We are delighted to announce that three consortia were awarded conditional funding from our 2021 Innovation Fund Call! The first consortium is called “Circular Economy & The Power of Many” and is led by CIRCULÉIRE Founding Member Freefoam Plastics Limited in collaboration with supply-chain partners Glenveagh Properties PLC , Mulligan Guttering and The Shabra Group . This project will develop a take back scheme for off-cuts and protective packaging materials utilised during the installation of roofline building products on construction sites. The second consortium is called “Advanced Robotics to capture Critical Raw Materials in WEEE recycling for a Circular Economy” (RoboCRM). This innovation demonstration project is led by CIRCULÉIRE member FPD Recycling , along with project partners Robotics and Drives and University of Limerick . RoboCRM aims to enhance the recovery of critical raw materials from small WEEE items. The third consortium are finalising the T’s & C’s and will be announced soon. Watch this space! Learn More

"Circular Economy Skillset" is a project funded by CIRCULÉIRE’s 2020 Innovation Fund, led by WEEE Ireland and with project partners Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT) and the White Goods Association. It aims to train a new generation of technicians that will greatly be needed in the transition towards the circular economy. Up to 20 trainees will learn new skills to repair white goods during 26 weeks, followed by guaranteed 12 weeks work placements. More information on CE Skillset can be found here: https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/new-repair-technicians-to-be-trained-to-prevent-electrical-waste-1159520.html If you are interested in signing up to the scheme: please register via https://fit.ie/circular-economy-skills-initiative/ This project is a great example of the way CIRCULÉIRE helps implementing innovative programmes that enable or demonstrate the power of the circular economy in practice! Our €500k Innovation Fund helps industry to pilot and demonstrate circular economy models - Check out our 2022 call now open until 31st October 2022: https://circuleire.ie/circuleire-innovation-fund-2022/ You can learn more here about our 2020 and 2021 awardees to date here: https://circuleire.ie/circuleire-awardees-2020-2021

This newsletter includes an update on current activities supporting circular economy implementation by industry, the launch of our 2022 innovation fund, the profiling our 2021 innovation fund demos led by CIRCULÉIRE members Kevin Cronin from Freefoam Plastics Ltd and Paudy O'Brien from FPD Recycling, a reminder that the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Enterprise 2021 call closes 29th July and much more… Learn More

This Friday 3rd September C IRCULÉIRE  and T angent, Trinity's Ideas Workspace  are hosting an open-house session detailing the new venture and innovation programme. It will be held on zoom at t his link. This programme aims to assist circular economy start-ups and businesses that are revenue generating and develop their solutions such that they can help make a systemic impact drive Ireland’s transition to net-zero carbon # circulareconomy Benefits include business coaching, mentoring by industry experts, access to the CIRCULÉIRE Industry network and up to €5,000 in equity-free funding. Applications welcome until 5pm (GMT) on September 10th 2021.

We are delighted to announce that Kevin Cronin, COO of CIRCULEIRE Founding Member Freefoam and CIRCULEIRE's Programme Manger Dr Geraldine Brennan will be joining Tom Szarky, CEO Terracycle & Loop Store to discuss the future of waste and circular economy from 2:15pm on Thursday 21st September at The Sustainability Summit. The Sustainability Summit is a 3-Day online broadcast event that will bring together some of the greatest minds, industry champions, start-ups, investors, public sector officials, NGOs and the academic sector in an effort to collaborate, share, learn and create for the long term benefit of society, purpose and planet. The event and its associated spin-off initiatives will be innovative & educational as we bring together global thought leaders, practitioners and experts. It will be held between 21st and 23rd September 2021. Register Here

Join us on September 24th (11-12:30pm) for CIRCULÉIRE's 2021 Circular Packaging Insights Webinar in collaboration with Mabbett Ltd! Is your business frustrated with increased single use packaging and considering how to reduce environmental impact? Have you heard of the circular economy to reduce waste and to retain value for longer? If you are interested in understanding the wider Irish context of circular packaging, then this webinar is for you! CIRCULÉIRE 's Expert Facilitators, Mabbett , will present on the main findings of the working group including: The state of play of Ireland’s circular packaging context, including the main policy drivers nationally and in Europe shaping Ireland’s circular economy for packaging; Sharing the circular innovation opportunities which were co-developed with input from CIRCULÉIRE's cross-sectoral Thematic Working Group Panel Members, and which have the potential to advance Ireland’s circular economy for packaging; Highlighting the major barriers to circularising Ireland’s packaging economy, and the recommendations about what’s needed to overcome them; The session will be moderated by Geraldine Boylan, (Director, Environment, Mabbett & Associates) and will include Q&A. Register Here

