e98bcb5d-f9e0-4a4f-b32a-b1c74aace642 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: INTEL WEBSITE: INTEL.IE SECTOR : ELECTRONICS & SEMICONDUCTORS PUBLISHED: 28 TH AUGUST 2026 TAGS: WATER STEWARDSHIP, SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING, ULTRAPURE WATER, NANOFILTRATION, PEATLAND RESTORATION, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, WATER REUSE, INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS, NET WATER POSITIVE, CIRCULAR MANUFACTURING, WATER CIRCULAR ECONOMY The Challenge The semiconductor industry underpins the digital and green economy. A chip is a miniaturised piece of semiconductor material, designed and manufactured to perform a specific function, forming the building blocks of computers, smartphones, vehicles and countless other digital products ( Cerutti and Nardo, 2023 ). Fabrication is the process of turning a chip design into a physical product, happens in specialised factories ("fabs" or “foundries”) and is highly water-intensive ( Cerutti and Nardo, 2023 ; Frost and Hua, 2019 ). Fabrication depends on ultrapure water (UPW), purified until thousands of times cleaner than drinking water, to rinse wafers (mostly silicon) between processing steps. A single fab can use around 10 million gallons of UPW a day, roughly the daily water use of 33,000 US households, and producing 1,000 gallons of UPW itself consumes 1,400-1,600 gallons of input water, most lost during purification ( James, 2024 ). Industry accounts for just under 20% of global freshwater withdrawals annually ( UNESCO, 2024 ). By 2030-2040, 40% of existing semiconductor facilities, and up to 49% of those announced since 2021, will sit in river basins facing high or extremely high-water stress ( Lepawsky, 2024 ). Europe is expanding into this constrained picture regardless: the EU Chips Act set out to mobilise more than €43 billion in public and private investment and targets a 20% share of global semiconductor production by 2030, with over €32 billion in combined public and private investment already generated through first-of-a-kind State aid approvals ( European Commission, n.d. , European Parliament, 2026 ), even though European fabs recycle only 10-14% of their water ( Sandhu et al., 2025 ). EU-wide, seasonal scarcity already affects around 30% of land area annually, prompting the 2025 European Water Resilience Strategy's aim to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030 ( EEA, 2025 ; European Commission, 2025 ). With 85% of its drinking water coming from a single source , the River Liffey, treated at Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip, the Greater Dublin Area has little buffer against drought or contamination, and the utility projects a 34% supply-demand gap by 2044 ( Uisce Éireann, n.d. ; DHLGH, 2024 ). A Circular Solution Intel addresses this constraint through two linked interventions: one reducing water loss inside the fabrication process itself, the other restoring water storage capacity in the wider catchment the site depends on. A nanofiltration (NF) system, installed in 2022, targets losses in ultrapure water (UPW) production. NF membranes are distinguished by their selectivity for divalent and polyvalent ions, such as calcium and magnesium, while allowing monovalent ions and small molecules to pass through, making them well suited to recovering usable water from process streams that would otherwise be discarded ( Namla et al., 2025 ). At Leixlip, the system captures water rejected during on-site UPW filtration and redirects it for reuse elsewhere in manufacturing; Intel states the system alone can save at least 484 million litres a year, and the newer Fab 34 draws on the same system ( Intel, n.d. ; Intel, 2023 ). Separately, Intel has partnered with the National Parks and Wildlife Service since May 2021 to restore 60 hectares of drained blanket bog at Liffey Head in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, part of the River Liffey's headwaters, which feed the Poulaphouca reservoir, a drinking-water source for the Greater Dublin Area. This restoration is expected to increase water storage by 50-90 million litres once complete ( DHLGH, 2021 ). Both initiatives sit under Intel's global goal to be "net water positive" by 2030, putting back more water than it takes out Environmental, Social and Economic Impact Since 2012, Intel's water recovery investment at Leixlip has conserved more than 9 billion litres; 3 billion litres were conserved in 2023 alone ( Intel, n.d. ; Intel, 2024 )) and 92% of water taken in at Leixlip is now returned to the Liffey river ( Intel, 2024 )). The nanofiltration system won the Excellence in Environment award at the 2023 Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards ( Intel, 2024 ). The Wicklow bog restoration is expected to add 50-90 million litres of water storage, roughly 36 Olympic pools, plus carbon storage, water quality and biodiversity gains; however, Intel's own 2023 water restoration accounting records the project's measured benefit that year as zero, with the gain still expected rather than realised ( Intel, n.d. ; Intel, 2024 ). Both projects target the catchment supplying Poulaphouca reservoir, drinking water for 1.7 million people across the Greater Dublin Area ( Uisce Éireann ), while Leixlip itself employs 4,900 people whose volunteering totalled 163,954 hours in 2023 ( IDA Ireland, 2026 ; Intel, 2024 ). In 2026, Intel announced a further €5 billion investment to expand manufacturing at Leixlip, reinforcing Ireland's role in Europe's semiconductor supply chain and the EU's tech-sovereignty goals ( IDA Ireland, 2026 ). Replicability Intel is not alone in tackling semiconductor water use: manufacturers across Europe and the US are investing in on-site water recovery and recycling to reduce their draw on local supplies. Infineon (Germany) - installed closed-loop water recirculation at its new Smart Power Fab in Dresden, recycling approximately 90% of process water and recovering up to 45% of energy used ( Infineon, 2026 ). TSMC (USA) - is building an Industrial Reclamation Water Plant at its Phoenix, Arizona fabs targeting "near zero liquid discharge," with completion expected in 2028 and up to 90% on-site water reuse ( TSMC, 2025 ). STMicroelectronics (Malta) - operates its own on-site reverse osmosis plant to supply high-purity water for its assembly-and-test operations, raising its water recycling rate from to 47.3% in 2023 and targeting over 60%, following a water-treatment upgrade completed in 2024 ( STMicroelectronics, 2024 ). ALL CASE STUDIES

fdede40f-096c-41a9-adc3-053d6c2210ec Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: EVOLVE WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.EVOLVEAUTO.IE/ SECTOR : AUTOMOTIVE PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2024 TAGS: REPAIR, CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL The Challenge Every year, an estimated 8 to 9 million tonnes of waste is generated from the disposal of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) ( EPA , 2023 ). That’s equivalent to the weight of approximately 19,000 Boeing 747s. In addition, around 3.5 million vehicles disappear without a trace from EU roads each year, and are exported, or disposed of illegally ( EC , 2023 ). Since 2015, EU Member States are required to meet rates of ≥85% for reuse-and-recycling and ≥95% for reuse and recovery ( Eurostat, 2023 ). An estimated 145,628 ELVs were treated in Ireland in 2021, equating to an estimated 154,365 tonnes of waste. That’s about the same weight as 345 Boeing 747s. In 2021, Ireland achieved a reuse and recycling rate of 87.81% compared with the EU target of 85% and a reuse and recovery rate of 95.74% compared with the EU target of 95% ( EPA , 2023 ). The production of vehicles is one of the most resource- intensive industries. The automotive industry in the EU is the number one consumer of aluminium (42%), magnesium (44%), platinum group metals (63%), natural rubber (67%) and rare earth elements (30% and growing exponentially) ( EC , 2023 ). The Circular Opportunity With so many critical raw materials tied up in the production of vehicles the EU has prioritised the implementation of circular economy principles to recover those materials and to reduce the environmental impact of their disposal and the need for replacing them with virgin materials. The Circular Solution In Practice Evolve , is an independent technology- driven supply chain solution aimed at streamlining the sourcing of green auto parts for automotive businesses. Green auto parts are undamaged Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts that have been taken from a vehicle during the disassembly and recycling process which can be reused for the repair of vehicles still in service. Evolve brings together green auto parts suppliers (vehicle recyclers) and green auto parts consumers (insurers, repairers, fleets, etc.) from across Ireland and the United Kingdom in a structured, value-driven manner. To ensure that only the highest-quality green parts enter the repair cycle, all Evolve-supplied green parts