The Circular Economy is a new concept but an old principle that society has largely forgotten. According to the Ellen MAcArthur Foundation the circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. We live in a consumerist society of take make and dispose – the so called linear economy, where material resources are consumed with little regard for their scarcity and end as waste products which are disposed to landfill or other means. Clearly this is unacceptable and organisations are looking, not only to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste, but work towards designing out waste and material use, and retaining any waste as a valuable material within the economic cycle.
This thinking is at the heart of the Circular Economy, and Governments and many organisations are now look to develop new business models which rethink material use.