Targeting Zero

3Recycling, reuse and the circular economy

Overview

A circular economy is defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation thus:

…restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times. The concept distinguishes between technical and biological cycles.¹

For more information see the Ellen MacArthur website, which covers the circular economy in excellent detail.

In the built environment, an analysis of the carbon impacts of reuse and recycling in comparison to the use of new material helps to quantify the benefits of circular economic thinking. A fundamental principle of a low carbon, circular economy should be to maximise beneficial recycling wherever possible. ...