Circular Economy and Sustainability: the Past, the Present and the Future Directions

Potentially dramatic changes in the organisation of the food system are being driven by both consumers and producers. Consumers are demanding higher quality produce and more direct connection to producers. For farmers, more extreme weather events and global competition are increasingly making industrial agriculture less economically viable. This paper explores how circular economy (CE) debates might contribute to, and support, the changes needed for a sustainable future. Full compliance with the three objectives of a CE identified by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation might help to describe a sustainable and circular food future. An analysis of the food system is therefore carried out to determine how food systems may be organised to (a) design out waste and pollution, (b) keep products and materials in use and (c) regenerate natural systems. One critique of CE debates is the failure to explore systemic shifts and possible futures that are not an extrapolation of current conditions. This analysis of the food system points to the need for a decentralised network of diverse, polyculture farms, each with integrated energy and water micro-grids, and managed at a local level. Co-locating food producers with food consumers, as much as possible, creates an integrated village system at the food-water-energy-housing nexus. Villages may then be networked to enable collaboration for sharing of rarer skills or the satisfaction of more complex needs and wants, forming a trading network of circular economy villages. It is therefore posited that the transition to a fully circular economy will require a paradigm shift-another agricultural revolution-the transition away from large-scale industrial agriculture to a decentralised network of circular food systems.

Section: Revisiting Circular Economy Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Keep Materials Circulating and Regenerate Natural Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular Food Futures: What Will They Look Like?

Liaros

2021

“…The joint agenda of implementing circular economy and sustainability in all future waste management systems calls for an efficient and suitable technology for COVID-waste handling [ 23 , 24 ]. Pyrolysis will serve as an alternative and arguably a sustainable technology to handle the present COVID-waste stream in short term and long term.…”

Section: Pyrolysis: a Promising Resource Resurgence Route For Covid-wastementioning

confidence: 99%

Resource Resurgence from COVID-19 Waste via Pyrolysis: a Circular Economy Approach

Debnath

Ghosh²,

Dutta

2021

Since the end of 2019, COVID-19 pandemic has affected 220 countries and currently majority of the world is facing the wrath of the second wave. One of the outcomes of the ongoing pandemic is the generation of huge amount of solid polymeric “COVID-waste” comprising medical waste, personal protective equipment (PPE) waste, packaging waste, and other household waste with potential infectious components residing on it. Thermochemical route is the preferred treatment and effective way of disposal of such infectious polymeric waste. Typically, incineration is employed to ensure complete destruction of the pathogens which is not a resource-efficient method. Pyrolysis is a sustainable alternative which can handle the present COVID-waste stream in short-term and long-term yielding valuable fuel and material products. Recently published literature in this avenue have clearly shown the versatility of this technology in efficiently handling both mono and mixed stream of polymers. Based on facts, we propose a resource resurgence framework that utilizes pyrolysis as the core conversion route for effectively handling COVID-waste streams. Our framework suggests how these plants can be operational and helpful in generation of revenue in post-pandemic times as well. We expect that the conscientious adoption of pyrolysis will certainly lead us towards a circular economy paradigm.

“…The circular economy is a system which aims to separate the human economy from its reliance on non-renewable resources, placing emphasis on restorative instead of wasteful industry models and ceasing dependence of economic growth on use of virgin materials [3]. As a tool for achieving sustainability goals [4], the aim of circular economy is the transformation of the current linear economy to a more circular conceptualisation. An extensive body of literature regarding circular economy exists, with more focus on engineering and natural science solutions than economic and management solutions to issues with scopes ranging from micro (firm level; products) to meso (cooperation between firms; resource loops) to macro (city, region or national levels; life cycles) levels [4,5].…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a tool for achieving sustainability goals [4], the aim of circular economy is the transformation of the current linear economy to a more circular conceptualisation. An extensive body of literature regarding circular economy exists, with more focus on engineering and natural science solutions than economic and management solutions to issues with scopes ranging from micro (firm level; products) to meso (cooperation between firms; resource loops) to macro (city, region or national levels; life cycles) levels [4,5].…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Unique Perspective of Materials, Practices and Structures Within the Food, Energy and Water Nexus of Australian Urban Alternative Food Networks

Cronin

Halog

2021

Established and emerging alternative food networks (AFNs) are providing developments to circular economy within the Australian urban food system. In identifying and evaluating areas of AFNs providing positive externalities contributing to circularity, this systematic review provided an engineering and management science perspective on AFNs. Key foci were urban agriculture, emergent technologies, community gardens and prosumer practices and how their use of food, energy and water affect sustainability, ecosystem services and cleaner production in the transition towards a circular economy. Analysis of how flows through the food-energy-water nexus were utilised from food production, consumption and distribution processes was one aspect of this review. Alternative food networks are not always inherently benign; however, efficient and informed use of technologies and best practices have the potential for significant reductions in the current environmental impact of urban agriculture, community gardens, farmers' markets and supply chain advocates. AFNs within the urban food system promote environmental benefits through innovative and diverse incorporation of resources, energy, technologies, practices and structural dependencies. This study reviewed the state-of-the-art of features of AFNs that create value both for the prosumer and for the environment. Concepts identified within this review can pioneer the transition of the food network from the current high-impact state into a low-impact future in a predominantly productivist system. In creating value in AFNs by lowering associated economic, energy, area and resource costs, and making AFN systems more resilient, self-sufficient and localised, a circular economy can be grown, even from one's very own backyard.