CORONADO, Raniella Bianca Y.

4ChEB
Towards Global Circular Economy: Rewriting the Rules for Industrial
Transportation and Its Relevance to Designing Out Wastes by Anthony
Halog, Ph.D.

Dr. Halog discussed about circular economy and its advantages over linear
economy which is the system followed by most of the companies all over the world.
Circular economy is designed to be regenerative and restorative like how nature
thrives where wastes of one organism is used or consumed by another. Hence, leads
to the minimal reliance to new or virgin raw materials for production unlike linear
economy which follows the take-make-dispose pattern. Raw materials are taken to
create products that will benefit consumers, but will end up as wastes after it has
lost its value or its functionality.
Circular Economys main goal is to maintain materials and their components
at their highest utility and value (World Economic Forum, 2014). According to Dr.
Halog, there are six principles in an ideal circular economy (ICE): all materials are
recycled indefinitely; all energy is from renewable or otherwise sustainable sources;
the integrity of the biosphere and its natural capital are supported and strengthened
through human activities; human culture and social integrity are supported and
strengthened through human activities; human health and happiness are supported
and strengthened through human activities; and resources are used to generate
value. Out of this six principles, the most remarkable overall objective according to
him is the imperative to create an economy that will efficiently manage and
recycle material flows and base its operations on renewable energy. This goal is
beneficial not only ecologically but financially as well. In 2010, about 65 billion
tonnes of raw materials were used in the economic system and it is predicted to rise
to 85 billion tonnes in 2020. With circular economy, this can be minimized since one
of the prospects of this system is for companies to use the by-products which are
considered wastes by other companies.
There are now some companies implementing this type of system like Speedo
which makes swimwear out of scraps from textile factories, Ford which makes
engine components from old floor mats, H&M which collects old clothes and recycle

them, and battery manufactures which make new batteries out of old ones. If all
companies adapt the system of circular economy, many of problems we are bound
to face in the near future like diminishing supplies and resources could be
minimized, if not completely resolved.