What is a “circular economy?”

The world’s economic system is currently based on an open-ended system of production, consumption and disposal, whereby valuable raw materials end up in landfills or polluting the environment.  In a world of limited resources and pollution space, it is essential that we begin to reduce inputs and throughputs and recycle waste outputs back into the production cycle. SSRF is focusing on the procurement end of the materials flow cycle, since this is where careful product choices can have a significant impact on waste streams. If, for example, all containers and utensils flowing through a restaurant are reusable or readily compostable, customers don’t have to decide in which bin to put their wastes. And if businesses can provide reusable containers for bulk products, needless wrapping and bags will not be necessary.