Circular economy and the matter of integrated resources.

A circular economy offers solutions for global sustainability challenges through the transition from the linear take-make-use-dispose economy to a better organisation of resources. However, realising a circular economy has ran into various biophysical constraints. Circular economy implementation is shaped by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's butterfly diagram that depicts 'biological' and 'technical' flows as separate cycles, subsequently interpreted as organic materials circulating in open loop systems via the environment and inorganic materials circulating in closed loop systems within society. Conversely, in our view, resource flows often contain tightly bound combinations of organic and inorganic materials either due to their natural composition or due to their technical design. Building on this observation, a new diagram is proposed that broadens the scope of the circular economy to cover extractive sectors and the return of materials from anthropogenic use to natural reserves, thereby reshaping the conceptual space within which solutions such as effective zero-waste-residue technologies, business models, and policies can be developed for the optimal management of integrated resources from a whole-system perspective. The diagram offers a realistic outlook on the biophysical limitations of circularity and endeavours to inspire discussion that supports the transition towards a sustainable circular economy.

Quality of resources: A typology for supporting transitions towards resource efficiency using the single-use plastic bottle as an example.

The growing British waste management sector has consistently voiced the need to improve the quality of waste streams and thus the value of secondary resources produced, in order to achieve higher reprocessing rates. Mismanagement of wastes that may lead to contamination and degradation of the recyclate feedstock constitutes one of the main barriers in the pathway to a circular economy. The sector has also repeatedly called upon manufacturers to collaborate in designing materials, components and products (MCPs) with properties that aid recovery, refurbishing, repair and recycling (e.g. separabilty of materials, clear labelling), as waste managers recognise the value of early engagement well before MCPs enter the supply chain (i.e. before MCPs are produced and distributed to the end user). Nonetheless, progress has been slow with regard to improved design for promoting components and products longevity and segregation at source when they reach their end-of-use or end-of-life stage in order to promote circularity. China's ban on imports of low quality recyclates at the end of 2017 marked the beginning of a new era in waste management. It drew attention to UK's dependence on export of low-value secondary resources, placing 'quality' in the spotlight. This article delves into the notion of quality; how quality is understood and assessed at different parts of the MCPs lifecycle, and how it might be systematically measured. A typology to distinguish avoidable and unavoidable designed and created characteristics at all stages of MCPs lifecycle is proposed to provide industry with a tool to design wastes out of the economy. The typology's application is demonstrated using the single-use plastic bottles as an example.

Making the business case for resource recovery.

People altered the biophysical environment upon which they depend through the overexploitation of resources and growing waste generation. Action is urgently needed to return the resource economy within planetary boundaries and safeguard human well-being, by realising an increasingly closed-loop system that maintains values of materials and products within a sustainable circular economy. Innovative technologies and business models must be developed and implemented, requiring convincing "business cases" for industry and government; why should they be interested in adopting circular, resource recovery practices? Despite multi-dimensional challenges facing people and their environment, and the ability of resource recovery to contribute to restoring environment, society and economy, arguments for circular practices are often overly focused on economic aspects. Economic growth is not a panacea and this article supports the preparation of better arguments by presenting expert insights on 37 themes to consider for a resource recovery business case. The most important themes cover 1) Economic, social, environmental and technical value of resources and 2) Regulatory change; focusing business cases on these is likely to deliver positive impacts regarding all identified themes. The article synthesises the old "growth will solve it-" with a new "multi-dimensional challenges and solutions" paradigm, suggesting that resource recovery should support multi-dimensional growth to partly redistribute economic benefits to social and environmental values through the preservation of technical, functional value of materials and products. Writing successful business cases for resource recovery requires inter-disciplinary collaboration, and sustained effort to complete and translate business cases into measurable impacts through changed practices outside academia.