The term Circular Economy describes an economic model that maximizes the value of all materials and energy while also preventing waste across the entire product value chain. In a circular economy waste is reduced or eliminated, and the use of new resources is minimized by bringing traditional waste products back into production, by extending product life-cycles and by using renewable resources and energy. It’s unlike a linear economy, sometimes called the ‘take-make-waste’ model, which relies on large amounts of material and energy while producing a lot of waste.

The Circular Economy is a systems-based solution framework that can be applied at the local level to help businesses and communities implement sustainable practices and help tackle global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution.