CIRCULAR GLOSSARY

Welcome in the world of circular terms and shortcuts.

The processes - such as composting and anaerobic digestion - that together help to regenerate natural capital. The only materials suitable for these processes are those that can be safely returned to the biosphere.

Biomimicry is the practice of applying lessons from nature to the invention of healthier, more sustainable technologies for people. Biomimetic designers (“biomimics”) focus on understanding, learning from, and emulating the strategies used by living things, with the intention of creating designs and technologies that are sustainable.

Materials that can naturally decompose into harmless substances when exposed to environmental conditions.

A systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. It is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials. Transitioning to a circular economy entails decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. This represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits.

A system in which materials are continuously recycled or reused, minimising the need for new resource extraction.

Designing products, services, and systems with circular principles in mind, aiming to eliminate waste and keep materials and products in use for as long as possible.

A design concept that aims to create products that can be fully recycled or biodegraded into nutrient-rich materials to feed back into the production process.

A form of metacognition being reflective about our thinking, questioning our worldview, taking it apart to better understand it and to ensure a baseline of quality, and developing the conceptual tools to be able to think for oneself. Critical thinking are what enable us to get beyond our own perspective to start to value and include multiple perspectives and from them start to see the broader systems we form part of. Critical thinking is about becoming aware of how our thinking shapes what we see, do, and the world we create which then feeds back to shape our thinking through an ongoing feedback loop.

The CSRD is legislation for sustainability reporting based on a new EU directive arising from the European Union's Green Deal. The Green Deal aims for Europe to become climate-neutral by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement formulated during the UN Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris on December 12, 2015, recognised by 194 countries and the European Union.

The ability of a product, component or material to remain functional and relevant when used as intended. Durability often applies to the physical attributes of a product (its ability to resist damage and wear), though with some products durability can be technological (for example the ability of software to be upgraded many times), and it can be emotional (for example the ability of certain clothes to stay desirable over time).

Down-cycling involves reprocessing materials, but without maintaining their original quality. Instead, the material gradually decreases in quality with each reuse until it reaches a point where it can no longer be utilised and ends up as waste.

Designing products with easy-to-disassemble components to facilitate recycling and reuse.

Eco-design, also known as sustainable design, is an approach to design that aims to minimise environmental impact and resource depletion throughout a product's lifecycle. This includes considering factors such as material selection, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and recyclability during the design, manufacturing, use, and disposal phases. The goal is to create products that are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation is the new new regulation that improves EU products’ circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects.

EPD stands for Environmental Product Declaration. It's a document you can create after doing an LCA. You might do this if a customer asks for it or if you want to register your product in a database. Sometimes, LCA reports have sensitive information like what a product is made of or where it comes from. An EPD is a standardised document that shares the results of the LCA for a product without giving away this sensitive info. The rules for making EPDs are in ISO 14025.

The EU Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives, which aims to set the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy. Source: European Council of European Union. Ecodesign or sustainable product design is a critical approach to product development that emphasizes environmental sustainability throughout the entire product lifecycle. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software plays a pivotal role in enabling ecodesign by providing quantitative insights into the environmental impacts of various design choices.

Extended Producer Responsibility is the principle that manufacturers bear responsibility for the environmental impact of their products throughout.

Materials that are non-renewable on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales.

The EU Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives, which aims to set the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy. Source: European Council of European Union. Ecodesign or sustainable product design is a critical approach to product development that emphasizes environmental sustainability throughout the entire product lifecycle. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software plays a pivotal role in enabling ecodesign by providing quantitative insights into the environmental impacts of various design choices.

The period of time from when a product is released for use after manufacture to the moment it becomes obsolete beyond recovery at product level. Examples include: metals and minerals; fossil forms of carbon such as oil, coal, and natural gas; and sand, rocks, and stones.

An economy in which finite resources are extracted to make products that are used - generally not to their full potential - and then thrown away ('take-make-waste'). It is a wasteful and polluting system that degrades natural systems.

LCA stands for Life Cycle Analysis. It's a globally recognized method used to assess the environmental impact of a product, process, or service from start to finish. The procedure is outlined in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. LCA examines every stage of a product's life cycle, including raw material extraction, production, assembly, use, waste, and transportation between these stages. This approach is often referred to as 'cradle-to-grave.' LCA considers various factors like energy consumption, emissions to air, water, and soil, waste generation, natural resource use, and other environmental impacts. It can be applied not only to individual products but also to entire organisations or any level in between.

Keep a product in its existing state of quality, functionally and/or cosmetically, to guard against failure or decline. It is a practice that retains the highest value of a product by extending its use period.

Simplifying product designs to reduce material usage and waste generation.

Designing products with interchangeable parts to facilitate repair and upgrade, extending their lifespan.

Materials that have been previously used. This includes: materials in products that have been reused, refurbished or repaired; components that have been remanufactured; materials that have been recycled. Also referred to as secondary materials.

Using minimal and recyclable packaging materials to reduce waste and resource consumption.

The Product Environmental Footprint, also the PEF methodology, is an important initiative from the European Commission. PEF changes how companies measure the environmental impact of their products throughout their entire life cycle. It considers both the supply chain and downstream activities. Rooted in the scientific approach of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), PEF introduces a standardised way to evaluate environmental factors.

Refers to the period that starts at the moment a product completes original manufacture and ends when the product is beyond any reuse or recovery at the product-level.

Product Service Systems offer products as services, such as leasing or sharing, to promote resource efficiency and reduce ownership.

Transform a product or component into its basic materials or substances and reprocessing them into new materials. Embedded energy and value are lost in the process. In a circular economy, recycling is the last resort action.

The ease with which a material can be recycled in practice and at scale.

Divert a product from its intended market to another customer so it is used at high value instead of becoming waste. For example, a supermarket can redistribute surplus edible food to a food-bank.

Return a product to good working order. This can include repairing or replacing components, updating specifications, and improving cosmetic appearance.

Regenerative production provides food and materials in ways that support positive outcomes for nature, which include but are not limited to: healthy and stable soils, improved local biodiversity, improved air and water quality. In agriculture, regenerative production schools of thought include agroecology, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture.

Re-engineer products and components to as-new condition with the same, or improved, level of performance as a newly manufactured one. Remanufactured products or components are typically provided with a warranty that is equivalent to or better than that of the newly manufactured product.

Energy derived from resources that are not depleted on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. Examples include: wind, solar, hydropower, hydrothermal, ocean (wave and tidal), geothermal, and biogas from anaerobic digestion.

Materials that are continually replenished at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of depletion. Examples include: cotton, hemp, maize, wood, wool, leather, agricultural by-products, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and sea salt. To fit in a circular economy such materials (where relevant) must be produced using regenerative production practices.

Operation by which a faulty or broken product or component is returned back to a usable state to fulfil its intended use.

The ease with which a product or component can be repaired. source: Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation REUSE The repeated use of a product or component for its intended purpose without significant modification. Small adjustments and cleaning of the component or product may be necessary to prepare for the next use.

Maximising the use of resources while minimising waste and environmental impact.

Supply chains dedicated to the reverse flow of products and materials for the purpose of maintenance, repair, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, or regenerating natural systems.

Up-cycling is the process of transforming waste materials or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or environmental value. Unlike down-cycling, where the quality of materials decreases with each cycle, up-cycling aims to add value to the original materials or products by giving them a new purpose or enhancing their functionality or aesthetics. It's a creative and sustainable way to repurpose items and reduce waste.

Materials that have not yet been used in the economy. These include both finite materials (e.g. iron ore mined from the ground) and renewable resources (e.g. newly produced cotton).

Refers to any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard.