Policy case

Societal Services

Providing public and private education and support services at any level or for any profession, and governmental and public administration services, including judicial, regulatory, and legislative activities, taxation, defence, public order and safety, immigration services, foreign affairs and the administration of government programmes

Education and Government Services

'Regulate' changes the rules of the systems to achieve compliance through enforcement. 


Regulate

Legislation

Bans

DISRUPT

A crop is a plant or animal product that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. Crop may refer either to the harvested parts or to the harvest in a more refined state. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or aquaculture. Some examples are: cereals, dry pulses, protein crops, root crops, industrial crops, fresh vegetables and permanent crops.

Crops

Refers to 1) crude oils, 2) gas and 3) fuels. They are liquid and gaseous energy materials/carriers. 1) Crude oil is a naturally occurring, unrefined petroleum product composed of hydrocarbon deposits and other organic materials. Crude oil can be refined to produce usable products such as gasoline, diesel and various forms of petrochemicals. 2) Natural gas (also called fossil gas) is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly including varying amounts of other higher alkanes, and sometimes a small percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, or helium. Gas is a non-renewable hydrocarbon used as a source of energy for heating, cooking, electricity generation and as a fuel for vehicles. 3) A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as heat energy or to be used for work, which can be crude oils and gas products, but could for example also be nuclear energy.  

Liquids and gases 

What is it?
 
Metals are chemical elements that are extracted and processed from mineral ores. Metals, such as aluminum, iron, zinc, gold, silver, tin, and mercury represent a significant fraction of total material flows in the economy.
 
How is it produced? 
 
Metals are elementary substances extracted from mineral ores. Ores are extracted from the environment through mining and quarrying activities. Metlas can be extracted from the ore by three main methods: reduction of the ore with carbon, reduction of the molten ore by electrolysis, and reduction of the ore with a more reactive metal (1). The process of refining uses a significant amount of energy, and consequently produces a large carbon footprint. 
 
Where/how is it used in our economy (main sectors, main products, ingredients)?
 
Metals are omnipresent in common products across industries due to their wide range of functionalities and performance characteristics. Metals are essential for many of our product production processes. Over the 20th century demand has risen steeply, and this is expected to continue over the next decades. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) calculated that low-carbon technologies would need over 600 million tonnes (Mt) more metal resources up to 2050 (2). Alongside the usual suspects of cobalt, lithium and rare-earth-metals, this includes aluminium, silver, steel, nickel, lead and zinc.
 
Why should we care from a circular economy perspective? (How is it un-circular?)
 
- Mining is energy and carbon intensive (3)
- Scarce metals are mismanaged and are associated with social impacts (conflict minerals)
- Given their recyclability and durability, circular economy solutions are a top priority. 
 

(1) https://revisionscience.com/a2-level-level-revision/chemistry-level-revision/bonding-and-structure/reduction-metals-extraction-ore#:~:targetText=There%20are%203%20main%20methods,with%20a%20more%20reactive%20metal.
 
(2) https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-these-six-metals-are-key-to-a-low-carbon-future
 
(3) Tost, M., Bayer, B., Hitch, M., Lutter, S., Moser, P., & Feiel, S. (2018). Metal Mining’s Environmental Pressures: A Review and Updated Estimates on CO2 Emissions, Water Use, and Land Requirements. Sustainability, 10(8), 2881.

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Metal & ores

What is it?
 
Biomass is the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues of biological origin from agriculture (including vegetal and animal substances), forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. Includes bioliquids and biofuels. (1)
 
How is it produced? 
 
Biomass is generated through the biocycle. (2) The cycling of nutrients is critical for the growth of all plant and animal life on the planet. At its most basic level, the natural cycle sees nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium absorbed from the soil by plants, which are then consumed by animals (including humans). These nutrients are subsequently excreted and returned to the soil, where plants can take them in again. Throughout the biocycle, biomass absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere while growing. This effect can be magnified when these materials are subsequently reused or recycled. (3)
 
Where/how is it used in our economy (main sectors, main products, ingredients)?
 
