How can companies adopt a circular economy approach?

Adopting a circular economy approach involves rethinking how products are designed, used, and disposed of to minimize waste and make the most of resources. Designing products for reuse and recycling at the end of their life is a fundamental aspect of this approach. This means considering the entire lifecycle of a product from the beginning, which includes selecting materials that can be easily reused or recycled, creating designs that facilitate disassembly, and ensuring that the product can be effectively reintegrated into the economy after its initial use.

This design strategy not only reduces the environmental impact but also supports sustainable practices by keeping materials in use for as long as possible. It creates a system where value is maintained, and waste is reduced, which aligns perfectly with the principles of a circular economy. In contrast, focusing solely on production levels, increasing imports of materials, or limiting product offerings to new items only do not contribute to the objectives of a circular economy and can lead to resource depletion and increased waste.