Circularity challenges the current economic model towards a sustainable future

Circular processes contributing to circularity can be grouped into 4 categories, from the most impactful to the least:
1. Reduce by design: reducing the amount of material used, particularly raw material, should be applied as an overall guiding principle from the earliest stages of design of products and services
2. From a user-to-user perspective: Refuse, Reduce and Re-use
3. From a user-to-business intermediary perspective: Repair, Refurbish and Remanufacture
4. From business-to-business: Repurpose and Recycle.

Read more about circularity at UNEP's Building Circularity platform.

Circularity diagram

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Chemicals in products

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Ndeye Fatou NDIAYE
As Chemical Waste Manager I am working on Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management problem solving skills. I determine the compliance obligations of the environmental business and health -safety at work; I also provide to companies the managerial,
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Robert J. Reinhardt
I am a sustainable business consultant, researcher & cross-disciplinary strategist focusing on establishing the business case for sustainability by driving sustainable innovations in businesses and international organisations through a science based approach. With a PhD in Environmental Engineering on sustainable business model innovation perspectives (going beyond the circular economy) for the emerging electric vehicle battery second use industries, I was able to highlight shared sustainable value creations for multiple-stakeholders and thus I was able to prove the economically viable business case for sustainability in the electric vehicle industry. I apply my academic and industry background in business, environmental science, and
Ran Xie
I am working on sustainable consumption and production and circularity in sectors such as plastics, electronics and textiles.Through my work I aim to ensure chemicals of concern are taken into consideration along the value chains of these sectors, which is also one of the pillars of UNEP's approach to promote circularity.I provide technical support to the GEF-funded project "Circular Economy approaches for the electronics sector in Nigeria". Under this project, I work with Nigerian partners and international stakeholders to promote environmentally sound treatment of hazardous chemicals in e-waste, as well as advocate best practices on the eco-design of electronic products.
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Dhrumil Soni

As we strive towards a better world, we work to ensure chemistry’s contributions are realized. Chemistry can help us to understand, monitor, protect and improve the environment around us.

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Valerie Daniela Murcia Rojas

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has great potential for use and generation, taking into account the technological progress of recent decades, but also the implementation of concepts such as obsolescence.

Bettina Heller
I am coordinating UNEP’s work on eco-innovation and circularity in different sectors. Through this work I aim to help governments and businesses to identify key strategic actions and implement those – be it through integrated policy frameworks or through novel business strategies. A ground rule for the circular practices I promote through my work is that they should be implementing sound management of chemicals, and pay particular attention to chemicals of concerns, with the objective to reach a non-toxic, circular model. The end goal is that companies are able to offer more sustainable, non-toxic products and services to consumers –
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Academic article

Incompatible trends - Hazardous Chemical Usage in Building Products Poses Challenges for Functional Circular Construction

July 2023
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Abstract: Based on a review of 2012 and 2016 data in the Nordic chemical database, SPIN, this paper is an assessment of the usage of REACH’s Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and Denmark’s List over Undesirable Substances (LOUS) chemicals in the building industry in Denmark. The paper is a status update of the 2016 Danish Environmental Agency’s report of the usage of hazardous substances in sustainable buildings, based on 2012 data from SPIN. The analysis focuses on change in tonnage of usage of chemicals found in twelve different construction product categories in SPIN, crosschecked with substances from the SVHC and the LOUS lists. The usage of some hazardous substances in certain usage categories has reduced from 2012 to 2016.

There is an overall trend indicating an increase of undesirable chemical in construction articles and preparations, which poses serious challenges for a functioning circular built environment. Findings indicate which construction categories and which chemicals are of particular concern for the current construction market in Denmark. The results underscore the essential need for transparency in building product content, in order for design professionals and contractors to make decisions that support the future use of the material or building element.

Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Topics: Circularity Chemicals in building products
Academic article

Rethinking chemistry for a circular economy

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ScienceDirect
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January 2020
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Earth is running out of resources needed for manufacturing materials such as chemicals, minerals, and petroleum. Thus, these components are available only at increasing economic and environmental costs. As an important contribution to a sustainable future, chemistry and its products must be adapted to a circular economy (CE)—a system aimed at eliminating waste, circulating and recycling products, and saving resources and the environment.Nearly 140,000 industrial chemicals are marketed worldwide, and new chemicals are becoming more complex (e.g., stereochemistry, functional groups)
Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Topics: Circularity Knowledge Management
Website

Building Circularity Platform

January 2020
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The Building Circularity Platform provides an understanding of the circularity concept, its scope and how it contributes to promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns. It also offers a wide range of resources and features stories illustrating how various stakeholders have successfully adopted circular approaches.
Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Topics: Circularity Knowledge Management
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