How The World’s First Circular City Plans to Eradicate Waste
Amsterdam’s circular economy strategy
What is the circular economy?
In a circular economy, goods are designed to be reused, repaired, or recycled instead of being thrown away. By extending the lifecycle of goods, the circular economy reduces pollution and waste, and can even boost economic growth.
The circular economy fundamentally differs from the traditional linear ‘make, use and dispose of’ model in that it emphasises recovering or regenerating products and materials at the end of their useful service lives. The circular economy is more than just a synonym for recycling, encompassing options for minimising waste throughout the system, not only at the ‘end’ of a product’s life.
An efficient circular economy involves keeping manufactured goods in operation for as long as they fulfil a useful purpose, maximising their economic value. When they cease to be useful, components are either re-used, repaired or recycled.
