The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions.
The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.
Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way
While resources are in-use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them a second life through take back strategies when applicable
Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling
Consider opportunities to create greater value and align incentives that build on the interaction between products and services
Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use
Use digital, online platforms and technologies that provide insights to track and optimise resource use, strengthen connections between supply chain actors, and enable the implementation of circular models
Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value
Develop research, structure knowledge, encourage innovation networks and disseminate findings with integrity