Technology
The circular economy
Why it matters commercially
Linear economies pay twice.
In a linear model a municipality pays to collect waste, pays again to bury it, and buys its energy and materials separately at market. Every step is a cost, and the liability compounds as landfill capacity runs down.
A circular model collapses those transactions into one facility that is paid to take the waste and paid again for what it produces. That is the whole commercial argument, and it is why the environmental case and the financial case do not trade off against each other here.
Key tenets
Four principles we hold ourselves to.
- 01
Resource efficiency
Maximize the use of resources by reducing waste and minimizing extraction through recycling, reuse and remanufacturing — partnering with existing recycling rather than competing with it.
- 02
Waste diversion and reduction
Divert waste away from landfill and incineration, conserving natural resources and minimizing the greenhouse gases and pollutants associated with conventional waste disposal.
- 03
Systemic thinking
Consider the entire lifecycle of products and materials, including their environmental and social impacts, rather than optimizing one stage in isolation.
- 04
Collaboration
Cooperation among businesses, governments and consumers to participate in the circular economy ecosystem and promote sustainable practice.
See how the loop closes in practice.