Various studies on the current state of the planet have shown that an immediate shift is needed from a linear economic model to a restorative and regenerative one, one that ensures products, components, and materials maintain their maximum usefulness and value for as long as possible.
And that's why the Circular Economy (CE) was born, a model based on the combination of the concepts of economy, environment, and society, which, through collaboration between the public and private sectors, seeks the sustainable development and growth of the planet.
The EC is not a utopia, in fact it is already a reality implemented by the European Commission in 2015 through its EC Action Plan (2015). For its part, Spain has also committed to this practice and has enshrined it in the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy "España Circular 2030" (EEEC).
Here's everything you need to know about the circular economy:
What is the Circular Economy?
In Spain, CE is defined as an economic system in which the value of products, materials, and other economic resources lasts as long as possible, promoting their efficient use in production and consumption, thereby reducing the environmental impact of their use, and minimizing waste and the release of hazardous substances at all stages of the life cycle, where appropriate through the application of the waste hierarchy.
This definition determines where the Government wants to go in terms of sustainability and has therefore established a basis for Good Practice actions that meet the objective of facilitating the transition towards a CE and which are reflected in the Catalogue of Good Practices for the Circular Economy (BPEC).
General Principles of Circular Economy
To identify an action as a BPEC, it must be based on established general EC principles and meet the minimum circularity criteria defined for each area of action.
- Rethinking and taking responsibility: Renew current models in all areas of action (design, production, consumption, use, business, waste management, etc.) to contribute, directly or indirectly, to the transition to eco-consciousness. Assume responsibility (social, economic, and environmental) for the impacts resulting from the decisions and activities of each action. Dematerialize or virtualize, share, redesign with eco-design criteria, and virtualize.
- Reduce: Increase resource efficiency in manufacturing and shift to more circular resources. Address real needs. Increase product lifespan and performance by avoiding substitution with newer ones. Substitution of hazardous substances and substances of very high concern.
- Re-use: Reuse of a product that is still in good condition and fulfills its original function for the same purpose for which it was designed
- Repair and/or update: Repair and maintenance of a defective product so that it can be used for its original purpose. Refurbishing an old product and bringing it up to date (as specified for its quality level).
- Recover: Obtaining secondary raw materials (SRM) and fundamental raw materials (FRM).
- Re-manufacture: Using waste or parts of waste in a new product (and in a new condition). Using by-products and products with a by-product declaration and/or end-of-waste declaration. Reprocessing materials used in landfill operations.
- Recycle: Recovering materials from waste for reprocessing into new products, materials, or substances, either for the original purpose or for other purposes. Includes reprocessing of organic material, but does not include energy recovery.
