Many targets have been set for the circular economy including reductions in the use of natural resources, keeping products in the cycles for as long as it is environmentally arguable and recycling sidestreams and waste into raw materials. Existing instruments are mostly targeted at the last-mentioned objective through waste policies.
Product policy has in theory the possibilities to promote all key circular economy targets. Especially product policy instruments targeted at product design have a great potential because product design usually uses few resources, but it determines over 80% of the environmental impacts according to estimations. However, the vast number of products, rapid changes occurring in multiple sectors and targeting policies at the key areas of the business complicate the implementation of the instruments. In addition, inertia of regulatory policies and possible cost inefficiency hinder the development.
The circular economy and the product policy instruments (KITUPO) project analyses the possibilities for further developing the ecodesign principles and extended producer responsibility as well as the use of other potential product policy instruments to promote circular economy. The project formulates suggestions for developing product policy in Finland and Finnish product policy internationally.
Additional information
Senior researcher Petrus Kautto, firstname.lastname@ymparisto.fi, p. +358 295 251 272