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Circular Economy

Circular cities and municipalities

Geschreven samen met: Sandra Kolodzinsky Adviseur Circulaire Economie, Energie en Klimaat bij de RVO
Metropolitan areas provide a perfect opportunity for a circular economy, covering only a small part of the land but accounting for almost all resource consumption. Consequently, more cities and municipalities worldwide are taking the initiative to develop circularly.

An exmple of this is the City Deal Circulaire Stad, where 9 cities, 3 ministries, and 3 knowledge partners collaborate to achieve fully circular cities by 2050, in line with the ambition outlined in the National Circular Economy Program. Below, we highlight some examples.

Amsterdam

The municipality of Amsterdam aims to make the city circular as quickly as possible. In 2015, Amsterdam became the first city in the world to commission a study on the opportunities for a circular economy. The findings indicated that the transition leads to a cleaner environment, increased employment, and a stronger economy. The city government set clear ambitions in 2019:

  • By 2025, 65% of all household waste should be separable for reuse.
  • By 2030, 50% less use of primary raw materials than at present.
  • By 2050, a fully circular economy.

The ‘Amsterdam Circular Strategy 2023-2026‘ outlines the strategy for a circular economy in Amsterdam for the period 2023-2026. It describes 17 development directions for making the value chains of construction, biomass, food, and consumer goods circular.

The Implementation Agenda for a Circular Amsterdam 2023-2026 details over 200 projects that the municipality of Amsterdam is currently implementing in the city, often in collaboration with partners. Additional programs and background information can be found at www.amsterdam.nl/circulair.

Apeldoorn

As one of the signatories of the City Deal Circular City, Apeldoorn is engaged in various circular activities. Example projects include the circular approach to the redevelopment of urban districts De Maten and De Parken. Apeldoorn is also active in Cityloops, a consortium of 7 cities with 26 multidisciplinary partners, including Wageningen University.

In collaboration with Wageningen University, Apeldoorn is focusing on the circularity of organic waste, such as the notorious Japanese Knotweed, an invasive plant with strong rhizomes that disrupt biodiversity and damage buildings. The Municipality of Apeldoorn, along with Wageningen University, discovered that the strong fibers of this plant can be used as a base material for 3D printing.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam has declared that by 2030, circularity should be the benchmark for citizens, businesses, and policymakers. Rotterdam will act as a living lab where the government and partners will experiment, pioneer, and safeguard successes. The municipality aims to position the city and port as a circular hotspot.

To achieve this, the Rotterdam Circulair 2019 – 2023 program has been developed. This document outlines two routes the city wants to follow and the challenges, opportunities, and actions in the four key sectors: construction, food flows, consumer goods, and healthcare. At the core of the program lies the resource study by research firm Metabolic (2018).

Venlo

Since 2008, the municipality of Venlo has been following cradle-to-cradle principles for its policies, aligning with circularity. For instance, the city hall in Venlo is built cradle-to-cradle. Almost all components are demountable and reusable, creating a material cycle. Abundant greenery ensures a pleasant and healthy workplace. A green facade purifies the air and provides natural ventilation. The building optimally utilizes sunlight through large windows and solar panels.

More information is accessible on the website of Venlo.

You want to read more?

For an overview of international examples, visit the Ellen Macarthur Foundation and its case study over Examples of circular economy in cities.