The Circular Economy

Schematic Diagram of the Circular Economy
Courtesy of the Eastern Midlands Waste Region (EMWR) ©

The continuous growth model has been practised by economies in the developing world over the past 250 years. This is an unsustainable approach that is becoming less viable in the face of increasing social and environmental concerns. Governments around the world now recognise the need for alternative economic models and policies that respect the planet’s boundaries

The circular economy is an alternative economic model that can assist in driving sufficient and sustainable global and national consumption behaviours. In a circular economy growth is seen through production models that can be renewed, reused , repaired upgraded or refurbished. This approach focuses on the elimination of waste by keeping products for as long as possible. To achieve this, significant changes in product design as well as business and market models would be required to allow for new ways of turning waste into resources and new modes of consumer behaviour (DCCAE, 2019).

International Adoption of the Circular Economy Concept

Global Adoption of the Circular Economy Model

Circular economy based principles  have already been adopted across the globe  through efforts such as renewable energy investments and recycling, that attempt to close the loop of energy and material throughput.

Plans for a Circular Economy in Europe

The European Commission adopted an ambitious new Circular Economy Package in December 2015. The  EU action plan for the Circular Economy titled ‘Closing the Loop’ was then published the following year. This action plan prioritises a number of supporting areas including: industrial symbiosis, waste/resource exchange, reuse, repair and secondary raw materials.

Ireland's Circular Economy 

Ireland supports the Circular Economy proposal presented by the Commissions Circular Economy Package although it acknowledges that certain elements of the package will prove challenging. National policies, programmes and strategies such as the Ireland's waste policy ‘A Resource Opportunity’ and the EPA national waste prevention programme ‘Towards a Resource Efficient Ireland’ align themselves to the European Circular Economy strategy. To help understand further how the circular economy would work please click here (DCCAE, 2019). To watch a video on Ireland's National Waste Prevention Programme and the Circular Economy please visit the MyWaste.ie website..