Objectifs and Realities of the Circular Economy

The circular economy (CE) can be defined as the antonym of a linear economy that converts renewable and non-renewable natural resources into waste via various re-transformation processes, and leads to environmental deterioration due to uncontrolled resource extraction and widespread waste pollution.

The emergence of the circular economy stems from the limits of growth in industrial societies, and reflects the fact that we cannot consume more than we replace. The circular economy aims to minimize negative effects on the environment, limit waste and restore damage. An industrial symbiosis is thus sought through the 4Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover) to reflect the need to improve resource productivity. It is implemented mainly in three areas: supply by economic players, consumer demand and behavior, and waste management. However, there is no precise, exhaustive and universally recognized definition of the circular economy. This is due to the fact that the concept has been appropriated by numerous communities of players who analyze, promote or implement it. As a result, the presentation of its strategies can vary, as the circular economy's ambition to promote sustainable development places it at the heart of economic debate and public policy. Diverse interpretations can lead to a variety of criticisms, notably of its theoretical underpinnings deemed heterogeneous, its inability to truly ensure circularity, its sometimes contradictory objectives, its very limited consideration of societal aspects and its inability to control rebound effects.

The circular economy is a key component of the ecological transition aimed at moving away from a linear model that is inevitably running up against the depletion of the planet's resources. Fears about the availability of resources in a finite world have been growing ever since the publication in 1972 of the Meadows report The Limits to Growth. Although the scenario of short-term depletion of essential and strategic non-renewable resources can be ruled out, major risks to their supply are real, given growing demand and geopolitical tensions. In addition, ore grades are steadily decreasing for common metals, and the environmental and energy impacts of mining are becoming increasingly significant. Consequently, the recycling of materials from end-of-life manufactured objects is likely to enable the recovery of critical elements to ease tensions on supply. However, recycling technologies need to improve in order to resolve some of the problems associated with the dispersion of chemical elements in manufactured products, and to limit contamination in materials produced by recycling. Controlling the microstructures of secondary materials is also essential in order to avoid decycling processes.

Practical implementation...