In the traditional, linear economy, products are usually incinerated or disposed after use. As a result, the resources and materials in these products are lost. The circular economy, on the other hand, aims to close material cycles to material loops - even at the product development stage. Products are needed that can be easily reused, shared, repaired and recycled in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, coffee can be turned into ballpoint pens and old fabric into new bags.

We use resources every second in our lives – the clothes we wear, the apartment or house we live in, the energy we use, the food we eat, the technical devices we employ. The more things we gather around us, the more we tend to forget about their origin and production. Besides the actual processed material, many by products and other goods are used, such as water, air or soil. Therewith, the use of resources implies not only the extraction of materials from the environment, but also pollution, land use, land degradation and emissions across the entire value chain of a product [1].

Introduction

„The European Commission adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package (furthermore: CEP), which includes measures that will help stimulate Europe's transition towards a circular economy, boost global competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs.”