are graded to the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) standards. The Evolve OS technology platform, which interfaces seamlessly with clients’ workflows to deliver feasible and value- driven green parts solutions in seconds, is at the heart of the market-leading service. Evolve provides measurable net carbon emissions savings, sustainability impacts and commercial savings. Opting for green auto parts prevents the need for new parts to be manufactured, therefore creating significant energy and resource savings. It also prevents high quality used parts from ending up in landfills. Reusing vehicle parts saves approximately 35.3 gigajoules of energy and 1,887 kg of CO2 per vehicle ( Sato, 2018 ). An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, saved the equivalent of 38,477 kg of CO2 in 2022 by acquiring 551 reclaimed vehicle parts of various makes and models. They aquired the parts for its fleet from Evolve’s partner Ted4Parts, as opposed to purchasing newly made vehicle parts. This is an average savings of 94% net carbon dioxide equivalent for An Garda Síochána ( FleetCar, 2023 ). Replicability The automotive industry accounts for more than 7% of the EU’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ( EC, 2023 ). The EU’s ELV Directive sets clear targets for ELVs and their components. It also prohibits the use of hazardous substances when manufacturing new vehicles (especially lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium) except in defined exemptions when there are no adequate alternatives ( EC, 2023 ). Furthermore, consumer expectations are shifting, emphasising the importance of sustainable practises. Evolve has successfully integrated a circular business model into a thriving automobile market in order to reduce CO2 emissions and virgin resource use, while also helping Ireland reach its targets under the ELV Directive. Repair, recovery, and reuse are becoming more prevalent as nations aim to achieve their climate targets. Some examples worth mentioning include: Norsk Ombruk a Norwegian household electronic appliance remanufacturing firm that was established in 2014. Synetiq a car salvage, green auto parts supplier, vehicle repairing, and automobile software solutions provider based in the UK and founded in 1939. ALL CASE STUDIES

e48952f0-832e-4643-901f-a027c8fb3d90 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: AMBERCYCLE WEBSITE: AMBERCYCLE.COM SECTOR : TEXTILES PUBLISHED: 02 DECEMBER 2025 TAGS: TEXTILERECYCLING, SUSTAINABLEFASHION, POLYESTER, MOLECULARRECYCLING, CHEMICALRECYCLING, REGENERATEDFIBRES, WASTE-TO-RESOURCE The Challenge Each year, about 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced worldwide ( UNEP, 2025 ). Every second, the equivalent of a full garbage truck of textiles is either landfilled or burned, with as much as 85% ending up in landfill rather than being reused or recycled ( UNRIC, 2024 ). Less than half of used garments are collected for reuse or recycling, and of those, only around 1% are recycled into new clothing items ( European Parliament 2025 ). The global fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of total carbon emissions - more than the emissions from both aviation and shipping combined ( World Economic Forum 2020 ). In 2023, apparel sector emissions grew by 7.5% to 944 million tonnes. The increase in emissions from the sector is largely driven by higher production fuelled by ultra-fast fashion trends and a rising dependence on virgin polyester ( Apparel Impact Institute 2025 ). Polyester, a synthetic fibre introduced in the 1940s, is derived from fossil fuels and currently accounts for 57% of global fibre production. ( Apparel Impact Institute 2025 ). Polyester's widespread use has led to serious environmental impacts, including persistent pollution from microplastic fibres, which shed during washing and accumulate in oceans and ecosystems. This reliance on a petroleum-based material underscores the urgent need for sustainable alternatives in textile manufacturing ( UNRIC, 2024 ). A Circular Solution Ambercycle is a company that transforms textile waste into high-quality regenerated polyester using advanced molecular regeneration technology ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Their flagship product, Cycora, is a regenerated polyester yarn and fabric created from post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste ( Cycora 2025 ). Using chemistry to break down mixed fibres at the molecular level, Ambercycle extracts and purifies polyester to create new materials that match or exceed the quality and performance of virgin polyester. This innovative process allows repeated recycling without degradation in quality, significantly reducing dependency on virgin fossil-fuel-based polyester and lowering carbon emissions linked to textile production ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). By partnering with leading brands like REI, GANNI, and Arc’teryx, Ambercycle is scaling Cycora to promote circularity and sustainability in the fashion industry ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Ambercycle’s technology starts by shredding used textiles, separating polyester from other fibres such as cotton, nylon, and spandex ( Lampoon Magazine, 2025 ). The polyester is then liquefied, purified to remove dyes and additives, and solidified into pellets that can be spun into new yarns ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). This process operates at relatively low temperatures, contributing to a reduction in CO 2 emissions. According to Ambercycle, Cycora offsets nearly half the carbon dioxide emissions of virgin polyester production ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Independent testing by the European Center for Innovative Textiles (CETI) shows Cycora meets the standards of virgin polyester, making it a commercially viable and environmentally friendlier alternative ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Adoption of Ambercycle’s technology across the apparel sector could reduce global emissions by over 15%, exemplifying a practical path to textile circularity and decarbonization ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Climate Impact Production of Cycora results in half the greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional polyester, offering a major reduction in climate impact production ( Ambercycle, 2025 ). Each tonne of fabric recycled through this process is a tonne diverted from landfill - a critical intervention to address the 92 million tonnes of textile waste created annually. Because Cycora retains the quality needed for reuse, it supports resource efficiency and extends the usable lifespan of textile materials. Brand partnerships are helping Cycora scale up and demonstrate real-world impact. For example, Inditex (the parent company of Zara) has agreed to purchase over €70 million worth of Cycora material, supporting its 2030 target to use exclusively sustainable textile inputs across all products. Large-scale commitments from market leaders like Inditex signal an industry shift towards circular solutions and highlight the practical viability of advanced textile recycling technologies. Replicability Cycora is part of a broader trend where technology companies are transforming textile waste into new, high-quality materials. Worn Again Technologies recycles textiles into raw materials by isolating and purifying cellulose and polyester, which are then spun into new fibres. Renewcell's Circulose process recycles cotton textiles into biodegradable pulp, which can be remanufactured into fibres for the fashion industry. Evrnu’s NuCycl technology turns used textiles into high-performance fibres by breaking down and regenerating textile polymers. These innovations are making textile-to-textile recycling increasingly replicable and scalable, encouraging adoption across the industry. ALL CASE STUDIES

