In the guide below, we list some of the potential pros and cons of a circular economy.
Summary – Pros & Cons Of A Circular Economy
Firstly, What Is A Circular Economy?
Potential Pros
There’s A Range Of Practices Available That Might Help Make Economies More Circular
Some Practices That Might Be Used In A Circular Economy Are Already Used Now
Some Products, Materials & Waste Are Compatible With A Circular Economy
May Have Economic & Social Benefits
May Have Sustainability & Environmental Benefits
Potential Cons
The Definition Of A Circular Economy Can Vary
A 100% Circular Economy May Be Impossible To Achieve
Not All Products, Materials & Waste Are Compatible With A Circular Economy
May Have Economic & Social Drawbacks
May Have Sustainability & Environmental Drawbacks & Issues To Consider
Potential Pros Of A Circular Economy
There’s A Range Of Practices Available That Might Help Make Economies More Circular
Examples of these practices include, but aren’t limited to preventing or reducing waste (including zero waste practices), reusing, repurposing, upcycling, downcycling, recycling (including closed loop recycling), and more.
Some Practices That Might Be Used In A Circular Economy Are Already Used Now
We already use all or some of the above practices in some capacity in many countries across the world.
wikipedia.org lists some of the countries that already rank highly for their current efforts in shifting towards a circular economy.
Some Products, Materials & Waste Are Compatible With A Circular Economy
As just one example, some metals such as steel and aluminum have good recycling rates, and therefore are regularly recovered and re-used.
As another example, there’s a range of products that are designed and manufactured to be reusable, such as drink bottles, containers, bags, and so on.
May Have Economic & Social Benefits
Economic
– Creating additional economic value out of materials that are reused, that would have otherwise been discarded (to landfill for example) and no longer contributed value to the economy
– Creating new, additional or increased income streams from the range of practices used in a circular economy, such as recovering or reusing waste just as a few example
– Contributing to the economy with circular waste management practices and the economic activity it creates
– Potentially saving money in various areas of the economy
One example might be saving money that would otherwise be invested into waste management options like landfill
Another would be potentially saving on costs to clean up the environment in addition to pollution caused by waste
wikipedia.org mentions that one report indicates that the EU manufacturing sector could ‘… realize net materials cost savings worth [in the hundreds of billions of dollars …’
Social
– New, additional or increased employment from various circular economy practices such as reuse, recycling, and so on
May Have Sustainability & Environmental Benefits
– May Help Address Resource Depletion
Some practices used within a circular economy, like preventing waste generation, using less resources and inputs, using renewable and clean resources over finite and dirty resources, using materials and resources for longer (and designing them to have a longer lifespan), and recovering and re-using resources, might help with the sustainable management of resources, and therefore might help address the depletion of some resources.
If less waste is sent to landfills, there may also be less concern with landfill space running out, and there may also be more land to use for other land uses.
– May Help Address Some Environmental Issues
Some practices like using less resources and inputs, and manufacturing and consuming less, might lead to less emissions, less pollution, and also help address other environmental issues.
In some instances, circular economy practices may also lead to economic growth having less impact on the environment.
Potential Cons Of A Circular Economy
The Definition Of A Circular Economy Can Vary
Different groups have slightly different definitions for what constitutes a circular economy.
There isn’t one uniform definition or set of definitive guidelines on how a circular economy should work.
A 100% Circular Economy May Be Impossible To Achieve
Some reports argue that only some aspects of a circular economy are realistic to achieve, and that an economy can’t be 100% circular.
One reason for this might be that the lack of a uniform definition for what constitutes a circular economy can be a challenge when effectively executing on systems and practices that might contribute to a circular economy.
For example, in some countries, circular economy as a concept is just a tool, and in other countries, aspects of it might be integrated into policy.
Another reason is that there might be a range of practical and technical challenges and barriers in using circular practices, and also keeping some types of waste in circulation.
wikipedia.org illustrates some of these barriers by mentioning that ‘… CE decision-making remains a highly complex exercise with no one-size-fits-all solution …’
Circular practices can also be costly, and risky to implement for businesses when they haven’t previously been tested.
Some evidence that a fully circular economy might be hard to achieve might have been provided by wikipedia.org, who noted that ‘… [a 2020 report claimed] that the world is [only] 8.6% circular, claiming all countries are “developing countries” given the unsustainable levels of consumption in countries with higher levels of human development’
So, linear economic practices might still make up a lot of economic activity worldwide.
Not All Products, Materials & Waste Are Compatible With A Circular Economy
A few examples of this might be:
– Not all products or materials can be re-used, or have a long lifespan
– Some types of waste may not be suitable for recycling, or reuse, and may be best managed by being discarded to landfill
May Have Economic & Social Drawbacks
Economic
– Not all materials make economical sense to reuse or repurpose, and not all types of waste are economically feasible to reuse or recycle compared to other options like discarding to landfill, or manufacturing a material or product new
– Gains in economic output in some areas like reuse and recycling, might be offset by losses in other areas such as landfill disposal and management
Social
– If less waste is sent to landfills, this may lead to less employment in the landfill management sector
May Have Sustainability & Environmental Drawbacks & Issues To Consider
– There’s Some Debate Over The Real Sustainability Impact Of A Circular Economy
For example, wikipedia.org mentions that ‘… there is a lack of clarity as to whether the circular economy is more sustainable than the linear economy, and what its social benefits might be …’
– Other Waste Management Options Might Be Better Than Recycling, Reuse & Other Practices Used In A Circular Economy
In some instances, it may be more sustainable and environmentally friendly to discard waste to landfill compared to other options that keep the item or material circulating in the economy.
As one example, the resources used, and the environmental impact of trying to keep materials in the economy by reprocessing them, might be greater than simply discarding them, and making the same material or item new.
– May Not Be Able To Fully Decouple Economic Growth From It’s Impact On The Environment
Additionally, some reports indicate that the circular economy concept may aim to help decouple economic growth from it’s impact on the environment.
However, other reports say that that might be unrealistic to achieve in some ways.
Sources
1. Various ‘Better Meets Reality’ guides
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_economy
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