A circular economy is about more than recycling. It is an economic system in which we maintain the complexity and functionality of a product for as long as possible, instead of breaking a product down to its base materials, incinerating it or dumping it as waste, once it has been used. A circular economy is based on closed material loops, which means that as little material as possible leaves the loop through incineration or landfill and only a minimal amount of new raw materials needs to be added.
Take a look at the short video from our colleagues of VITO:
An alternative way of visualizing the circular economy is the framework of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation:
