Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - or the 3 Rs of maste management - give a short description of the most important goals of the circular economy.

It is also a short form of the first three steps of the so-called waste hierarchy that has five steps overall. Following the hierarchy waste shall be prevented or avoided if possible, meaning reduced (step 1). If this is not possible waste shall be reused. Therefore it has to be prepared for re-use sometimes (preparation for re-use, step 2). If this isn't possible either waste shall be recycled. This recycling will enable product made of recycled materials also called recyclates (step 3). If this isn't possible either waste shall be subject to other methods of recovery, majorly thermal recycling / incineration (step 4). Finally, just if the other methods are not applicable waste shall be subject to safe disposal including landfill (step 5).