2a208ad2-ef29-48f1-a9e7-818bcb4789e1 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: GREENIT WEBSITE: GREENIT.IE SECTOR : ELECTRONICS PUBLISHED: 23 JULY 2025 TAGS: REMANUFACTURE, REFURBISH, REPAIR, WEEE The Challenge Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is the world's fastest-growing waste stream ( ILO, 2014 cited in WHO, 2024 ). Global e-waste production soared by 82% between 2010 and 2022 to reach a record 62 million tonnes ( UNITAR, 2024 ), a growth rate nearly six times faster than that of the world's population. To put this in perspective, that volume of e-waste could fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, roughly enough to form a bumper-to-bumper line encircling the equator ( UNITAR, 2024 ). Yet only 22.3% of the WEEE was formally collected and recycled ( UNITAR, 2024 ). Large amounts of resources are utilised throughout the life cycle of electronic equipment, including mining, manufacturing, transport, retail, consumption, and disposal ( Meidl, 2023 ). An estimated 31 million tonnes of metals were embedded in e-waste in 2022, with a value of US $91 billion, including US $19 billion in copper, US $15 billion in gold, and US $16 billion in iron ( UNITAR, 2024 ). WEEE is often incinerated, dumped in landfills, or exported to developing countries at end-of-life ( Meidl, 2023 ). When e-waste is improperly recycled, it can release up to 1000 different chemical substances into the environment, including known neurotoxicants such as lead, leaving pregnant women and children particularly vulnerable ( WHO, 2024 ). In 2020, an estimated 580 MtCO₂e (Megatonnes of CO 2 e) were emitted by WEEE ( Singh and Ogunseitan, 2022 ), which is equivalent to the CO 2 emissions from 153 coal-fired power plants in one year ( EPA.gov , 2024 ). Extracting valuable materials from e-waste is essential to avoid further environmental degradation. E-waste management globally prevents 93 MtCO₂e emissions in the form of refrigerants in temperature exchange equipment (41 MtCO₂e) and through the lower greenhouse gas emissions obtained by recycling metals versus mining (52 MtCO₂e) ( UNITAR, 2024 ). The Circular Solution Remanufacturing is one of the 10 R-strategies of a circular economy. A remanufactured product uses parts from a discarded product in a new product with the same function ( Potting et al, 2017 ). Importantly, a remanufactured product must perform at the same level or higher than the original product, and it must have a warranty of the same or longer duration ( Tant et al., 2018 ). Remanufactured products are disassembled, all components are cleaned, reassembled, tested, and repaired as needed ( Tant et al., 2018 ). GreenIT , an Irish SME and CIRCULÉIRE member, offers high-quality remanufactured laptops to the mainstream consumer as well as public sector bodies. Their preowned remanufactured laptops have been restored to a like-new condition, inside-and-out, through comprehensive testing, repair and updating of hardware and software components. The laptops go through the BSI (British Standards Institution) Kitemark certified Circular Remanufacturing Process where preowned laptops are inspected, disassembled, restored, re-assembled, tested and finished, meaning that every laptop must meet or exceed the quality and performance of new products ( BSI, 2023 ). GreenIT source laptops through a diverse network including corporate trade-ins and electronic recycling programmes. If deemed suitable for remanufacture all data on the laptops is securely erased, and key components such as the hard drive, memory, battery, and motherboard are tested for functionality. Any defective or outdated parts are replaced with new or refurbished components. The laptops are cleaned, and cosmetic damages, such as scratches or dents, are repaired. If necessary, they may be repainted or reskinned. The operating system and drivers are freshly installed, and the laptops undergo rigorous final testing to ensure they operate good-as-new. To guarantee their reliability, every GreenIT remanufactured laptop comes with a 3-5 year extended warranty, and cost up to 40% less than a new version of the same laptop ( GreenIT, 2024 ). In 2024, the Republic of Ireland’s Office of Government Procurement (OGP) launched a new ‘first-of-its-kind’ framework for public bodies to acquire remanufactured laptops ( Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, 2024 ). The contract was granted to GreenIT who tendered as the lead entity in a consortium with Circular Computing , a UK-based company that specialises in the remanufacturing of enterprise-grade laptops ( Pepper, 2024 ). The contract is valued at up to EUR €30 million and aligns with the circular economy objectives outlined in the Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027 ( DCEE, 2024 ). Green Public Procurement is the process by which public bodies aim to procure goods, services and works that have lower environmental impact throughout their life cycle as compared to goods, services and works with the same primary function that would otherwise be procured ( DCEE; OGP, 2024 ). Climate Impact Approximately 60,000 remanufactured laptops could be procured by public bodies throughout the four-year term, extending the life cycle of the laptops and minimising WEEE generation ( Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, 2024 ). Purchasing a remanufactured laptop instead of a new one saves around 310 kilogrammes of CO 2 e ( Yuksek et al., 2023 ). Moreover, remanufacturing laptops can decrease energy consumption during manufacturing by up to 80% by eliminating raw material extraction and processing ( Yuksek et al., 2023 ). Furthermore, remanufactured laptops save about 190,000 litres of water per laptop due to the absence of primary resource extraction and refinement, and new product component production ( Maalouf et al., 2015 ). The Irish Government estimate the contract will equate to a reduction of 19 million Kgs CO 2 , preserve 72 million Kgs of mined resources and save 11 billion litres of water ( Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, 2024 ). Replicability Ireland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is EUR €506.30 billion ( Central Statistics Office, 2024 ). The annual public sector purchasing accounts for 10% to 12% of the country’s GDP ( DCEE; OGP, 2024 ), which represents a significant portion of economic activity and demand. As a result, Ireland’s public sector has the capacity to drive the procurement of more resource-efficient, less polluting goods, services and works within the marketplace. This is a great advantage for companies who embed circular principles into their business models when competing for government tenders. A noteworthy example is: Evolve , a CIRCULÉIRE Member, are an independent technology-driven supply chain solution that streamlines the sourcing of remanufactured green auto parts for automotive businesses. In 2022, An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, saved the equivalent of 38,477 Kg of CO 2 by acquiring 551 reclaimed vehicle parts of various makes and models from Evolve ( Fleetcar, 2023 ). ALL CASE STUDIES

9f5d5c2f-4feb-44dc-b0a6-8f9a89d781d6 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: RENT THE RUNWAY WEBSITE: RENTTHERUNWAY.COM SECTOR : FASHION & TEXTILES PUBLISHED: 30 OCTOBER 2025 TAGS: SUSTAINABLEFASHION, CLOTHINGRENTAL, CIRCULARFASHION, ACCESS-OVER-OWNERSHIP, PRODUCT-AS-A-SERVICE, TEXTILEWASTE, SLOWFASHION, RESALE The Challenge The fashion industry accounts for 8–10% of annual global carbon emissions—more than international flights and shipping combined ( Leal Filho et al., 2022 ). Clothes however, are an everyday essential. Across the world, clothes act as both protection from the elements and a form of expression. Recent decades have seen exponential growth in clothing production due to globalisation, urbanisation, and population growth, with up to 60% of global fibre production destined for clothing ( Leal Filho et al., 2022 ). Currently, the fashion industry largely operates in a linear model, extracting mostly non-renewable resources to manufacture garments that are frequently worn for a short period of time before being disposed of or incinerated ( Circular Economy Month, 2024 ). Less than half of all used clothing is collected for reuse or recycling, and only one percent is converted into new clothing ( European Parliament, 2024 ). Furthermore, the textile industry utilises large amounts of natural resources, contributing to environmental degradation. Making one cotton t-shirt requires 2,700 litres of fresh water - enough to satisfy one person’s drinking needs for two and a half years ( European Parliament, 2024 ) - and textile dyeing contributes to about 20% of global clean water pollution ( European Parliament, 2024 ). A Circular Solution Rent the Runway (RTR), founded in 2009, is an online platform that allows customers to rent, subscribe, or purchase designer clothing and accessories. Harvard Business School classmates, Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss, founded the company after seeing Hyman’s sister overspend on an expensive dress for a wedding. They envisioned a ‘Closet in the Cloud’ model, filled with designer styles to rent, wear and return for a fraction of the cost. In 2010 they expanded into designer necklaces, earrings and handbags and launched a plus size category in 2013, before opening a bricks-and-mortar store in New York in 2014. Then in 2016 they launched their monthly subscription model. RTR offers three monthly subscription plans that allow users to select at least five items per month from over 10,000 options for a fee. Users may choose to hold on to items for as long as they please or purchase them outright. Items are sold at a significant discounted rate, often exceeding 50% off the original retail price. When each rental is returned, specialists professionally clean them and items are repaired as needed to increase their longevity. Climate Impact RTR’s rental-based business model reduces both environmental and social costs associated with new clothing. On average, renting through their platform consumes 24% less water, 6% less energy, and generates 3% less carbon emissions per garment versus purchasing a new item ( RTR, 2025 ). Over the past decade, RTR has saved: 67 million gallons of water, which could fill approximately 101 Olympic-sized swimming pools. 