Why is it so important to follow a circular economy strategy?

One of the main objectives of Defeder is that the management model of the Circular Economy strategy that we apply is replicated by as many entities as possible. To do this, we make society aware of why this model has greater advantages than the “famous” linear economy model.

The Circular Economy is an economic concept that is interrelated with sustainability and whose objective is that the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, minimizing the generation of waste.

The circular economy is sharing, reusing, repairing and recycling materials and products as many times as possible to create added value. In this way, the life cycle of the products is lengthened.

The waste of some becomes resources for others. The product must be designed to be rebuilt. The circular economy manages to convert our waste into raw materials.

The circular economy is based on several principles:

– Eco-conception: the environmental impacts are considered throughout the life cycle of a product, integrating them from its conception.
– Industrial and territorial ecology: establishment of a mode of industrial organization in the same territory characterized by optimized management of stocks and flows of materials, energy and services.
– Economy of functionality: use prevails over ownership, as well as the sale of a service over the sale of a good.
– Second use: reintroduction into the economic circuit those products that no longer correspond to the initial needs of consumers.
– Reuse: reuse waste or parts of it for the production of new products.
– Repair: find a second life for damaged products.
– Recycling: use of materials found in waste.
– Recovery: energy use of waste that cannot be recycled.

The advantages provided by the adoption of Circularity in the field of the global economy are indisputable. In this sense, the benefits generated in the five areas outlined below stand out:

– Economic growth
– Net raw material cost savings
– Value creation
– Employment creation
– Innovation

We currently live in a situation in which the increase in the demand for raw materials and the scarcity of resources is increasing. Therefore, more emphasis must be placed on following this strategic model that provides us with benefits both as an entity and as a society. Next, we are going to graphically illustrate the linear model versus the circular model to understand the differences: