Chapter 5- Circular economy

Question 1

What is the circular economy?

Answer 1

The circular economy is an economic and industrial system which aims to keep products, their components and materials in circulation as long as possible within the system, while ensuring the quality of their use. As such, the circular economy contrasts with the linear economy, in which products and materials are disposed of at the end of their economic life.

• The basic concept is to use materials and products in the economy in the most valuable way
• Looking beyond the current take-make-waste pattern

Question 2

The European Green Deal

Answer 2

• from 2019
• a roadmap to be climate neutral in 2050- zero greenhouse gasses
• circular economy is a part of that green deal
• Europe´s “man on the moon” project
• with the green deal it is no longer voluntarily for companies to consider the climate

Question 3

The two cycles of the circular economy

Answer 3

• the biological cycle
• the technical cycle

Question 4

10 R strategy

Answer 4

These ten strategies collectively aim to shift from a linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular economy that promotes resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable production and consumption practices.

Design:
R0 - refuse
R1- Rethink
R2- reduce

Consumption:
R3- Reuse
R4- Repair
R5- Refurbish
R6- Remanufacture
R7- Repurpose

Return:
R8- Recycle
R9- Recovery

Question 5

Why do we need a circular economy?

Answer 5

1. Raw materials are not infinite
2. Our open economy is raw material-sensitive
3. Materials and climate
4. Opportunities for innovation and new economic activity
5. Opportunities for new jobs

Question 6

5 routes businesses can take towards more circularity

Answer 6

An enterprise can generally embark upon five routes towards more circularity:

1. Circular input- produce as much as possible using renewable energy and bio-based, biodegradable, or recyclable raw materials. Use less materials, dematerialise, or virtualise. Also buy circular.
2. Raw materials recovery- Recovery of raw materials and/or energy from discarded products or auxiliary flows (often from a different circuit than one’s own).
3. Extension of working life- Extend the functional life cycle of a product with repair, upgrading, and resale. Already calculate for the second and third life of a product in the design phase: choose a modular design, parts that can be removed, or parts that can be repaired easily.
4. Sharing platforms- Enabling more intensive use of products with shared use/access or ownership.
5. Product as a service- This entails offering access to a product while keeping ownership to enjoy all the benefits of a closed circuit.

Question 7

Use above ownership

Answer 7

The idea that we do not always have to buy all the things we use ourselves can indeed contribute to a more circular economy.

Example: Everyone has a drill and use it only a couple times a year.

Question 8

The turntoo model

Answer 8

Facilitating a new relation between the producer and the consumer
- a new business model
- the future is not a gift, its an achievement
- make sure the product comes back to the producer

The three steps:

1. Forget ownership- performance counts
   - give me the performance, no need to own it
   - Example: you dont buy a plane, you buy a ticket–> the performance
2. Producer retain ownership of their raw materials
   - the value of the raw material and the value of the performance
3. Raw material will be extracted and remain available ¨
   - every product is the value of the raw material + the extra value

Products are today the raw material banks.

Question 9

The lifecycle vs the performance cycle of a product

Answer 9

We dont focus on the lifespan of a product and fix the ones we have. We care about the performance and rather buy a new one