CIRCULAR
ECONOMY: A
COMPREHENSIVE
OVERVIEW
A NEW PARADIGM FOR
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
PRACTICES
Presented By - Avimukt &
Anuj
• Alternative to linear “take‑make‑dispose”
Definition model
• Extends resource value via sharing, reusing,
& repairing, refurbishing, recycling
• Decouples growth from finite resource
Conceptua consumption (EU Parliament)
• Regenerative, systemic approach (
l Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
Framewor BEYOND CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING
• Rethink design, consumption & disposal
k
CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY across the entire lifecycle
1.Design Out Waste & Pollution • Foster resilience, environmental health &
2.Keep Products & Materials in Use inclusive economic growth
3.Regenerate Natural Systems
Global Trend: Drivers &
• Massive Waste Growth: 2.3 billion t ofData
municipal solid waste in 2023, rising to 3.8
billion t by 2050; only 20 % recycled
• Resource Scarcity & Environmental Pressure
⚬ Finite resources depleting → supply‑chain vulnerabilities & price volatility
⚬ Circular strategies (reuse, remanufacture) cut raw‐material demand
• Economic Opportunity
⚬ US $4.5 trillion in potential benefits by 2030 (lower material costs, new service
models)
• Regulatory Momentum
⚬ Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), recycling targets, eco‑innovation
incentives
⚬ EU Circular Economy Action Plan → climate neutrality & resource efficiency by
2050
• Consumer & Market Shifts
⚬ Rising demand for sustainable, ethically produced goods
Supporting Data & Corporate
• Global Examples
Commitments
⚬ UNEP warns waste surge and calls for systemic circular transition
⚬ EU generates 2.1 billion t waste/yr; ramping up reuse & recycling policies
⚬ China investing heavily in recycling infrastructure & remanufacturing
⚬ E‑waste: 62 Mt in 2022 → 82 Mt by 2030 (ITU)
• Emissions Reduction Potential
⚬ Up to 40 % cut in manufacturing emissions for plastics, metals & cement by
2050 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
• Industry Sentiment
⚬ 75 % of manufacturing leaders deem circularity critical today; 95 % expect
this in 3 years
• Corporate Commitments
⚬ Apple: 100 % recycled metals in products by 2025
⚬ Patagonia: Worn Wear program for garment life‑extension
⚬ Holmris B8: Furniture take‑back & refurbishment scheme
ERRC Grid: Strategic
Blueprint
Eliminate: non‑recyclables, single‑use Reduce: virgin resource use,
packaging, toxins, planned emissions, logistics waste, water use
obsolescence
Raise: durability, recyclability, Create: circular business models,
sustainable materials, consumer reverse logistics, partnerships, digital
engagement traceability
Barriers to
Adoption
Entry: high capital, tech/logistics
complexity, supply‑chain redesign,
consumer inertia, regulatory gaps
Exit: sunk costs,
contractual/regulatory constraints,
reputational risk, loss of edge,
network dependencies
Transformative
Nature
• Lifecycle vs one‑way consumption
• Resource efficiency & waste
minimization
• Innovative design & business models
• Economic/environmental resilience
• Systemic collaboration & value
redefinition
Transformative
Key DifferentiatorNature
Lifecycle Approach vs.
Description
Extends product usability through repair, reuse & recycling
One‑Way Consumption instead of single‑use “take‑make‑dispose.”
Resource Efficiency & Closes material loops to cut virgin resource extraction,
Waste Minimization industrial waste streams, and pollution.
Innovative Design & Engineers products for durability, disassembly & recyclability;
Business Models enables leasing, product‑as‑a‑service, and sharing platforms.
Economic & Reduces supply‑chain risks and raw‑material price volatility;
Environmental strengthens organizational and systemic robustness.
Resilience
Systemic Thinking & Requires cross‑sector partnerships (manufacturers,
Collaboration policymakers, consumers) to integrate economic,
environmental, and social goals.
Redefining Value Moves from short‑term profit to long‑term resource
Creation stewardship, creating jobs in repair, remanufacturing, and
ecosystem restoration.