98.6 million kWh of energy, enough to power 12,697 households in a year. 44.2 million pounds of CO 2 emissions, comparable to 47,737 roundtrip flights between Dallas, Texas and Newark, New Jersey ( RTR, 2025). Since 2010, RTR’s rental model has displaced the production of about 1.6 million new garments. As of January 2024, 6.5 million garments were repaired, and 1.4 million decommissioned rental products were diverted from landfill via resale, donation, or recycling with partner organizations. Replicability The global clothing industry is valued at USD 1.3 trillion and employs over 400 million people across the value chain ( Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017 ). However, clothing underutilisation and the lack of recycling result in an annual value loss of more than USD 500 billion ( Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017 ). RTR has developed a circular business model that effectively taps into the underutilised clothing market while decreasing resource consumption, carbon emissions and waste. Other examples of companies championing circular textile solutions include: The Renewal Workshop (USA) upcycles post-consumer clothing via repair and resale. Worn Again Technologies (UK) innovates chemical recycling for fibre-to-fibre garment recovery. Stuff4Life (UK) converts end-of-life workwear PPE into new polymer feedstock. UsedFULLY (NZ) is pioneering scalable end-of-life textile reuse, including cellulose-based construction materials from textile waste ( Circuleire, 2024 ). ALL CASE STUDIES

67923338-9d95-44a5-80e3-2fb0b2337bdf Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: ERIU WEBSITE: ERIU.EU SECTOR : TEXTILES PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2024 TAGS: TEXTILES, BIOECONOMY The Challenge Sheep farming is Ireland’s fourth most important animal enterprise ( Teagasc, 2023 ). Wool is a natural, biodegradable, and renewable fibre and is abundant in Ireland due to the key role of sheep farming. Wool was considered as an agricultural product in the EU until 2002, and it was a source of income for the farmers who operated in the sector. Wool’s categorisation altered through a series of EU regulations and is now currently classified as a Category 3 waste product alongside animal carcasses (DAFM, 2022 ). Wool must now be transferred to specialised processing facilities, which means high reprocessing costs and uncertain earnings for many farmers. All treatment of recovered materials needs to adhere to the guidelines of Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency . This regulatory change, coupled with the rapid decline in the usage of natural fibres in favour of synthetic fibre production, resulted in the devaluation of wool. Farmers in Ireland are only paid 20 cents per kg ( DAFM, 2022 ), which is considerably less than the cost of shearing. This leaves farmers with no incentive to care for their wool or breed for wool quality. Currently, some sheep farmers are storing years’ worth of wool in their sheds or storage warehouses ( O’Riordan, 2022 ), which compromises the condition of the wool. The Circular Opportunity Currently, synthetic, petroleum-based polymers account for two-thirds of all textile items ( Henry, Laitala and Klepp 2019 ). Laundering synthetic clothes accounts for 35% of primary microplastics released into the environment ( De Falco et al., 2019 ). Sheep wool, on the other hand, is a natural biodegradable and renewable fibre which at the end of its life poses no threat to human health or the environment ( DAFM, 2022 ). Properties in wool also allow it to be used for purposes such as fertiliser and insulation. Wool is an excellent insulator and thermo- regulator. It responds to variations in body temperature, keeping the wearer warmer when cold and cooler when warm. It is odour and wrinkle resistant, so does not need to be washed as frequently as other fibre types, conserving water, and energy ( DAFM 2023 ). According to recent studies, regenerative wool can store carbon from the environment, thereby minimising the impacts of climate change ( Colley et al., 2020 ). The Circular Solution In Practice Ériu , a 2023 CIRCULEIRE New Venture, founded in 2021, manufactures yarn from the wool that is hand-selected, processed and designed entirely in Ireland. Ériu is the first Irish knitwear brand whose products are exclusively Irish sourced and manufactured using a ‘Farm to Yarn’ sustainable initiative. Ériu contributes to the Irish economy by sourcing wool from a trusted network of farmers around Ireland, as well as from their own farm in Wicklow. They offer farmers EUR €2.50 per kg of wool, which is more than 10 times market price. Donegal Yarns processes the wool locally, and Irish knitters in Dublin make it. Aside from local collaborations, they have established their own facility for processing wool on the farm which they intend to roll out in stages. The first stage is scouring, where they will wash the wool softly and sustainably using biodiverse methods. They already have equipment for additional stages, which will further enable an expansion of their Farm-to- Yarn networks to source and incentivise more wool collection, and create more opportunities for an expanding range of wool products. Replicability The global wool market is expected to grow from $37.06 billion in 2022 to $45.05 billion in 2027 ( The Business Research Company, 2023 ). As consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental degradation caused by synthetic textile production there has been a rise in demand for sustainable and ethically produced textiles ( Granskog et al., 2020 ). In light of these factors, Irish wool is expected to hold significant potential for the textile sector’s sustainable transition. Ériu has an unparalleled opportunity to be at the forefront of revitalising the Irish wool market . As circularity in the textiles and fashion sector continues to be encouraged, a few companies worth mentioning include: Infinited Fiber , a Finnish company that has developed a technology that converts textile waste into a premium-quality circular textile fibre, which reduces the world’s reliance on virgin raw materials. Our Choice Fashion, based in Luxemburg, manufactures circular leather sneakers that are 100% plastic free, repairable, and recyclable. ALL CASE STUDIES

8c3cab76-fc07-43ee-8b7f-cc1e19ca85c6 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: NORSK OMBRUK WEBSITE: NORSKOMBRUK.NO SECTOR : WEEE PUBLISHED: 25 SEPTEMBER 2025 TAGS: REMANUFACTURING, WEEE, EWASTE, WHITEGOODS, EXTENDEDPRODUCERRESPONSIBILITY, EPR, APPLIANCEREPAIR, RESOURCEEFFICIENCY The Challenge Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream, increasing faster than global population growth. In 2022, approximately 14.4 million tonnes of electrical and electronic equipment were placed on the market in the EU, with an official WEEE collection rate of around 40% according to the European Environment Agency ( EEA, 2025 ). This rate remains below the EU’s 65% target established under the WEEE Directive. In Ireland, 63,946 tonnes of WEEE were collected in 2023, reflecting a collection rate of approximately 43.6%, a significant drop from 51.2% in 2022 and 63.8% in 2021 ( EPA, 2025 ). WEEE is associated with major environmental and health risks due to toxic material content, energy consumption in production, and improper disposal. In 2020, WEEE contributed an estimated 580 million metric tonnes of CO2e emissions globally ( Singh and Ogunseitan, 2022 ). This makes effective circular management essential. The Circular Solution Norsk Ombruk AS is a Norwegian Remanufacturing company established in 2013, certified for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR is a policy approach that makes producers responsible for managing the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product lifecycle, including waste collection, recycling, and disposal at end-of-life. Discarded kitchen, laundry, and bathroom appliances make up the majority of global e-waste, accounting for around 60%, with washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and electric stoves contributing approximately 11.8 million tonnes annually ( Earthshine, 2024 ). Norsk Ombruk extends the useful life of household electrical goods such as refrigerators, washing machines, stoves, dishwashers, and dryers, playing a leading role in Norway’s shift toward a more circular electronics sector. Norway’s EPR policies have fostered circular business models like Norsk Ombruk’s, which partners with leading electronics producers (e.g., Ikea , Elkjøp ), municipalities, and second-hand shops to collect used household appliances ( Elektronikkbransjen, 2022 ). Once Norsk Ombruk receives a product, it is inspected, barcoded, and entered into a quality control system. About 48% pass detailed diagnostics and are repairable, while non-repairable products are dismantled for parts recovery and the remaining materials are recycled. Repairable units are