Join us for CIRCULÉIRE’s Public Webinar to share the main findings from its Circular Plastics Thematic Working Group… About this event Is your business looking to reduce its environmental impact by reducing your single use plastics? Have you heard of the circular economy to reduce waste and to retain value for longer? If you are looking to find out more about the wider Irish context of circular economy for plastics, then this webinar is for you. Join us 10:00am – 11:30pm on 7th of October. The webinar discusses the results and innovation opportunities identified by CIRCULÉIRE Circular Plastic Thematic Working Group which was run over summer 2021 and was supported by Irish Manufacturing Research . CIRCULÉIRE’s Expert Facilitators, Athlone Institute of Technology , will present on the main findings of the working group including: The state of play of Ireland’s circular plastics context, including the main policy drivers nationally and in Europe shaping Ireland’s circular economy for plastics; Sharing the circular innovation opportunities which were co-developed with input from CIRCULÉIRE’s cross-sectoral Thematic Working Group Panel Members, and which have the potential to advance Ireland’s circular economy for plastic; Highlighting the major barriers to circularising Ireland’s plastics economy, and the recommendations about what’s needed to overcome them. Register Here

Join us on 27th October, from 11am to 12.30pm, for CIRCULÉIRE’s Circular Design Public Webinar where we will discuss how Irish businesses can design new products and services that reduce waste and Greenhouse Gas emissions, keep materials in use as long as possible, and bring value to customers The Circular Economy begins and ends with design. How we design products and services has a key role to play in Ireland’s transition to a circular economy. With support from CIRCULÉIRE , a number of Irish businesses and organisations have been exploring how they can redesign products for remanufacture, design new services keep products in use for as long as possible, design new products from previously wasted materials, extend the life of products through repair and upgrades, measure the impact of circular design and develop new programmes for circular design skills development. The webinar will present the results and innovation opportunities identified by CIRCULÉIRE Circular Design Working Group which was run over three months in 2021, with support by Irish Manufacturing Research . CIRCULÉIRE’s Expert Facilitator, Dr. Simon O’Rafferty, M-CO , will present on the main findings of the working group including: The state of play of Ireland’s circular design context, including the main policy drivers nationally and in Europe shaping circular design in Ireland; Sharing the circular innovation opportunities which were co-developed with input from CIRCULÉIRE’s cross-sectoral Thematic Working Group Panel Members, and which have the potential to advance circular design in Ireland; Highlighting the major barriers that are holding back circular design in Ireland, and the recommendations about what’s needed to overcome them; Register Here

The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action resume pre-legislative scrutiny General Scheme of Circular Economy Bill The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action met on Thursday, 21 October , in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House to resume pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill . They heard from Dr. Geraldine Brennan, CIRCULÉIRE lead and Head of Circular Economy at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) . “The Government’s ambition to transition to a circular economy and ambition to become a leader in Europe by 2030 is matched by the willingness of industry to engage in the transformation journey. Our members in CIRCULÉIRE welcome the development of a supportive and enabling environment to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Ireland”, highlighted Dr. Geraldine Brennan during the session. Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Leddin said: “This is our third meeting as part of our pre-legislative scrutiny of the Circular Economy Bill 2021, which proposes the necessary legislative basis for the transition an alternative to the existing economic model of production and consumption, which is economically and environmentally unsustainable. The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad. Watch the Committee proceedings . Below are an overview of key points made by Dr Geraldine Brennan, on behalf of CIRCULÉIRE Industry Members to the Oireachtas committee. CIRCULÉIRE’s members welcome the placing of the Circular Economy Strategy on a statutory footing through the Circular Economy Bill and the evolution of the Environment Fund into a Circular Economy Fund. The Government’s ambition to transition to a circular economy and ambition to become a leader in Europe by 2030 is matched by the willingness of industry to engage in the transformation journey – illustrated by CIRCULÉIRE’s network of cross-sectoral manufacturing companies and second-life enablers (EPR Schemes; material re-processors, reverse logistics and solution providers) including micro-enterprise, SMEs and MNCs alike. CIRCULÉIRE’s members welcome the development of a supportive and enabling environment to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Ireland which includes: More “hands-on” regulatory approach with flexibility for research, development and piloting within existing regulatory frameworks. Greater regulatory certainty via clearer regulatory frameworks (citing the success of EPR Schemes for WEEE as replicable for other sectors). Supports to create marketplaces for circular products and services. Embedding circular economy criteria into existing public funding calls and developing capital expenditure funds for strategic infrastructure. Members welcomed more forums for ongoing dialogue between public bodies, the third sector, industry, and citizens. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC. Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