Indian
Sector Organization Examples
Key Initiatives
• 100% solid‑waste utilization
Impact
• Improved operational
at Jamshedpur & Kalinganagar• efficiency• Lower
Manufacturing Tata Steel Repurpose slag & dust in raw‑material costs &
cement, construction & carbon emissions• Meets
agriculture• Recycled steel global sustainability
scrap use benchmarks
Mahindra Reva • Battery lifecycle management • Supports low‑emission,
Manufacturing (Mahindra & recycling• Vehicles designed resource‑efficient
Electric) for durability & end‑of‑life automotive ecosystem
recyclability
• Digital platform linking waste • Streamlined waste
generators, collectors & operations for businesses
Services Recykal recyclers• Real‑time waste & municipalities• Enables
tracking & improved regulatory scalable, transparent
compliance circular systems
• Handled >47,000 t of
• Segregation, composting & waste (2024)• Significant
Services Saahas Zero recycling services• Data‑driven resource recovery &
Waste reporting & decentralized landfill diversion•
processing units Institutional
sustainability support
Failures & Lessons
Case LearnedWhat Happened Lesson Learned
Frito-Lay launched a compostable User experience matters—
SunChips bag in 2010, but consumer sustainability efforts must
Compostable Bag complaints about excessive noise align with consumer comfort
led to a drop in sales and a and expectations.
return to traditional packaging.
Faced backlash and legal scrutiny Transparency and verifiable
H&M Conscious for allegedly overstating claims are vital—green
Collection environmental benefits without marketing must be credible
sufficient evidence, leading to to maintain trust and avoid
accusations of greenwashing. legal issues.
Attempted to use recycled Circular innovation must
HP Circular Ink surgical wrap in ink cartridges, undergo thorough feasibility
Cartridge but the project was halted due to checks to ensure technical
Initiative technical and cost-related and financial viability at
challenges. scale.
Tools &
Category
Innovations Key Tools & Innovations
Design & Materials Modular products, biodegradable/upcycled materials, CAD, digital
twins, digital product passports
Production 3D printing for low-waste output, renewable energy integration
Digital Tools Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), asset tracking, circular economy
management software
IoT, AI & Blockchain IoT sensors for maintenance & logistics, AI for waste sorting,
blockchain for supply chain transparency
Business Models Product-as-a-Service, reverse logistics systems
Govt Support &
• Key Policies & Frameworks
Incentives
⚬ Plastic Waste Management Rules: Bans single-use plastics,
promotes recycling
⚬ Swachh Bharat Mission: Integrates waste segregation & urban
recycling
⚬ NITI Aayog Action Plans: Sectoral roadmaps across 11 waste
streams
• Sector-Specific Initiatives
⚬ Vehicle Scrappage Policy: GST incentives for using recycled parts
⚬ Critical Mineral Recycling: ₹1,500 Cr Budget 2025 support (e.g.,
lithium, cobalt)
⚬ Customs Duty Exemptions: For scrap materials & battery waste
• Financial Incentives & Schemes
⚬ MSE-SPICE Scheme: Capital subsidies for circular MSMEs
⚬ EPR Framework: Mandatory waste management for plastics, e-
waste, batteries
⚬ Budget 2025: PLIs, tax rebates & tech-upgrade support for circular
projects
• Programmatic & Start-up Support
⚬ Tax benefits for waste-to-energy & renewables
Growth Predictions & Outlook
• India’s Growth Outlook - $218B by 2030; $624B by 2050 (IBEF)
⚬ Growth in construction, food, mobility sectors
⚬ Driven by policy push & sustainability focus
• Global Market Potential - $4.5T economic boost by 2030
(Resortecs)
⚬ Recycled plastics: $88B by 2030
⚬ Surge in refurbished electronics & circular solutions
Key Growing Sectors Innovative Use Cases
- Electronics: E-waste & material recovery - Product-as-a-Service (PaaS)
- Automotive: Battery & vehicle recycling - Industrial symbiosis
- Packaging: Reusable & compostable materials - Advanced recycling technologies
- Textiles: Circular fashion & reuse - Digital platforms for secondary resource
management
- Construction: Recycled materials - Remanufacturing & refurbishment
- FMCG: Circular packaging - Product-as-a-Service (PaaS)
Conclusion & Road
Ahead
• Circular economy offers multi-trillion-dollar opportunities.
• Requires systemic redesign, stakeholder collaboration, and transparent
execution.
THANK
YOU
SO
MUCH!
Source
s
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