Circular economy

 

 

What is the Circular Economy?

The Circular Economy is presented as a sustainable economic alternative to the linear economic system that currently dominates our economy system. It is an economic development strategy that seeks economic growth in a sustainable manner.

 Circular economy steps

Specifically, it pursues the following fundamental objectives:

  • Optimize the use of resources (materials, energy, time ...). Efficiency is sought at all levels, that is, using the minimum possible resources to obtain the best possible result.
  • Minimize the extraction of virgin resources. In a Circular Economy, a large part of the raw materials are obtained from discarded products. Reintroducing the products and their materials into the economic system avoids, to a large extent, the need to extract such resources from nature.
  • Prevent the generation of negative externalities. It is sought that the elements that are outsourced (such as waste, emissions, etc.) are reduced to the maximum and managed properly as they can be negative for both the environment and the economic system.
  • Promote and increase the resilience of the system. A system that tends to self-sufficiency can respond better to the unforeseen events that may occur. For this, it is necessary to minimize the dependence on fossil fuels and stop the alteration of the environment.

  

To achieve these objectives, the Circular Economy tries to maintain the resources (products, their parts, their materials and / or their energy) within closed cycles as long as possible: once discarded, they are collected and processed for their recovery and reintroduction into the economic-productive fabric. It is based on the processes of nature (biological metabolism) in which waste does not exist since the "residues" resulting from one process serve as nutrients for the next, resulting in closed cycles.

Another argument that makes possible the realization of the project is the progressive industrial reconversion, in which the traditional sectors are being replaced by others upwards. Nor should we forget the current context of crisis, in which factors such as innovation and sustainability gain relevance beyond mere communication, becoming key elements that enable the current viability of companies.