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"The term 'circularity' may just be one way to make us aware that we need a more encompassing, integrated and restorative sustainability path that includes people as much as technology and nature."-Michiel Schwarz.
A circular economy is intrinsically regenerative and restorative by design. This approach is about retaining the value of materials in the economy, hence the emphasis on plastic, a commonly used element in all our daily lives. The current plastic economy must be a circular economy that rejects waste, increases value, and employs plastic efficiently. Materials uniformly circulate in a closed-loop system, rather than simply being used once and then discarded. This simultaneously keeps the value of plastics in the economy without leakage into our natural environment. We can help conserve our environment, decrease marine litter and greenhouse gas emissions, and our dependency on imported fossil fuels!
One must ask, what have we been doing to implement this strategy? In 2018, the European Union adopted a plastics strategy, stating that all plastic packaging must be reusable or recyclable at a low cost by 2030. In Australia, all packaging will have to be made of recyclable materials by 2025. Switzerland is the first European country to introduce waste management regulations in the 1960s. Having over a 50% recycling rate, Switzerland's recycling success stems from its "polluter pays" principle, which stipulates that whoever creates nonrecyclable waste must also pay for its disposal. This rule applies to businesses and households alike, incentivizing each individual to minimize their waste and choose recyclable materials, calling for more credibility and accountability amongst its diligent citizens.
Even so, we all need to lead by example, not just the leaders at the top of the pyramid. Recycling should be the primary aspiration for all manufacturers and consumers. For example, we can recycle a PET bottle as often as needed, provided businesses and consumers -meaning you and me- are ready to live with a change in the material's colour and opacity. To move society away from the "take, make, dispose of" mindset, a fundamental rethink by all citizens is desperately required. Some habits that should be added to our routines as responsible citizens include:
1. Avoiding anything that is of single usage as it prevents its reuse;
2. Replacing plastic bags with versatile and resistant nets;
3. Avoiding purchases in plasticized packaging;
4. Opting for reusable bottles, cups, and flasks and
5. Saving glass containers such as bottles and jars for further usage.
The cleanest solution for humans and the environment is closing the plastic cycle. This treatment is justified because of its ubiquity, unique characteristics, and the dire need for an approach that integrates every part of its life cycle. As Michiel Schwarz has rightly said, "[...]circular approaches extend well beyond just limiting environmental impact. They take on a more systemic, cyclical view of how physical and biological processes, together with human interactions, give rise to sustainable living environments - forming a complete self-sustaining 'ecosystem', like a closed circle."
We, humans, are finding ourselves within this circle, not without. As dutiful, responsible, and cognisant citizens, the path of sustainability for us goes hand in hand with the five principles of a circular economy that must be applied to all spheres of an individual's life: rethinking, reducing, reusing, repairing, and recycling.