The conference will take place on November 24th at the RDS Simonscourt, Dublin Are you one of those people trying to figure out how to make your business more circular and sustainable? Save the 24th of November in your diary! CIRCULÉIRE’s Annual Conference will be a half-day event (10am - 1:30 pm) and will take place in hybrid format as part of the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin. The Climate Act 2021 commits Ireland to legally binding targets to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions across the economy by 51% between 2021 and 2030 and achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050. The Accelerating the transition to a Circular Economy conference will take place at the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo Main Stage and will shine a spotlight on the circular economy, a key tool in Ireland’s decarbonisation strategy. As we digest the outcomes of COP26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, that is taking place in Glasgow between 31st October and 12th November 2021, CIRCULÉIRE’s Strategic Partners and Network Members will talk about how they are putting circular economy in practice in Ireland. Join us to: Gain insights into the evolving circular economy policy landscape in Ireland from CIRCULÉIRE's Strategic Partners – hear from DECC, EPA and EIT Climate-KIC Hear from CIRCULÉIRE's Industry Members about how they are putting circular economy into practice Join our hybrid event: In person at 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo: Register Here Or virtually through Irish Manufacturing Research’s YouTube Channel: Join Virtually Here Please note if attending in person, while the event is free to attend, it will take place under COVID-19 public health guidelines – all visitors will be required to provide a vaccination certificate on arrival, valid identification and also to wear a mask for the duration of the event. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Transition Year students had the opportunity to visit IMR’s Lab in Mullingar and see how circular economy and cutting-edge technologies are being used in manufacturing in Ireland Circular economy was the topic of discussion for post-primary students (c.15-16 years old) at Christ King Girls' School last Wednesday, 10th November 2021. They visited Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)’s Mullingar Lab in the National Science Park and had the opportunity to learn about CIRCULÉIRE, Ireland’s first industry-led circular economy innovation network; how to practically apply circular principles to products and were introduced to cutting-edge technologies that are being used in manufacturing such as 3D printing, collaborative robots, and artificial intelligence. “I am interested in Science and can imagine myself working with STAM (Science and Technology of Advanced Materials). After hearing about circular economy, I can see that the field can help lower our carbon footprint…”, said one of the students, Marlene Liebendoerfer, 14 years old. The initiative was part of Science Week 2021 , and the IMR’s Outreach team in collaboration with CIRCULÉIRE promoted a campaign where teachers registered their classes and received a short introduction to circular economy. Students were then invited to submit a video recording answering the question “How could circular economy be implemented in your school?". Students from Christ King Girls' School visited IMR’s Lab in Mullingar on 10th November “It is very special to see what they learn in the class can be applied in real life”, commented the teacher, Claudia O’Donoghue. But the take-outs were not just for the students, Maria O'Callaghan, junior science teacher, considered: “There is so much we can do when it is about circular economy. I think we all will reflect about our own habits back home”. Two schools were selected as winners of the Science Week campaign. Christ King Girls' School students acheived first place and had the opportunity to visit IMR’s Lab in November 2021. Another group of students, from Clonaslee College, came second place and will get an opportunity at a future date to visit IMR’s Lab in Mullingar when COVID-19 restrictions permit. Keep tuned for more news! About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Register to join us on 24th Nov, at the Main Stage of the 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply-Chain Expo CIRCULÉIRE and IMR in collaboration with our Strategic Partners, Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) , Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , EIT Climate-KIC and our Industry Members are pleased to announce the full line-up of speakers for our 2021 @CIRCULÉIRE Conference taking place as part of the 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply-Chain Expo at the RDS Simmons Court, Dublin, next Wednesday, 24th November 2021. Check out the complete-line-up of speakers: Leslie Carberry, Principle Officer, Department for the Environment, Climate Action and Communications (DECC) Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager, EPA Dr Andy Kerr, UK and Ireland Lead, Climate KIC Austin Geraghty, Global Health, Safety & Sustainability, Snr Director, Hovione Brian Cloonan, General Manager, Western Proteins & By products recovery, Dawn Meats Elizabeth O’Reilly, Head of Environmental Compliance & Membership, WEEE Ireland Paul McSweeney, CEO, The ZeroNet Maurice O’Connell, Chief Operating Officer, IMR Geraldine Brennan, Head of Circular Economy, IMR Sophie Reynolds, Circular Economy Technologist, IMR Dr Damian Coughlan, Senior Circular Economy Researcher, IMR Dr Mohamed Abokersh, Senior Circular Economy Researcher, IMR Join our hybrid event: In person at 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo – register here: Register Here Or virtually through Irish Manufacturing Research’s YouTube Channel: Join Virtually Here Please note if attending in person, while the event is free to attend, it will take place under COVID-19 public health guidelines – all visitors will be required to provide a vaccination certificate on arrival, valid identification and also to wear a mask for the duration of the event. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .