Innovation in the Circular Economy and Impact on CBM #2 Key Usages of Circular Economy

The circular economy addresses the issues of waste and resource depletion by implementing diverse business models. We can attempt to categorize them based on four frameworks: use (optimize value) - post use (retain value) - pre use (design to add value) and support use (facilitate circular economy).

Optimal utilization models prioritize the maximization of a product's usefulness by promoting shared ownership, leasing, or ensuring its continuous circulation.? iFixit is a platform that focuses on mending items. Product as a service (PaaS) refers to the arrangement where customers can utilize things by leasing them or paying for their usage on a per-use basis. For instance, companies like Hilti Fleet Management and Michelin Fleet Solutions offer services where customers are charged for electronic tools utilization or tires based on the distance they travel.

Once products have reached the end of their lifespan, the process of value retention begins, which involves recycling the resources and reintroducing them into the manufacturing cycle or repurposing them for alternative uses. Leboncoin, Vestiaire Collective, Gumtree, and Vinted are all second-hand platforms in different fields and geographic areas.

The focal point of the design is circularity, which involves producing items that are specifically designed to be disassembled, repaired, and reused, hence prolonging their lifespan. Fairphone utilizes modular structure and enhanced repairability to promote extended product ownership. Toyota Prius is designed to convert recycled automobiles into new products. Patagonia focuses on the recycled use of cotton.

Ultimately, circular support models comprise the necessary components of infrastructure, logistics, and education to guarantee a seamless deployment process and promote consumer awareness. Le Fourgon and Noww provide reusable glass bottles supply chain solutions, while Repair cafés offer repair services.

Collectively, these models constitute a comprehensive strategy that facilitates the shift from a linear system characterized by extraction, production, and disposal to a closed-loop economy in which resources maintain their worth and the concept of waste becomes obsolete.

1. References :

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• Fairphone: Fairphone is a smartphone company that designs its products to be easily repaired. The company also provides repair manuals and tools to consumers, and it has a network of repair partners around the world.

• iFixit: iFixit is a website and community that provides repair manuals and tools for a wide range of consumer electronics. The company's website has helped to make it easier for consumers to repair their own electronics, which has extended the lifespan of these products and reduced the amount of electronic waste going to landfills.
• Toyota Prius: The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle that is designed with recyclability in mind. The car is made from a high proportion of recyclable materials, and its design makes it easy to dismantle and separate different components for reuse and recycling.

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• Hilti Fleet Management: a solution developed by HILTI 15 years ago, which provides to construction companies an equipment at monthly fixed fees and guaranteeing full-time tools availability in case of damages or reduced effectiveness. The customer value is Higher productivity and better cost management.

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• Leboncoin, Vestiaire Collective, Gumtree and Vinted: these C2C product platform have achieved widespread success in just over a decade and become flagship firms in the sharing economy. ?They are online marketplaces where people can buy and sell secondhand goods. These platforms have helped to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills and to extend the lifespan of used goods.

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• Repair cafés are community spaces where people can bring their broken electronics and other items to get them repaired. These cafés are staffed by volunteers who can help people fix their items using donated tools and parts. Repair cafés have helped to reduce the amount of waste and to promote the reuse of electronics and other goods.

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• Patagonia: Patagonia has frequently used organic cotton in its product line and the quality is equal to or even better than conventional cotton (Casadesus-Masanell et al., 2009).

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• Le Fourgon, which entered the market in April 2021, has chosen to focus on distribution. It sells milk, soft drinks, beer, and wine online and distributes them to private customers in Lille, Nantes and Rennes (France). Another player in the market is the start-up NoWW, which has created a deposit box for collecting glass bottles and other reusable containers.

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2. CCEP’s commitment to building a circular infrastructure through partnerships like the one with Plastipak is paving the way for circularity

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Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) have engaged in strong infrastructure collaborations. Their plan to transition all 50cl PET bottles of leading brands to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) starting in April 2022 has required the coordination of the industry.

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CCEP has established a strategic partnership with Plastipak to provide a consistent and dependable supply of top-notch recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). Plastipak's extensive global presence and proficiency in plastic recycling guarantee a continuous flow of rPET that adheres to CCEP's rigorous quality criteria.

The cooperation aims to enhance the efficiency of collecting and sorting processes, with the goal of maintaining a steady supply of clean and usable plastic waste for recycling.

Both firms are dedicated to investing in advanced recycling technology to improve the quality and efficiency of rPET manufacturing through research and development.

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The magnitude of this collaboration's impact is substantial:

?????? Decreased environmental impact: By transitioning to rPET, the consumption of new plastic is reduced by 4,000 tons each year, resulting in a 70% decrease in carbon emissions per bottle.

·????? The program showcases the practical application of circular economy principles, illustrating how closed-loop systems may be effectively applied on a large scale to enhance resource efficiency and reduce waste.

·????? Market transformation: CCEP's leadership serves as a compelling model for other beverage firms and promotes broader implementation of circular methods.

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In addition to Plastipak, CCEP also engages in partnerships with waste management firms to establish effective collection and sorting systems in the areas where they operate.

?????? Consumer education: Promoting knowledge and understanding on the proper disposal of waste and the advantages of utilizing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET).

?????? Promoting policy changes that endorse the circular economy through public-private partnerships.