A circular economy is an economic model that moves away from the traditional “take, make, dispose” system and instead keeps materials in use for as long as possible, extracting maximum value before recovering and regenerating products at the end of their service life.
1. Design out waste and pollution
2. Keep products and materials in use
3. Regenerate natural systems
Industries implement circularity through remanufacturing, modular design, repair services, and closed-loop recycling. These practices reduce raw material demand and lower lifecycle emissions.
Circular products are built for durability, disassembly, and repair. Materials are selected for recyclability and safe reuse, and waste is viewed as a design flaw rather than an inevitability.
The shift to circular systems can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, conserve biodiversity, and create resilient supply chains. It also opens up new economic opportunities through circular business models.
Many countries are adopting circular economy strategies, including extended producer responsibility (EPR), zero waste cities, and green public procurement. Innovation hubs are developing technologies for material tracing, product-as-a-service, and biological/technical loop integration.