This strategic plan is about making the circular economy in Wales a reality.
The Welsh Government set out their commitment to use the powers and levers available to them to accelerate the transition to a circular, low-carbon economy. Wales is already doing well in terms of recycling, but further efforts are needed. The strategy recognises that resource use is key, and states that a circular economy is a critical element of a green and just recovery because it will reduce consumption and prevent waste.
The strategy lists 8 headline actions for delivering a circular economy in Wales, from helping Welsh businesses reduce their carbon footprint by becoming more resource efficient to phasing out unnecessary single-use items, especially plastic.
The Circular Valley® Forum 2024 will bring together more than 1 400 people from industry, business, politics, science and civil society.
They will evaluate the progress made in the transition to a circular economy, talk about solutions to current challenges and learn about new business ideas. As well as debate during the conference and over dinner, there will also be opportunities for bilateral talks.
This platform provides information and updates on two key projects:
CIRCWASTE ran from 2016 to 2023, and aimed to promote the efficient use of material flows, waste prevention and new waste and resource management concepts.
PlastLIFE is an ongoing project (2022 to December 2029), aiming to promote a sustainable circular economy for plastics.
The International Center for Resources and Innovation for Sustainable Development (CIRIDD in French) was set up in 2005. It aims to contribute to the emergence of new societal models which are more respectful of all living beings, future generations and the planet.
It promotes sustainable development, based on cooperation within organisations, regions and sectors, and its projects vary from local to international. It assists businesses, regions and industries as they shift to greener, more circular business models and strategies, helping them get to grips with the various impacts of their activities and promoting the product-as-a-service model.
The Green PLM® Conference 2024 will tackle Product Lifecycle Management.
It will explore IT solutions enabling manufacturers to establish an efficient data flow. This two-way flow will let them make their products' lifecycle as sustainable as possible - and then report on it, in accordance with EcoDesign and Circular Economy regulations.
TEXroad is a foundation set up to collect and manage data on textiles as efficiently and effectively as possible. The purpose of this collection is to promote and enable circularity in the textiles industry.
They have set up programmes on Paving the way to 2025 and Circular textile data flow, and published reports describing their activities.
Increasingly, plastic components are being used in vehicles rather than metal ones, as plastic is lighter. The automotive industry is gradually stepping up the percentage of recycled plastic to reduce its environmental impact.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is a non-profit research association active in the plastics industry. It has launched the SURFTOP Project to develop the use of recycled plastic in vehicle parts.
The Irish Government has just signed a framework agreement for the procurement of around 60 thousand remanufactured laptops, meaning that any public body can purchase some of these laptops through it. It's the first time that an EU Member State has implemented this type of GPP procedure.
