The Circular Economy

The World Health Organization conducted a review of the circular economic framework and its potential impact on issues of global health. This review includes seven case studies, three of which are intricately linked with Environmental Health.

• E-Waste

• Chemicals of Concern

• Food Safety

Using the DPSEEA model to assess health impacts of the circular economy, the report provides a detailed "rapid assessment" of specific circular economy activities and how they may positively or negatively impact health. For example, the activity of remanufacturing or refurbishing to design "circular buildings" can directly lead to improvements in air quality and removal of toxic chemicals (WHO, 2018b). Bottom-line conclusions indicate that direct and indirect health benefits will be seen from transitioning toward a circular economy, but negative health impacts could also occur if proper policies and safeguards are not established. These relate specifically to:

• Proper monitoring of recycling

• Waste-water reuse practices

• Job security due to reduced use of primary resources (WHO, 2018b).

Research can and will take place as transition efforts toward a circular economy system continue to emerge and affect change around the world.

While the EU has been the pioneering government to intentionally incorporate Circular Economy terminology and policies into its legislation, the United States is working to stay in sync with these developments. The RCRA was first enacted in 1976, with the intention to protect people and land from hazardous waste and contaminants. The The RCRA regulation regarding hazardous materials and policies for recycling, repurposing, and reusing are the backbone of a circular economy. In this 2014 document, the RCRA is revisited with notable accomplishments, continuing challenges, and shifts in approaches that define a forward-looking vision.

One of these shifts is in the "conserving resources" sector. In 1976, the focus was on ways of managing waste that were healthy and safe. Now, however, the work of the RCRA program is beginning to examine the entire lifecycle of products in a "sustainable materials management" approach that includes transforming production processes and minimizing materials that are used. There is signifiant work on the road ahead in terms of navigating the regulatory systems that will best serve the country for improved health and economic growth. Important commodities must be identified and supported, while transition towards waste reduction and production shifts are encouraged (US EPA, 2014). The complexity of the path toward a global circular economy is readily seen in the work of the RCRA program, but progressive integration of these principles in US policy is an encouraging glimpse of the future.

In this report, Circle Economy focuses on two products: denim jeans and mobile phones. These case studies model the biological and technical "wings" of the circular economy framework (see the butterfly diagram above). The research that they conduct examines the Material Flow Analysis for these two products, and directly relates to the environmental and socio-economic effects on upstream and downstream value chains.

Denim:

In the case of the jeans, the impact of reducing the use of virgin materials is seen in lower levels of water usage, less pesticide use, and reduced pollution of freshwater from processing chemicals and dyes. Dyes, chemicals, and synthetic materials from clothing in landfills can leach into water sources, increasing the toxicity of dump sites and their effect on those who live and work nearby. Downstream, the efforts to repair, reuse, recycle, and recover reduce the amount of textile waste been shipped abroad and dumped in landfills. Lower and middle income countries are the primary recipients of positive impacts from a circular economy strategy, while the EU (in this example) is a primary driver. Occupational health and safety of workers that are applying pesticides to fields or sandblasting denim will see a reduction in the demand for these tasks. Viewing the production of an item in a systemic light also puts pressure on higher economic countries to implement and support policies that protect workers' health and safety as part of the circular economy (Circle, 2020). For more information, check out MUD Jeans.

Mobile Phones:

The production of mobile phones is complex, but in a few key areas pursuing a more circular system could positively influence environmental health. ASM, artisanal and small-scale mining, impacts the environment through biodiversity loss and ecotoxicity, but a reduction in demand for virgin materials would lead to less pollution of land, air and water. New approaches to phone use and production could also lead to reduced CO2 emissions and removal of toxic risks posed by e-waste (Circle, 2020). The socio-economic impact from an environmental justice perspective is considered below, in the section "Building a Circular Economy for Everyone".