Roisin Markham

Do we understand what a circular economy is?
Have you heard of the term? Do you know what it is?

We currently have a linear extractive economy. We take a natural resource, make something, sell it, use it, throw it away. Its easier to think about it in relation to products but it applies to services also. It applies to the places we live, work, learn and play in too. We are wasteful consumers, we want, we buy, we use, we dispose, or we hoard. We might recycle, re-gift, donate items to charities or clothing banks, fill the bottle banks, have a compost bin but we are still extracting more then we need in the global North. Even if you are living an enlighten zero waste existence what about the peripheral use of resources that you purchase and use – waste of packaging, shipping, transport and energy in that process?

I am not here to guilt anyone. I am sharing this by way of information, I’m on my own learning journey and as away to utilise my own resources I am sharing them here.

A circular economy is regenerative.

a circular economy aims to …focus on positive society-wide benefits. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Our local authority, Wexford County Council had an open Draft Wexford County Development Plan (2021-2027) a strategy and policy document for planning. It was good to see the circular economy addressed but it needed to go further. My previous blog post shared the two links to my submissions.

Ireland has launched a circular economy manufacturing led platform called CIRCULÉIRE. It holds great promise.

CIRCULÉIRE – The National Platform for Circular Manufacturing’s mission is to demystify, derisk, and deliver circular business model innovation by unlocking the value that resides in an Irish circular economy.

CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership created by Irish Manufacturing Research and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and EIT Climate-KIC with 25 Founding Industry Members.

Between 2020 and 2022, CIRCULÉIRE will take manufacturers and their supply-chains on a journey from linear to circular business models through baselining, auditing, business case development and deep demonstration innovation projects delivering significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) (Scope 1, 2 and 3) and in waste production across the network.

It’s knowledge library is a growing resource of information.

I am currently looking for business to do a case study on the circular economy and aligning to the SDGs. Contact me here if your business is interested.