The Six Principles to Create a Circular Economy | Eastman

The role of consumers

According to our 2023 Consumer Insights Report, millennials and Gen Z care deeply about the waste crisis. In fact, 83% say they’re very concerned about the increasing amount of plastic waste headed to landfills or being incinerated. And 79% are concerned about single-use plastics. But a similarly high amount (70%) aren’t convinced that the items they place in the recycling bin are actually getting recycled, and 65% express confusion about what can be recycled.

That’s not great news. Even though the desire to recycle is strong, it’s clear that the recycling system itself is instilling doubt and confusion, impacting recycling behaviors and, ultimately, the amount of waste we’re capturing to create a circular economy.

But to improve the system, we need everyone to keep recycling. According to Rubicon, 75% of our waste is recyclable, but Americans are only recycling 30%. And roughly 80% of the items buried in landfills could be recycled. Those are staggering statistics.

Although there are challenges with our current processes, 69.1 million tons of material waste was recycled in 2018. And the industry is moving quickly to improve and evolve the system to make it more effective. By continuing to recycle, consumers are diverting valuable “waste” from the landfill and helping these materials enter back into the circular economy. Because, with the capabilities of molecular recycling, it’s only waste if you waste it.

The role of companies

Brands and companies also have a critical role to play. As companies continue to set, strive for and reach their recycled content goals in packaging and products, the demand for recycled content will continue to grow. But alongside that, we need consumers to trust that the system works so that they continue to recycle.

As demand and trust grow, the recycling system becomes more and more robust. To help achieve this, companies should create products and packaging made with recycled content, design for recyclability and clearly communicate how to recycle packaging and products after use.

The role of policy

Not all advanced recycling is created equal. And many approaches — like Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies — have been lumped in with other chemical recycling methods, some of which are far less sustainable and may be more energy intensive or not circular, such as technologies that burn materials for fuel.

Because of this misunderstanding of these emerging technologies, current policy proposals tend to be cautious and restrictive. This hinders progress in the industry. However, if legislation adopted these six principles as a guide for policy, it would enable innovation in advanced recycling and allow sustainable technologies to thrive.

With molecular recycling, waste becomes infinitely valuable. We only risk not having enough material input if people don’t return the plastic waste back to the system. So there needs to be a shift in thinking. We have to start seeing what was previously known as “waste” as inherently valuable and design infrastructure and policy to aid in the collection of these materials. This will benefit communities and brands alike and create a more sustainable material infrastructure. Consumers have a role to play, but brands and policymakers hold the keys to set the circular economy in motion.

Keep reading to learn more about each of the six principles for the circular economy.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
   • Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled.
   • Indicator 12.5.2: Waste generated per capita.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • Indicator 11.6.1: Proportion of urban solid waste regularly collected and with adequate final discharge out of total urban solid waste generated, by cities.

The article addresses the issues of waste generation, recycling, and the circular economy. These issues are connected to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, which aims to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns. The specific targets under SDG 12 that can be identified based on the article’s content are Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.

The article also mentions the recycling rate and waste generated per capita as indicators that can be used to measure progress towards Target 12.5. Specifically, it states that “69.1 million tons of material waste was recycled in 2018” and highlights the need to improve the recycling system to capture more waste and create a circular economy. These figures can be used as indicators to measure progress towards the target.

In addition, the article indirectly addresses SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which focuses on creating sustainable cities and communities. The article mentions the importance of proper waste management and the need for companies to design products and packaging for recyclability. The specific target under SDG 11 that can be identified based on the article’s content is Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The indicator for this target is the proportion of urban solid waste regularly collected and with adequate final discharge out of total urban solid waste generated, by cities.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: eastman.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.