Circular Economy powered by EPEA - Part of Drees & Sommer

Circular Economy

Our vision - we strive for a diverse, safe and healthy world, with clean air, water, soil and energy. To this end, we unite economy, social justice and ecology, which mutually support each other instead of excluding each other, and present sustainability as a chance for innovation instead of a burden.

 

Creating positive impact with the help of Circular Economy

Mission

The next industrial revolution - Circular Economy

In order to achieve economic, social and ecological impacts, a paradigm shift is required. This necessitates companies rethinking with regards to resource use, production processes and their relationship with business partners along the entire value chain. In 1784, the first industrial revolution began with water-powered machines. Electricity (2.0) made mass production possible. With the help of IT and electronics (3.0), automation was advanced up to today’s digitalisation (4.0). With the Circular Economy, we want to drive the urgently necessary Revolution 5.0, creating a positive influence for people and our environment.

 

Industrial revolutions

Circular Economy for a sustainable and healthy future

The Circular Economy changes the product responsibility of manufacturers. With it, today’s “take-make-waste” approach is no longer an option. The recycling systems which exist today, whereby questionable materials are used in a cycle and in any case become waste after their second or third use, are also not in line with a true Circular Economy approach.

Linear Economy with conventional recycling

Take > Make > Waste

Inefficient use of ressources with linear economy

The objective of the Circular Economy powered by Cradle to Cradle® is to ensure that the resources used can serve as starting materials for new, pollutant-free products after they have been used. This allows them to circulate continuously in product cycles - instead of "downcycling", the aim is to enable "upcycling" of products. Current solutions such as sharing concepts or re-use are already steps in the right direction on the road to the circular economy. However, the goal is to create a positive footprint with optimized nutrient cycles - through solutions that are suitable for the biosphere and the technosphere.

 

Circular Economy powered by Cradle to Cradle®

Re-Design > Make > Nutrients

Butterfly - Circular Economy

It is not enough if only a few deal with these topics and only individual product groups are optimized. If companies want to make a really noticeable contribution to climate protection and resource conservation, there is no way around the circular economy. Everyone can make a contribution and be part of the solution.

Together, we are driving a 5th industrial revolution, with Cradle to Cradle® as a new approach for products, processes, buildings and cities.