need, like trendy clothing or new furniture. For companies, key decision-makers can refuse to use wasteful materials or practices, opting instead for sustainable methods.
Remanufacture
Although ‘reuse’ seems to encompass the idea of repurposing products, remanufacture is a more specific, innovative concept. It calls on businesses and innovators to find a way to extend the life of their products and materials by bringing them back into the supply chain, emulating the circular economy.
For example, pulling fibers from used tires to help create new materials, or finding a way to break down components of items that can be reused in different parts of production. At 5REDO, finding opportunities for remanufacturing is a crucial part of what we do, as the circular economy demands that we make supply chains more regenerative and sustainable.
‘Reuse’ is simple and important; that plastic container we might normally throw away can be turned into a container to grow vegetable seedlings. ‘Remanufacture’, however, asks us to put our brightest ideas forward, and reimagine how we work with materials across all industries.
With the climate crisis more urgent than ever, the 5Rs are the way of the future. Taken together, they encourage individuals, companies, and everyone involved in environmental efforts to adopt more sustainable ways of living.
Karan is an experienced professional who has worked in multiple geographies and roles along his career. He holds a total of 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, and has focused his efforts towards finding solutions for waste recovery and making recovery economical for industries. 
As our Senior Research Scientist, Hormoz draws on his eight years of industrial and nine years of academic research experience in the areas of polymer science and engineering to develop new solutions for advancing circularity and sustainability.
As the Co-founder of 5REDO, Forough brings her expertise in supply chain management, business operations, inventory control, and revenue management to support the implementation of circular solutions within different industry sectors.
With her significant hands-on experience in developing and characterizing biological and chemical systems, Vicky plays a key role in 5REDO’s efforts toward developing novel products and technologies that offer improved circularity and sustainability to the industry and society. 
With several years of research experience in France and Canada, Fabien lends his expertise and passion for enzymology and microbiology to 5REDO’s sustainability innovation plans. 
With a passion for driving change and creating impact, Mahdi co-founded 5REDO to facilitate and expedite the adoption of circular economy principles in Canada. Mahdi is an alumnus of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s From Linear to Circular Programme in 2021. He also played a key role in developing and managing the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Circular Economy Seed Funding program aimed at fostering partnership development between companies and academic researchers to co-create solutions for the circular economy. 
By leveraging her expertise in life cycle analysis and process engineering, Ophela helps 5REDO to take a holistic approach to the development of circular solutions and technologies. 
As a recent graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Kyle brings his passion for impactful innovation and his experience with novel recycling processes to 5REDO to support our technology development initiatives. 
Shauna is a freelance journalist that covers a wide range of topics, including health, education, the environment, travel, lifestyle trends, and more. She holds a Master of Journalism from Carleton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development from Queen’s University.