Ask us how to build the circular economy, say scientists

Ask us how to build the circular economy, say scientists Governments and companies planning to pursue the circular economy need to involve scientists more directly, states a new report published by the International Society for Industrial Ecology, and led by UCL's Dr Stijn van Ewijk. The report, published today, draws attention to the weight of relevant expertise found in the field of industrial ecology, a discipline that has been focusing on the minimisation of waste, predicting the impacts of new products, and designing environmentally friendly systems for decades. The circular economy is  a model of production and consumption, which keeps products and materials in use. All forms of waste, including textiles, old electronics and scrap metal would be returned to the economy, or used more efficiently, extending the life cycle of products and reducing the impact on the environment. This contrasts with the current globalised 'linear' economy in which we extract resources, manufacture products, use them, and then throw them away. It's the first time these researchers - from the UK, the European Union, China and the US - have produced a guide, which sets out principles that are essential for policymakers and industry if the circular economy isn't to end up as meaningless hype - or worse, dismissed as 'greenwashing'. Dr Stijn van Ewijk (UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering), the lead author of the white paper, said: "The circular economy is seen as new, but we've been studying sustainability and what has been called an 'industrial ecology system' for decades.