Zero Waste Scotland’s Post

The creation of more circular economies can be accelerated by adopting a systems thinking approach and our new report provides a framework to think about this in practice - exciting times ahead!

Our work in supporting over 250+ businesses to adopt more circular economic practices has taught us a lot. We have definitely seen the ‘art of the possible’ and have been inspired by the innovation and business collaboration to take ideas through from concept to delivery. But one of the key questions I get asked by policy makers is around the lack of scalability of those early adopters and sector disruptors. Is this just a timing thing or something more specific? To address this ‘conundrum’ we developed a partnership with Stirling University to look in more detail into the challenges businesses face in adopting circular economic practices. What we found is now captured in this ground-breaking report, released today. It not only answers the questions around the current circular economy business growth challenge, but it also provides a commentary as to how we can not only ‘level the playing field’ but actually tilt the playing field to advantage the circular model over the linear one. At the heart of our economy is the business eco-system. Whether it is finance, skills, leadership, governance or even culture - we need to align all of the ecosystem elements to promoting, supporting and nurturing the greater adoption of circular economic practices. The circular economy will not arrive by happenchance – it needs designing and embedding in the core principles driving our economy. This means we need to focus on the right conditions for its growth and success – re-wiring the business ecosystem is therefore a good starting point. 

New Inquiry | Opportunities in the circular economy The Government has asked the Productivity Commission to undertake an inquiry into Australia’s opportunities in the circular economy – a strategy to maintain the value of materials for as long as possible and ensure materials are used efficiently across all phases of their life cycle. Our inquiry will identify priority circular economy opportunities and advise on how best to measure progress and address barriers. For more information, including the full terms of reference, please visit https://lnkd.in/g74YuGNa #CircularEconomy #ReUse #EconomicPolicy #EnvironmentPolicy #AusEcon #Economics #Environment

In November 2024 the UK government launched a Circular Economy Taskforce to support the government in creating a Circular Economy Strategy for England. We are pleased to announce that our very own Founder and Managing Director Dr David Greenfield has been appointed as one of the Circular Economy Taskforce members. The Circular Economy Taskforce’s expertise will enable the co-design of the first strategy to begin the transition to a circular economy in England. The strategy will: -support economic growth -create green jobs -promote efficient and productive use of resources -accelerate the transition to net zero emissions If you want to find out more about the scope and terms of reference check out: https://lnkd.in/dUV4Pa8C #CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyTaskforce

This new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Circular Economy Taskforce has some impressive names. But it’s missing representation from the most important group – consumers (aka people)! It's all of us who will be consuming less/ differently under the circular economy. Getting our views on policy design is essential. I can suggest some great people working with communities and different social groups across the country Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. https://lnkd.in/dVvsCciA

Happy Earth Day from the Centre for Future Materials! 🌏 The Centre for Future Materials at The University of Southern Queensland, through SIMPLE HUB and the NO WASTE pilot precinct, is working with industry to address both partner specific, and industry-wide challenges and barriers to the adoption of circular economy practices. Areas of research and development includes planning for end-of-life, diversion of waste from landfill, supply-chain gaps, and reduction in resource usage. These initiatives are applied to many sectors including mining and resources, clean energy, medicine, and consumer goods to name a few. 💡 One of the ways we’re engaging with these topics is through sharing our research at the recent CFM Virtual Research Seminar Series! CFM researchers Dr Jessica Feldman and Dr Matthew Flynn recently presented on their research as part of the NO WASTE pilot precinct, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day 2024 than to share their presentations with you!   ♻ Dr Feldman’s presentation 'Considerations for designing circular economy solutions' discusses the objectives and challenges of introducing circular economy in Australia and how these can inform solutions and research focus. She presents the topic of glass packaging recycling in the Queensland as an example of these challenges and opportunities. You can find her presentation here: https://lnkd.in/gHcNXYUG ☕ Dr Flynn’s presentation 'Considerations and challenges of plastic recycling' explores the different types of plastics currently in the market and how they can be recycled. He also discusses a case study of recycling difficult plastic waste: namely, coffee cups. You can find his presentation here: https://lnkd.in/gjghXm7b Interested in chatting with us further? Put a comment below, or come join us in August at the Climate Smart Engineering Conference where we’re partnering with Engineers Australia to to tackle the challenge of transition to net zero and material circularity. The seminar series is an opportunity for CFM researchers and HDR students to present on their work and share their knowledge. Keep an eye out for more recordings or join us at the next seminar on 12 June! Drop a line below or contact cfm@unisq.edu.au for more details. #centreforfuturematerials #cfm #researchseminar #composites #CFMNOWASTE #CFMSIMPLEHub #sustianability #earthday2024 #CSE24 #ciculareconomy

Our Environmental Science Institute (ESI) co-authored an E-book on circular economy. The Chapter is on "Circular Economy for Social Transformation: Multiple Paths to Achieve Circularity" take some time and read more on Circular Economy. https://lnkd.in/dWD-6zQ5

**UK's Largest Circular Economy Initiative Takes Off** The National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) programme, praised by Exeter's circular economy experts, marks a significant milestone for sustainability in the UK. This initiative is set to revolutionize the way we utilize resources by promoting practices that minimize waste and maximize value. NICER embodies the collaborative efforts of academia, industry, and government, aiming to create actionable solutions across multiple sectors. This ambitious programme is more than just a research endeavor; it’s a comprehensive approach toward embedding circular economy principles within the nation’s economic framework. Can we rise to the challenge of adopting a circular economy at scale? #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ResearchInnovation #UKInitiative #ResourceEfficiency #EnvironmentalImpact

I am sharing our contribution to the Circular Economy concepts

Today, AET’s Director of Operations Larry Freiburger was a panelist at Circular Economy Showcase: Canada's Hotspot for Business Innovation's “Looking Across The Pond: Learning from European and Canadian Experience” discussion. Topics discussed were Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), standardization, finances over principle ‘mentality’, carrot and stick approach, circular design, and other #CircularEconomy issues. Thank you to Circular Economy Showcase for inviting us to participate and connecting North American and European leaders—who are at the forefront of implementing Circular Economy initiatives. #CircularEconomyShowcase #green #ESG #SustainablePractices #Sustainability