cleaned, assigned a tailored work schedule, refurbished or upgraded by certified skilled technicians, then rigorously tested to ensure quality. Once complete, products undergo a final hygienic cleaning before being dispatched to major retailers or sold via second-hand dealers or Norsk Ombruk’s own Sandefjord shop at around half the price of a new model. This collaborative, efficient workflow extends product and brand life while maximising resource use and environmental benefits ( Earthshine, 2024 ). A two-year guarantee on all remanufactured goods provides consumers with confidence and access to affordable, high-quality appliances. In 2016 alone, Norsk Ombruk remanufactured over 12,300 appliances and reported annual sales of €1.8 million, and by 2024 the company had extended the life of more than 100,000 products that would otherwise have become waste ( Earthshine, 2024 ). Success in Norway has led to expansion into other European markets, including the establishment of a similar business in Denmark under the name Resirk ( Elektronikkbransjen, 2022 ). Climate and Societal Impact Remanufacturing electrical appliances provides significant climate and resource benefits by displacing demand for new goods, reducing waste, and promoting resource efficiency. According to independent analysis, Norsk Ombruk’s activities in 2016 saved 2,713 tonnes of embedded CO 2 , nearly 13 million kWh of embedded energy, and €2.3 million in raw material value—resulting in cumulative benefits valued at €9.4 million ( Earthshine, 2024 ). These savings translate to lower product costs for consumers, which is especially meaningful for lower-income households. The business model also eases the regulatory burden for retailers and municipalities while supporting national circularity targets. Replicability The European remanufacturing market is projected to reach €90 billion by 2030 ( ERN, 2024 ). Regulations such as the EU Waste Framework Directive and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation are strengthening producer responsibility and incentivising circularity across Europe ( ERN, 2024 ). Remanufacturing initiatives like Norsk Ombruk offer a scalable, proven pathway to cut emissions, retain value, and deliver social and economic wins for Ireland as it advances toward its national circular economy targets. Other examples of Irish remanufacturers include: Glen Dimplex Ireland repair and refurbish white goods and household appliances, including cooking appliances, water heaters, TVs, and electric fires. They use spare parts from returned appliances to refurbish or repair other units, reducing the need for new parts ( WEEE Ireland, 2024 ). GreenIT are one of Ireland’s pioneers in IT remanufacturing and circular economy, offering remanufactured IT devices with warranty and comprehensive quality assurance ( CIRCULÉIRE, 2025 ) Finline Furniture take back and remanufacture their pre-loved high-quality sofas offering them at an affordable price and a 20 year guarantee ( CIRCULÉIRE, 2025 ). A Note on the Differences Between Repair, Refurbishment & Remanufacture Repair is the most basic intervention, focused on fixing a specific fault to get a product back into working order. This process typically involves minimal disassembly and only addresses the failed part without assessing the overall condition of the item. The goal is to restore function, not to improve the product's lifespan or appearance. Refurbishment goes a step further than repair. It involves restoring a used product to a functional, but not necessarily "like-new," condition. The focus is on fixing obvious faults and improving its cosmetic appearance. Parts are repaired or replaced as needed, but the product is not completely disassembled. A refurbished item will often have a limited warranty and may not meet original performance specifications. Remanufacture is the most rigorous and comprehensive process. It involves disassembling the product completely, inspecting all individual components, and replacing or restoring worn-out or obsolete parts with a combination of reused, repaired, and new parts. The goal is to return the product to a like-new or better-than-new condition in terms of performance, appearance, and quality. A remanufactured product typically comes with a new warranty that is equivalent to or better than the original product's warranty. ALL CASE STUDIES

8e6b311c-1b69-4b7d-bc5b-d08ce03d5ed8 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: TYMPANY MEDICAL WEBSITE: TYMPANYMEDICAL.COM SECTOR: MEDTECH PUBLISHED: 12 MAY 2025 TAGS: MEDTECH, CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL About Tympany Medical Tympany Medical is a Galway-based medical technology company that produces sustainable surgical ear, nose, and throat endoscopes. Endoscopy uses camera technology to improve the visualisation of hard-to-reach areas during surgery. The Challenge The healthcare sector produces a lot of waste and contributes significantly towards climate change. In fact, healthcare systems contribute approximately 4%–5% of global greenhouse gas emissions ( Rodríguez‐Jiménez et al., 2023 ). If healthcare were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet. With medical procedures and technology becoming increasingly complex, coupled with global population growth, the waste produced from the healthcare sector is only projected to grow. The production, delivery, use, and disposal of single-use medical supplies account for about 80% of the industry’s carbon footprint ( Greene et al., 2022 ). Currently, discarded products that are disposable rather than reusable make up 85% of global medical waste, while the remaining 15% is hazardous medical waste that requires considerable management ( Greene et al., 2022 ). High-income countries like Ireland produce up to almost 11 kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day ( Janik-Karpinska, 2023 ). An endoscope is a thin tube with a light and camera at the end. Endoscopy is a medical procedure that involves the insertion of an endoscope into the body to visualize internal organs and structures. Traditional endoscopic equipment is limited by light availability and imaging technology. Traditional equipment is fixed in terms of what can it can see and the angle of view cannot be adjusted. This can be a significant problem in an area with multiple cavities such as the sinus. As these traditional scopes do not provide visibility around corners, four separate scopes, each with different angles (0, 30, 45, and 70 degrees), must be prepared for each surgery. This results in significant waste given that they are removed up to 30 times per procedure. Furthermore, there is a great deal of sterilisation effort required and a lot of additional waste generated from supporting materials, including single-use plastic packaging. The Circular Opportunity Tympany Medical has developed the next generation of endoscope called Solascope. Solascope is the world’s first sterile, panoramic endoscope with integrated lens cleaning. The device is currently completing its initial design phase and preclinical validation. Tympany Medical has designed and patented a novel proof-of-concept encapsulation technology. This outer-layer protects the core components of their endoscope, allowing the highly technical internal components to be reused, while significantly reducing the amount of waste produced. Solascope further improves surgical visibility due to its panoramic camera lens while simultaneously reducing the amount of blood obstructing the lens via its inbuilt cleaning system. Climate Impact The Solascope will have the following clinical, environmental, and monetary impacts: Reduced number of scopes prepared per procedure from four to one. Encapsulation technology with fully integrated manufacturing and remanufacturing technology, making the circular economy for medical devices a reality. Reduction in cost and environmental impact of risk waste (disposal of risk waste costs between €935 – €2,125 per tonne. The average is €1,530). Replicability In 2019, the global health care market was valued at approximately USD $7.7 trillion and was projected to exceed USD $8.5 trillion by 2020 ( Deloitte, 2019 ). Because circularity in healthcare is a relatively new concept, Tympany Medical has the potential to carve out a space in the market and be a leader and exemplar in the circular medical device industry. Medical waste has a significant environmental impact, and international and national focus is increasingly directed towards sustainability. As a result numerous initiatives to develop circular medical products and practices have been launched. The ReMed project, for example, a collaboration between Loughborough University and the University of Leeds, aims to identify the barriers to the circular use of medical devices and develop potential sustainable solutions. ALL CASE STUDIES

