In the face of mounting concern for continuous environmental degradation attributed to human activities, the government and private sectors globe have been taken to task to examine all their actions in pursuit of prosperity and development.

Specifically, the ‘take, make, dispose’ industrial processes, known as the linear economy, and the lifestyle that feed on them have been scrutinised for putting pressure on finite resources just to manufacture products that will eventually end up in landfills or incinerators.

For all the good the linear economy has brought, a new direction towards a more sustainable future is inescapable. The circular economy model is a sustainable alternative to its linear counterpart. The concept refers to an industrial economy that produces no waste and pollution and whose systems are purposefully designed to be restorative and regenerative in nature for recycling and refurbishment purposes.

The circular economy first came into being in the 1960s in Europe when the concept of recovery, reuse, and recycle became popular. During this time, items such as glass bottles and compost of organic waste comprised 80 per cent of the total waste. The rise of the Industrial Revolution resulted in a remarkable change in waste generation and disposal.

With more plastic waste and less reuse, the volume of waste per capita increased significantly.

The concept of recycling was revived in the 1990s when the issue of scarcity of land to create new landfills around fast-expanding cities became more pressing. Dwindling land and resources as well as sustainability are driving innovation in waste management.

Why is it essential to adopt this paradigm shift? One reason is the growing solid waste management issue. In the UAE, for instance, an average resident produces 1.8- to 2.4 kilogram of waste per day, with 66 per cent of the total waste generated disposed in landfills. Dubai’s food waste alone accounts for 55 per cent of all waste generated in the Emirates.

The cosmopolitan city disposes of 1,850 tonnes of food every Ramadan; that is about one kilogram per resident. According to a report released by Eco-Waste Conference, about 29 million tons of rubbish will likely be generated in the UAE by 2017.

To reverse this destructive pattern, the UAE has been stringent in taking forward its ‘zero waste’ objective. The Emirates aims to divert 75 per cent of waste from landfills by reusing and recycling by 2021. Dubai authorities also promote the practice of reuse and recycle.

They estimate that the city recycles 25 per cent of its waste, which they hope to increase to 75 per cent by 2021.

Such a behavioural change is also prevalent in some parts of the Gulf, where the linear economy’s negative impact and sustainable waste management are dominating environmental discussions in the region. Oman seeks to establish 13 engineered landfills and 36 waste transfer stations nationwide to ensure environmental sustainability.

Saudi Arabia, which is projected to generate 25,000 tonnes of solid waste daily by 2020, aims to reinforce its waste management strategy and boost its recycling efforts.

The adoption of the circular economy is not unique in the region. In fact, the European Commission adopted a Circular Economy Package to accelerate the continent’s transition. Such a move is expected to boost Europe’s global competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth, and generate new jobs.

Targets include recycling 65 per cent of municipal waste and 75 per cent of packaging waste as well as reducing landfill to a maximum of 10 per cent of municipal waste by 2030. The Netherlands, for one, aims to recycle 50 per cent of all its household waste by 2022 compared to the current 23 per cent.

The country will also sort and separate 75 per cent of waste at the source.

Outside Europe, Japan has also moved towards a highly efficient circular economy by recycling the majority of electronic appliances and electrical products and recovering up to 89 per cent of the materials they contain.

Indeed, there are many challenges in adopting a circular economic model. Some stakeholders may feel threatened by its adoption, while some might argue that a completely circular flow of materials is beyond reach since no material or product is 100 per cent recoverable due to the complexity of industrial process.

For the latter, however, some encouraging signs are given by the industry in the upstream process.

Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that the circular economy offers numerous opportunities to ensure sustainability and long-term growth. The concept leads to reduced waste by minimising heavy dependence on imports of raw materials; greater resource productivity; a more competitive economy; sustainability in resource utilisation; more employment opportunities; and decreased environmental impacts.

Surely — in this age when waste is a growing problem — this concept will be a major boon to global sustainability efforts.

The writer is Executive Director — Environmental Services, Imdaad.