Circular Economy

What is a circular economy?

Today, the American economy is mostly linear: we extract natural resources from the earth, manufacture them into products, then generally landfill those products when we’re finished with them. This is very inefficient because, when you throw something away, you're taking those resources out of the economy. 

A circular economy, on the other hand, keep atoms and molecules inside the economy, producing value, and out of unwanted sinks such as landfills and the environment. That way, when we’re finished using a product, it can be disassembled and its parts can be used over and over again. Unlike the linear economy, a circular economy aims to minimize waste by designing products that are durable, reusable, repairable, and refurbishable using materials that can be recovered and recycled at the end-of-life stage. Transitioning to a more circular economy will build long-term resilience, generate business and economic opportunities, and enhance quality of life.  Governments, industries, and consumers around the globe are working towards a more circular economy, but there are plenty of gaps that need to be addressed to realize the benefits of increasing circularity.

Credit: B. Hayes/NIST

How does NIST help?

NIST’s Circular Economy Program leverages NIST expertise in advanced measurements, data, standards, and tools to support innovation and industrial competitiveness in the transition to a circular economy in the U.S. Program activities include: 

• Advancing measurement science,
• Producing reference materials and data,
• Supporting documentary standards, and
• Creating tools for data and decision science.