20ac4f58-9b6e-4740-827c-1160256e73d6 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: LEMON TRI X LE PAVÉ WEBSITE: LEMONTRI.FR , LE-PAVE.COM SECTOR: PLASTICS, CONSTRUCTION PUBLISHED: 25TH SEPTEMBER 2026 TAGS: PLASTIC RECYCLING, INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS, CIRCULAR MANUFACTURING, LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS, POST-CONSUMER WASTE, SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE, SOCIAL & SOLIDARITY ECONOMY, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, RESOURCE RECOVERY The Challenge Global plastic production grew from around 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 460 million tonnes in 2019, while plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060 without significant policy change ( Our World in Data, 2026 ; UNEP, n.d.a. ). Around 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally, while 50% is landfilled, 19% is incinerated, and 22% is mismanaged, including through uncontrolled dumping, open burning and leakage into land and water environments ( OECD, 2022 ). Across Europe, almost 32 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually. Plastic accounts for around 80% of marine litter, while 87% of Europeans are concerned about its environmental effects. ( European Commission, 2026 ). EU plastic-packaging recycling has increased, but most material is still not recycled. In 2023, the EU generated 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste per person, of which only 14.8 kg was recycled. Eurostat reported an overall recycling rate of 42.1%, up from 38.2% in 2013 ( Eurostat, 2025 ). Around 1.3 million tonnes of plastic waste were exported outside the EU for treatment in 2023. Reasons included limited local treatment capacity, technology or financial resources to treat the material domestically. ( European Parliament, 2024 ). This points to a wider circularity challenge: collecting plastic waste is not enough if suitable processing capacity and markets for the recovered material are unavailable locally. A Circular Solution After French construction-materials company Le Pavé was selected to produce seating for the Adidas Arena in Porte de la Chapelle and the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, it partnered with Paris-based plastics recycler Lemon Tri to collect material for the project ( LemonTri, 2021 ). Lemon Tri organised a citizen collection campaign for plastic caps, establishing collection points across Île-de-France and managing the logistics needed to consolidate the material at its Pantin warehouse ( LemonTri, 2021 ). The project created a local collection-to-manufacturing chain in which Lemon Tri collected discarded plastic and Le Pavé converted it into material for new seating ( Chatziioannou, 2024 ). Le Pavé converts plastic waste into construction and design materials that can replace applications otherwise made from virgin plastic and, in some cases, cement-based materials ( IOC, 2024b ). Using a patented industrial process, the company transforms post-industrial and post-consumer plastic into panels, including its flagship SoftSurface™ material, using plastic collected in France and manufacturing the resulting panels domestically ( European Union, n.d. ). The collected plastic is sorted and crushed by recycling partners, formed into panels at workshops in Île-de-France and Burgundy, then cut and assembled by construction-industry professionals ( BNP Paribas, 2024 ). For the Aquatics Centre, Le Pavé worked with architecture firms VenhoevenCS and Atelier 2/3/4 to develop a tailor-made colourway: a white base from recycled shampoo bottles with yellow flecks from locally collected plastic caps ( Le Pavé, n.d.a. ; Le Pavé, n.d.b. ). Le Pavé partnered with Master Industrie, a Vendée-based specialist in public seating, and the finished seats were tested and certified for fire resistance and mechanical durability ( Le Pavé, n.d.b. ). The project demonstrates how a locally collected plastic waste stream can be matched with domestic processing and manufacturing capacity to produce a usable secondary material for demanding public applications. Environmental, Social and Economic Impact Together, the two venues installed 11,000 seats made using 100 tonnes of plastic waste. The Adidas Arena's 8,000 seats used 70 tonnes of post-consumer plastic, around 80% sourced from Île-de-France. The Aquatics Centre's 3,000 seats recycled a further 30 tonnes, mainly from sources in the region ( Le Pavé, n.d.a. ; Le Pavé, n.d.b. ). By using recycled plastic as the seat material, the project reduced the requirement for virgin plastic in this application. Collection, panel manufacture and seat production took place within France, creating a domestic supply chain connecting waste collection, materials processing and public-seating manufacture ( European Union, n.d. ; BNP Paribas, 2024 ). The collection campaign also gave schools, stadiums and companies a direct way to participate. Partner associations used the campaign to deliver activities on disability awareness, more sustainable practices in sport and hands-on plastic recycling ( LemonTri, 2021 ). The collaboration formed part of Paris 2024’s wider effort to open Games-related contracts to social and solidarity economy organisations and local businesses; around 460 such businesses had been contracted by March 2024 ( IOC, 2024b ). Economically, the project converted demand for Olympic infrastructure into a domestic manufacturing contract spanning plastics collection, material processing, architectural design and public-seating production. The finished seats remain in two permanent public venues, while the project demonstrated the use of recycled plastic in a technically demanding, large-scale application. Replicability Lemon Tri and Le Pavé are part of a wider movement to connect local plastic collection with processing and manufacturing. Similar collaborations across Europe show how organisations occupying different points in a value chain can work together to keep recovered plastic in circulation. Fructal, Dinos and GastroPET (Slovenia), created a closed-loop system in which Dinos collects and sorts discarded bottles, GastroPET converts them into recycled PET, and Fructal uses the material in new bottles. More than 1,120 tonnes of PET were recycled and reused during the project, while the recycled content of Fructal bottles increased from 30% to 50%. Ballygowan, Re-turn and Limerick Polymers Production (Ireland), trialled a bottle made with recycled PET sourced entirely through Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme. Returned bottles were collected and sorted in Limerick, processed by a bottle-production partner and used in new bottles manufactured at Ballygowan’s Newcastle West production line. Fors, Aage Vestergaard Larsen and Schoeller Plast Enterprise (Denmark), collaborated across the plastic value chain. Fors collected and sorted household plastic, Aage Vestergaard Larsen reprocessed it into reusable raw material, and Schoeller Plast Enterprise manufactured new household sorting products from the recovered plastic. ALL CASE STUDIES

ab85e4a6-f838-4371-b1cb-0cee6b3a87ef Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: THE NATIONAL MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE SCOTLAND (NMIS) WEBSITE: NMIS.SCOT SECTOR: RESEARCH SERVICES PUBLISHED : 29 JANUARY 2026 TAGS: CIRCULARMANUFACTURING, REMANUFACTURING, MATERIALEFFICIENCY, NETZERO, INDUSTRIALINNOVATION, DIGITALPRODUCTPASSPORT, SERVITISATION, MANUFACTURINGSKILLS, VALUERETENTION, SUPPLYCHAINRESILIENCE In the second week of September 2025, a delegation of CIRCULÉIRE members and staff was invited to Glasgow, Scotland, by Zero Waste Scotland to meet Circular Economy Industry Pioneers and Stakeholders from the Scottish Ecosystem. On Tuesday, September 9 th , our delegation visited the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, a publicly funded initiative that champions and derisks innovation in the manufacturing industry. This case study is part of a special series to transfer knowledge and learnings to Circular Economy Pioneers in the Irish Ecosystem. The Challenge Scotland’s economy runs almost entirely on virgin materials; 98% of the materials it uses come from freshly extracted resources. In 2018, this added up to 21.7 tonnes per person, nearly twice the global average (Circle Economy et al., 2022) . This “take, make, dispose” approach is costing the planet. Worldwide, the extraction and processing of materials account for half of all greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress ( UNEP, 2019 ). The situation is getting worse; in 2018, 9.1% of materials were recirculated globally ( Circle Economy, 2018 ), but this figure has since fallen to just 6.9% in 2025 ( Circle Economy, 2025 ). Scotland contributes to this impact; it imports significant quantities of materials and goods while also extracting fossil fuels domestically, which makes the country’s true carbon footprint 42% larger than what occurs within its geographic borders (Circle Economy et al., 2022) . If Scotland wants to cut its environmental impact meaningfully, it needs to rethink how materials are used. Moving towards a circular economy offers a clear path forward. Circle Economy’s 2022 Circularity Gap Report Scotland estimates that