Innovation: A team of UK scientists have made advances in self-fixing plastics! The team led by Bournemouth University developed a nanosheet called Mxine, which looks like powder to the naked eye. By adding chemicals to this, once broken and exposed to humidity, the bonds activate to bond broken plastic back together using glue-like properties! This amazing innovation could reduce virgin plastic production and plastic waste and open the door to a wide range of sustainable products.
Policy: Scotland has announced their Circular Economy and Waste Route Map. This map, developed with extensive engagement with the public, private and third sector, sets out 11 priority areas, to advance the circular economy and keep resources in use for as long as possible. This includes:
- setting new circular economy targets
- reducing the amount of food waste produced
- reusing construction materials and assets through a network of regional hubs
- minimising the carbon impacts from the Waste to Energy sector
These priority areas complement the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act, which was passed unanimously my MSPs in June 2024.
Research: Plastics in the environment can worsen the environmental and health effects of wildfires. Plastics are highly flammable which can fuel wildfires, make smoke more toxic by releasing compounds such as VOCs and dioxins and contaminate the soil and water with chemicals such as PFAS and flame retardants. Studies show the burning of plastics can cause harmful algal blooms in waterways which can contaminate shellfish and result in death for the people and animals who eat them. Not only this but the burning of plastics can affect the sun's radiation and cloud formation directly contributing to climate change on both regional and global scales!
Policy: 1 year into Romania's DRS, what's the result so far? Romania's DRS has been a resounding success! It has recycled 200k tonnes of packaging, with 98% of households aware of the DRS and 6/10 Romanians regularly returning packaging to collection points, demonstrating wide public support and usability. The EU has set key goals, to collect 75% of PET by 2025 and 90% by 2029, recycle 75% of glass and 60% of aluminium from 2030. With the DRS, Romania is well on their way.
Industry: Coca-Cola HBC has been instrumental in Romania's DRS. Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) should be industry led, taking responsibility for the waste they put on the market. Romania's DRS is managed by the national operator, RetuRO, which include a consortium of private companies and the Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests. Coca-Cola HBC joined this consortium through the industry association – Romanian Soft-Drinks Producers for Sustainability (APBRS). They have developed waste infrastructure, such as the Ploiești plant which operates on 100% renewable electricity and has state of the art decontamination technology to process recycled plastic, recycling 20k tonnes of PET annually into rPET bottles.
Debunked!🤦♀️
Myth: The circular economy is a new trend.
Fact: Circularity practices have always been embedded in human economies.
Share more, waste less!
We own stuff, use stuff, then dispose of stuff. We all have so much stuff! Let’s rethink ownership…
How can we rethink how we use resources, through more sharing, less ownership? How can resources, products and materials be used as much as possible, by as many people as possible to drive forward the circular economy?
What is the sharing economy?
When you look around your house, what do you see? Any products that you haven’t touched in months or even years? I know I definitely have some…
When we think about products, it’s important to remember that they have not been created in isolation. Involved in its creation is a very long, often global value chain, with a wide variety of environmental and social impacts. From the raw materials extracted from the ground which can contaminate waterways and contribute to biodiversity loss to the manufacturing process which can emit significant GHG emissions and produce large amounts of waste. Distribution chains can be a prominent source of microplastics and disposal can contribute to air, soil and land pollution while having socio-economic and human health effects.
So imagine these environmental impacts being generated for all the products each one of us buys, then they just sit, unused, in everyone’s home!
So, what is the sharing economy?
Fundamentally, the sharing economy is a Peer-to-Peer economic model. This means it connects individuals with other individuals to acquire, source and share goods, products and services that are currently not being used.
This is not a new concept! Sharing economies have always existed, but have been made easier with technological advancements of online platforms.
The benefits
Key tenets of the circular economy are to:
- Eliminate waste
- Circulate products and materials for as long as possible
For all the impacts described above which are multiplied for all the products sitting around unused, the sharing economy can reduce this exponentially. Let me explain.
Say 20 people live in a block of flats, does every single household need a vacuum? Imagine the materials and resources saved if there is a ‘tool library’, where residents can share items such as vacuum cleaners, drills, hammers or anything else. By sharing these items, the environmental impacts associated with its production only occur once. Instead of x20. The environmental and human health benefits would be huge!
It can also reduce waste. If you don’t need this product, that’s fine! Someone else may do. Through the sharing economy model anything that is not being used can be utilised by someone else. What happens without that? Well it just gets disposed of.
Another aspect not commonly talked about is the community building of the sharing economy. We live in a highly individualistic society, where consumerism, competition and division is rife. This has been proven to have effects on mental health and life satisfaction.
In contrast, the sharing economy fosters a sense of community and collaboration. It becomes less about who has the newest car or most expensive tool. Individuals come together to share resources and support one another in a more interconnected and inclusive society.
Companies pioneering sharing
There are many companies pioneering sharing across a wide range of goods, products and services.
For apparel, furniture and other products, I’m sure many of you are familiar with sites such as Vinted, eBay, and Gumtree. These sites allow you to resale products which you no longer use, often for cheap and sometimes for free! Even Facebook has its marketplace where a huge range of products are given away by individuals when they no longer need them.
For food, Olio springs to mind. This app allows you to give away food to neighbours, when you know you won’t eat it and it may go off. Not only does this reduce food waste but generates cost-savings for individuals in these difficult economic times.
For accommodation, look no further than Trusted Housesitters. This platform matches travellers with people who want their house or pets looked after while they are away. It’s a win-win! Beloved houses and pets get attentive care and travellers get unique homestay experiences.
For transport, ridesharing companies such as Uber and Grab which match passengers with drivers with vehicles to hire are popular. Zipcar is a carsharing company which allows you to hire nearby cars and vans for minutes, hours or days. In UK cities, zipcar rentals have reserved parking on the street, making it incredibly accessible.
So next time you want to buy something new, why don't you look to these platforms to see what you can share, saving resources in the process!☺️
Find me at...
🎤 Edie 25 in London, 26th-27th March. On the first day I'll be joining a panel about how we can turn the tide on single-use plastics.
Come say hi!
What did you think of this edition of Circular Digest? If you have any thoughts, questions, or ideas for future content, reply to this email. 😊
See you next month!
Kayleigh
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Kayleigh Lee-Simion
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