What is the circular economy, what is EU policy in this area and what can we do as citizens to make a change?

1. The Circular Economy

4. Circular Economy Model

5. “A circular economy is not just a linear
economy where we try to feed the
waste back into production, but a
complete reshuffle of the economy,
where the very concepts of liability
and ownership need to be redefined.”
Cillian Lohan, rapporteur: EESC opinion on the EU circular economy package.

6. The stardard model
of production and
consumption.
 Dig stuff out of the
ground
 Make things
 Throw them away when
you are fisinhed with
them
 Maybe a little recycling

7. We can extend the
life of many products
easily
If your car broke down
would you throw it away?

8. A second hand
market can give new
life to products
How many of us have
bought second-hand
 Bicycles
 Clothes
 Books
 Furniture
 Cars

9. You can extend the
life (and value) of
things by refurbishing
or upgrading them
by
•Add faster parts to a
computer
•Replace a scratched or
broken screen on a phone
•Accessorize clothes

10. Get repair parts from
old or broken objects
•Second-hand car parts
•Computer parts
•Furniture
•Bicycles

11. Minimise the amount
of waste that we
create
•By
•Prolonging the life of
objects
•Refurbishing older
products
•Using parts from
otherwise unrepairable
items
•Recycling the non-
useable parts of items

12. Recover scarce or
valuable materials
from what is left or is
end of life
•By
•Recover rare materials
from old electronics
•Re-use plastics and
metals

13. Maximise the lifetime
of products
by
Repairing
Reselling
Recovering useful parts
Recycling at end of life
Minimise waste
Maximise the
sustainability of products
by
Extending lifecycles
No built-in obselescence
Keep it local

14. Its not as easy as it
seems
 Safety
 Insurance
 Energy audit
 Grey/black economy
But it will create lots of
local employment

15. “It should be an economy where
“circles” are long-lasting, small, local
and clean.”
It could include
Hard Measures
• Economic instruments
• Eco-design directive
• Extended producer
responsibility
• Labelling of products/parts
• Reform of Insurance and
liability rules
Soft Measures
• Consumer change
• Community ownership
• Social enterprise
• Leasing or contract hire
• Repair shops

16. How do you create a circular economy?
• Design it in
– We need to incentivise good design
– Consumers need to support sustainable design
• Permit and encourage repairs
– Produce repair manuals
– Remove DMCA restrictions
• Train repairers
• Facilitate re-use
– 3D printing

17. Repairing has to be designed in
– not designed out

18. Electronics Cars

19. “The transition will occur when
consumers exhibit mass behaviour
change”
This family found an
innovative use for
some old ironmongery

20. A lot of the services are out there already

21. All that is left is for us to change our
behaviour…