adopting circular practices in the manufacturing sector alone could cut the country’s material footprint by roughly 11% and lower emissions by nearly 5%. The Circular Solution The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is key to reshaping how Scotland makes and uses materials. By helping manufacturers embrace new technologies and innovate with less risk, NMIS is guiding the industry towards a more circular future. The UK government aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 to 2050, and NMIS is crucial to this effort. NMIS’s state-of-the-art facility in Renfrewshire is home to their Digital Factory, Manufacturing Skills Academy and Collaboration Hub. They also operate a second site in Renfrewshire and have a presence in Sheffield and North Ayrshire. Operated by the University of Strathclyde and supported by the Scottish Government and other public partners, it serves as a meeting point where innovation and sustainability are combined. The ReMake Value Retention Centre is NMIS’s spearhead project on developing remanufacturing solutions across industries. This £10+ million project focuses on sectors critical to national infrastructure, such as aerospace and power generation, and aims to keep products at their highest value instead of sending them to landfill. Since its opening, NMIS has supported over 700 research and development projects and engaged with more than 2,000 small and medium-sized enterprises. They have also delivered over 365 free training opportunities to help businesses build the skills needed to decarbonise the economy ( HVM Catapult, n.d. ). The CIRCULÉIRE team visits NMIS, the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland, to explore how remanufacturing, digital product passports, and circular business models are helping manufacturers transition to net zero Climate Impact Around 70% of direct industrial emissions come from the extraction and processing of the basic raw materials ( Bashmakov et al., 2022 ). By remanufacturing parts to their original, or even improved, performance, these emissions stay locked in, cutting environmental impact dramatically. A circular supply chain also reduces costs and lead times while strengthening industrial resilience in critical sectors. NMIS’s ReMake Value Retention Centre is helping companies make this shift to remanufacturing by addressing challenges across technology, business models, policies, standards, culture, skills, and investment. Momentum is building with new EU rules requiring nearly all products sold in the EU to carry a Digital Product Passport (DPP) . A DPP contains detailed data on materials, processes, and emissions. ReMake helps firms not only collect and manage this data but also turn it into value. With a DPP, businesses can interact more effectively with customers, sell approved spare parts, and share repair manuals or service records. ReMake is shifting the DPP from a compliance burden to a tool for monetisation and stronger customer relationships (Munawar, 2025) . ReMake also supports firms in developing new business models. Instead of one-off product sales, companies can move towards servitisation. This allows them to build long-term service relationships backed by remanufacturing and data-driven insights. This business model innovation, backed by technology, can extend product lifecycles, generate recurring revenue, and keep customers engaged (Fitzpatrick, 2025) . The National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland, through ReMake, is helping redesign the future of manufacturing in Scotland and beyond. Replicability Irish Manufacturing Research partners with industry to demystify emerging technologies, de-risk adoption, and deliver real-world impact. They bridge the gap between technology and business, ensuring companies can harness the latest advancements to drive efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. They lead CIRCULÉIRE , a dynamic, cross-sectoral public-private network dedicated to advancing circularity and developing circular business models in Ireland. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany is one of the world’s leading applied research organisations. It comprises a network of 75 institutes with an annual budget of €3.6 billion, two-thirds of which is directly funded by industry. They drive the shift to a sustainable, circular economy by developing innovative technologies, strategies, and collaborative solutions that transform industrial practices and support environmental and economic resilience. RISE Research Institutes of Sweden is a major applied research centre for manufacturing competitiveness, sustainability, and digital innovation. ALL CASE STUDIES

60b2f20d-7d83-4fd9-a963-656948db8a8d Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: KARPOLAX WEBSITE: KARPOLAX.COM SECTOR: AGRI-FOOD, PACKAGING PUBLISHED: 6 TH NOVEMBER 2026 TAGS: FOOD WASTE PREVENTION, SHELF-LIFE EXTENSION, POST-HARVEST LOSS, NATURAL PRESERVATIVES, BIO-BASED MATERIALS, ACTIVE PACKAGING, VALUE RETENTION, OFF-GRID SOLUTIONS, FOOD SECURITY, SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE The Challenge Fruit is highly perishable ( FAO et al., 2026 ), and much of it never reaches a plate. Globally, fruit and vegetables have the highest loss rate of any food group: 25.4% is lost between harvest and the shop, almost double the 13.3% average for all food ( FAO, 2025 ). Food losses are highest in sub-Saharan Africa, at 23% ( FAO, 2025 ). For perishable crops, losses there often exceed 50% where storage and cold chains are limited ( FAO et al., 2026 ). In Kenya, earlier estimates put mango losses at 25 to 44% along the value chain ( Ridolfi, Hoffmann and Baral, 2018 ). Bananas are also lost after harvest ( FAO, 2014 ). Outside supermarkets, they are stored and displayed without cooling. Some wholesalers store and ripen them in iron-roofed sheds, where daytime temperatures reach 36°C, and some street sellers leave them in direct sun. In these conditions, bananas last 5 days instead of 1 to 2 weeks ( FAO, 2014 ). Bruising also makes fruit give off ethylene, a gas that triggers ripening, and lets in disease, shortening its shelf life ( FAO, 2014 ). This damage cuts traders’ income. Poor handling is the biggest cause of quality loss in dessert bananas. Together with poor storage and uneven ripening, it cuts the market value of the fruit by 30 to 50%, reducing what wholesalers and retailers earn all year round ( FAO, 2014 ). Across low-income countries, post-harvest losses of perishable foods also push up prices for consumers ( FAO et al., 2026 ). Every spoiled fruit also wastes the land and water used to grow it ( FAO, 2013 ). Fruit accounts for 18% of the blue water footprint of global food loss and waste ( FAO, 2013 ). Blue water is the water in rivers, lakes and underground aquifers ( UN ESCWA, n.d. ). Fruit wastage is also a blue water hotspot in Europe ( FAO, 2013 ). The same problem reaches Ireland. Fruit and vegetables are the largest source of food waste on Irish farms ( EPA, 2026 ). A 2019 study found that fruit makes up 16% of food waste in Irish supermarkets, second only to vegetables ( EPA, 2026 ). A 2025 update to EU waste law requires Member States, by 2030, to cut food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% per person across retail, restaurants, food services and households, compared with 2021–2023 levels ( European Commission, n.d. ). A Circular Solution Karpolax was created by two Ugandan entrepreneurs who developed their invention while studying agricultural sciences at Makerere University in Kampala (Uganda) ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). It is a biodegradable sachet that slows down spoilage, so fruit keeps for longer ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Tucked into fruit packaging, the sachet gives off natural vapours drawn from cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus and wintergreen. These vapours hold back ripening by cutting the amount of ethylene the fruit releases, and shield it from mould, fungi and bacteria ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). In pilot tests with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organisation, mangoes stayed fresh for 33 days instead of 11 ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). It has also worked on bananas, apples and oranges, and versions for pineapples, peppers and berries are in development ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Karpolax says its sachet is for farmers, transporters, packers and retailers. Users simply drop a sachet into a box of fruit ( Karpolax, n.d. ). The sachet works without refrigeration. In sub-Saharan Africa, where access to cold storage is limited, post-harvest losses hit smallholder farmers hardest ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). The EPA’s Food Use and Waste Hierarchy ranks ways of dealing with surplus food in order of preference, with prevention first as the most effective way to reduce food waste ( EPA, 2026 ). Karpolax works at this top level by keeping fruit as food for longer, using