Moving Towards the Circular Economy in Ireland
Abstract
There is increasing recognition of the potential benefits for economies and societies of moving away from a ?make-use-dispose? model towards adopting a circular economy, thereby maximising resource efficiency and environmental protection. A circular economy is one in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life. \nIt is an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design, and which aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, distinguishing between technical and biological cycles (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2015a). A fully circular economy requires a systemic and transformative approach to production and consumption that effectively designs out waste and keeps materials and resulting products in use for as long as possible (World Economic Forum, 2015). A key building block for the circular economy is resource efficiency and efforts to reduce waste. Ireland?s policy on waste management, A Resource Opportunity: Waste Management in Ireland (DECLG, 2012) focuses on resource efficiency and the virtual elimination of landfilling of municipal waste. The National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP) as well as many other actions relating to waste, water and energy resource efficiency- including, the EPA?s Be Green Programme, and Regional Waste Management Plans?are also integral to the…
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