Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

réemploi vs. réutilisation

English translation:

Reuse vs. repurpose

Added to glossary by Sandra Petch
Jul 21, 2022 17:06
1 yr ago
57 viewers *
French term

réemploi vs. réutilisation

French to English Other Environment & Ecology Reuse of products
I hope the moderators will allow these two terms under one question.

That question being, does English differentiate between "réemploi" and "réutilisation"?

Definitions from the ADEME:
Réemploi : toute opération par laquelle des substances, matières ou produits qui ne sont pas des déchets sont utilisés de nouveau pour un usage identique à celui pour lequel ils avaient été conçus.

Réutilisation : toute opération par laquelle des substances, matières ou produits qui sont devenus des déchets sont utilisés de nouveau.

A jumper donated to a charity shop, purchased and worn by someone else is an example of "réemploi" as at no point was it waste.

A discarded pallet transformed into a sofa is an example of "réutilisation".

EU Directive 2005/32/EC uses both terms in French but only "reuse" in English:

‘Reuse’ means any operation by which an energy-using product (EuP) or its components, having reached the end of their first use, are used for the same purpose for which they were conceived, including the continued use of an EuP which is returned to a collection point, distributor, recycler or manufacturer, as well as reuse of an EuP following refurbishment;

«Réemploi»: toute opération par laquelle un produit consommateur d'énergie ou ses composants ayant atteint le terme de leur première utilisation sont utilisés aux mêmes fins que celles pour lesquelles ils ont été conçus, y compris l'usage continu d'un produit consommateur d'énergie rapporté à un point de collecte, distributeur, organisme de recyclage ou fabricant, ainsi que la réutilisation d'un produit consommateur d'énergie après sa remise à neuf;


Does anyone have experience of similar usage of two different words in English? So far I have drawn a blank.

Thank you.

Discussion

Carol Gullidge Jul 22, 2022:
@Sandra Sorry, I was rather preoccupied and didn’t see these messages for a while. Have now duly posted, and appreciate Cadestre’s courtesy :)
Sandra Petch (asker) Jul 22, 2022:
@Carol Would you like to post your suggestion "officially"?
Sandra Petch (asker) Jul 22, 2022:
From the US Environmental Protection Agency web Reuse or repurpose items such as old clothing, cloth grocery bags, and containers to prevent waste.
Sandra Petch (asker) Jul 22, 2022:
Repurpose The key is whether or not the item is being used for the same purpose or a different one and repurpose certainly fits that definition. Thank you very much.
philgoddard Jul 22, 2022:
What is the actual text you're translating?
Carol Gullidge Jul 21, 2022:
REPURPOSED- In your example above, The discarded pallet has been repurposed as a sofa
Emmanuella Jul 21, 2022:

Proposed translations

+2
15 hrs
Selected

Repurposing vs re-using

Repurposing is when you re-use an item for a different purpose, either in its original state or completely refashioned (e.g., Pallet ==> sofa).
But if you buy a second-hand sofa to sit on (its original purpose), then it’s simply being re-used.
Either, of course, is a good way to prevent unnecessary waste by extending the useful life of the original item :)
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M : Though in the reverse order to match the context given.
13 mins
Many thanks Tony!
agree Noni Gilbert Riley
7 hrs
Many thanks, Noni!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much Carol. I changed the order of your answer for the glossary."
+2
5 hrs

NFG - reuse vs repurposing

Answer not for grading, to confirm Carol Gullidge's Discussion entry from personal experience and with the following:
https://chicagotextilerecycling.com/2020/01/29/so-whats-the-...
Peer comment(s):

agree Conor McAuley : Yeah, absolutely! Except that, for glossary entry purposes, you've got it backwards, if you see what I mean.
2 hrs
agree Carol Gullidge : I appreciate you said NFG, but of course I agree :)
10 hrs
Something went wrong...
15 hrs

recycling vs. re-use

The answer could lie buried in the asker's explanation.

'repurpose' I normally assoicate with re-dedication of use ('user' = usage in UK Town & Country Planning) of buildings & highways, literally a hot topic in India at the mo.
Example sentence:

'...use of an EuP which is returned to a collection point, distributor, *recycler* or manufacturer, as well as reuse of an EuP following refurbishmet...*

IATE: pavés granit de réemploi recycled pitcher recycled granite sett

Peer comment(s):

neutral Carol Gullidge : In my experience, recycling can cover both terms; re-using is a form of recycling
5 mins
neutral Tony M : 'recycling' is more usually used to translate 'revalorisation', to make the distinction from 'repurposing' clear.
6 mins
Something went wrong...
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