a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Environmental, Social and Economic Impact Karpolax launched in 2020 and, by 2023, had worked with over 100 farmers, 20 exporters and 250 market vendors. According to the EPO, over the same period its sachets prevented more than one million tonnes of fruit from going to waste ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Fruit that stays fresh also saves the land and water used to grow it ( FAO, 2013 ). Because the sachets need no refrigeration, they add none of the extra energy use that expanding cold storage may bring ( FAO, 2019 ). Longer-lasting fruit also improves access to food. According to UNICEF, Karpolax has enabled over 250,000 people to access fruit and vegetables in a year. UNICEF notes that, by extending the shelf life of produce, Karpolax can give children and families sustained access to nutritious fruit, even in the face of climate change ( UNICEF, 2023 ). In 2025, this work earned the founders the European Patent Office’s Community Healers prize, which recognises solutions for food security and social equity ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). For the people who grow and sell fruit, less spoilage means more to sell. Co-founder Samuel Muyita says, “We have seen a reduction in wastage of over 40%.” He adds that in Uganda, “if farmers are not using Karpolax, they are not using anything” ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Fruit that lasts weeks rather than days gives traders and vendors more time to reach buyers, instead of having to sell cheaply before it spoils. The sachet also offers a low-cost alternative to synthetic preservatives ( European Patent Office, 2025 ). Replicability Karpolax is one of a growing number of innovations that keep fresh produce edible for longer. Around the world, companies are tackling food loss at different points in the supply chain, from the farm to the shop shelf. Apeel Sciences (USA) makes a plant-based coating that keeps fruit and vegetables fresh for longer, as an alternative to waxes and plastic packaging. According to Independent Retail Europe, an association of retail groups, German retailer EDEKA reported a 50% drop in avocado waste and a 20% increase in avocado sales in a 2020 pilot in about 2,900 of its stores. It then rolled out Apeel produce to more than 11,000 stores ( European Commission, 2020 ). ColdHubs (Nigeria) cuts post-harvest losses of fruit, vegetables and other perishable food using solar-powered cold rooms placed at key points along the supply chain. It links these to temperature-controlled transport and supplies sturdy plastic crates to reduce damage in transit. It’s Fresh! (UK) developed RYPEN, a packaging technology that controls ethylene, the gas that makes fruit ripen. Growers, packers and retailers use it to keep fresh produce on the shelf for longer. Hazel Technologies (USA) makes products that slow the natural processes that spoil fresh produce. Without touching the fruit, they adjust the conditions around it to slow ripening and protect against gases and mould. Hazel offers solutions tailored to more than 15 different fruits and vegetables. ALL CASE STUDIES

b96f2e0f-736a-4b70-ade9-9f23323c8096 Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link CIRCULÉIRE NON-MEMBER CASE STUDY COMPANY: SOTENÄS MARINE RECYCLING CENTRE WEBSITE: SYMBIOSCENTRUM.SE SECTOR : ADVANCED MATERIALS PUBLISHED: 19 NOVEMBER 2025 TAGS: MARINEPLASTIC, GHOSTGEAR, OCEANPOLLUTION, FISHINGINDUSTRY, INDUSTRIALSYMBIOSIS, RECYCLING, WASTETORESOURCE, EPR, CLEANSEAS The Challenge Sotenäs is a small coastal municipality in Sweden with around 9,000 inhabitants. Fishing is the primary industry and it is home to the second largest fish auction in the country. The municipality also homes three of Sweden’s major seafood processing plants ( Marthinson, 2022 ). Tourism plays a key role in the local economy, with the population swelling to over 50,000 each summer ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). Both fishing and tourism rely on healthy seas and clean environments. Yet, Sotenäs faces significant challenges from marine litter and waste generated by the fishing industry. This local issue mirrors a global crisis. While plastics have delivered clear benefits - being lightweight, durable, and versatile for many industrial and everyday applications - their widespread use has also created severe environmental challenges. Plastic production has surged in recent years, driving climate change and harming marine ecosystems. Global plastic production now exceeds 450 million tonnes annually ( Ritchie, Samborska & Roser, 2023 ). From extraction to disposal, plastics generate large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs). In 2019 alone, plastics accounted for 1.8 billion tonnes of GHG emissions - about 3.4% of global emissions ( OECD, 2024 ) and every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters the ocean, threatening marine life ( Tsydenova & Patil, 2021 ). A Circular Solution The Sotenäs Marine Recycling Centre (SMRC) is Sweden’s first facility dedicated to marine recycling. It was established in 2018 through a partnership between Sotenäs municipality and local fishers, as part of Symbioscentrum - an organisation promoting industrial symbiosis in the region ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). SMRC collects, separates, and processes discarded fishing gear and marine litter, including "ghost gear"- fishing equipment such as nets, lines, or traps that has been lost, abandoned, or discarded yet continues to capture and kill fish or other marine animals. SMRC sorts metals and different plastic types such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, and PET for reuse, recycling, or upcycling. Due to its success, SMRC expanded nationally in 2020 through the Fiskereturen project, creating around 10 collection hubs in fishing ports across Sweden. Fishing gear from these locations is trucked to SMRC for processing ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). SMRC worked with authorities to prepare for the European Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for fishing gear , which came into effect in January 2025 ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). The centre also offers testing services and is developing new circular products from waste fishing gear and marine plastics through its innovation testbed, Testbed Ocean Waste (TOW) ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). Climate Impact Previously, most clean polymers collected by SMRC were exported to Plastix Global in Denmark for recycling into pellets for use by European and international industries (Charter & Whitehead, 2023). Today, more polymers are reused locally in Sweden, reducing resource loss from export and increasing the availability of recycled materials. This shift lowers reliance on imported and virgin polymers. In 2022, the SMRC collected 152 tonnes of used fishing gear ( Torbäck, 2023 ). About 60 - 80% of the collected gear was recycled, 5 - 10% reused, and the remainder that was unsuitable for recycling or reuse was sent for energy recovery ( Torbäck, 2023 ). Recycling one tonne of plastic saves approximately 16.3 barrels of oil or 5,774 kilowatt hours of electricity ( UNDP, 2022 ), meaning SMRC’s efforts generate significant environmental savings. SMRC also creates green local jobs through the municipality’s work-training programme ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). Trainees help separate and sort fishing gear and beach plastic, as well as clean municipal beaches and coastal areas ( Charter & Whitehead, 2023 ). Replicability Discarded fishing gear and marine plastic waste are global problems, especially in coastal regions with limited recycling infrastructure. Globally, only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled; the majority is either incinerated (approximately 34%), landfilled (around 40%), or improperly disposed of into the environment ( Wu et al., 2025 ). Replicating the SMRC model successfully requires two critical elements: infrastructure to collect and process the nets, and a market to buy the resulting recycled material. While the infrastructure gap remains significant, a growing number of companies are proving that a robust market for marine plastics exists. By treating waste gear as a valuable feedstock rather than trash, these organizations are driving demand: OceanЯ (Ireland), a Cork-based apparel company, produces garments from marine plastic waste and has diverted over 1.5 million plastic bottles from oceans and landfills. Waterhaul (UK) recovers and recycles marine plastics, including ghost gear, into traceable, purpose-made polymer products used in injection moulding. Bureo (Chile/US) collects discarded fishing nets and recycles them into NetPlus nylon pellets for use in the products of brands such as Nike & Patagonia. Patagonia (USA) are an outdoor clothing pioneer incorporating recycled plastics and collaborating with companies like Bureo to use discarded fishing nets to make high end outdoor clothing. ALL CASE STUDIES