Every year, people harvest roughly 13 billion tonnes of biomass globally to use as food, energy and materials. Biomass accounts for roughly 9% of world total primary energy supply today. (4) 
Additionally, cities produce about 650 million tonnes of solid organic waste per year. (5)
 
Why should we care from a circular economy perspective?
 
Biomass use is confronted with some dilemmas, such as the use of biomass as an energy source by means of combustion or fermentation, versus a more high-value application (e.g. the processing of residual wood for furniture). For every application, the highest value must be recovered. A general rule of thumb is that the fewer process steps a material has to go through for reuse, the higher the quality of the material it can contain. This means that it is important to direct the use of renewable materials to applications where they contribute the most to sustainability.
 
(1) Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/Urban-Biocycles_Ellen-MacArthurFoundation_30-3-2017.pdf
 
(2) Source: https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=201
 
(3) Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/galleries/ce100/CE100-Renewables_Co.Project_Report.pdf
 
(4) Source: https://www.iea.org/topics/renewables/bioenergy/
 
(5) Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/Urban-Biocycles_Ellen-MacArthurFoundation_30-3-2017.pdf

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Biomass

Ferrous metals contain iron, whereas non-ferrous metals do not. Ferrous metals are easily identified by their magnetic properties, as well as their poor resistance to corrosion and rust. Typical examples include engineered materials such as steel and cast iron, combining an iron base with small amounts of other metals or elements added in.  (1)


(1) https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/ferrous-metal

Ferrous metals

Non ferrous metals do not contain iron. Some examples of non-ferrous metals are aluminum, aluminum alloys, and copper, which are often used in industrial applications such as gutters, roofing, pipes, and electrical. Non-ferrous metals also include brass, gold, nickel, silver, tin, lead, and zinc.

Non ferrous metals

Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic material - a natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin, which resists compression.


Wood

What is it?
 
Fossil energy carriers are non-renewable materials, which include coal, oil, and natural gas. These fossil carriers contain energy that can be later converted to other forms such as mechanical work or heat or to operate chemical or physical processes.
 
How is it produced? 
 
Domestic extraction of fossil energy carriers (solid, liquid and gaseous) takes place through underground or open-cast mining, and the operation of crude oil and natural gas fields.
 
Where/how is it used in our economy (main sectors, main products, ingredients)?
 
Fossil fuel carriers are primarily used to provide electricity, heat, and transportation. They supply about 80 percent of the world’s energy and also feed the processes used to produce a wide range of products, from steel to plastics. 
 
Why should we care from a circular economy perspective? (How is it un-circular?)
 
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal are the biggest single source of global temperature increase above pre-industrial levels, and account for 44% of the world's total emissions. Governments around the world are now engaged in efforts to ramp down greenhouse gas emissions generated from fossil fuels. These efforts generally focus on replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, and electrifying sectors such as transportation and buildings. However, many city governments lack the ability to directly control the energy mix of their electricity, as policies are often set at state or national levels. Despite such challenges, some major cities are showing that it is possible to reduce fossil fuel usage. This year, over 300 cities joined in CDP’s cities programme, sharing information on how they are taking actions to reduce carbon emissions and managing climate risks (1).
 
(1) https://www.cdp.net/en/cities

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Fossil carriers

This category consists of a number of minerals that are primarily used in construction, and make up the majority of non-metallic minerals extracted today. They contain sand, gravel, and structural clay, which are used in load-bearing structural components, and are often locally sourced and of low economic value. Sand and gravel consist of an unconsolidated accumulation of rounded or semi-rounded rock fragments that result from the natural disintegration of rock; clay is a finely-grained natural rock or soil material that combines one or more clay minerals with possible traces of quartz, metal oxides and organic matter. They also contain limestone and gypsum. Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary rock whose major materials are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate. Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. It is widely mined and used as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard/sidewalk chalk, and drywall. Finally, they contain a number of ornamental and building stones, which can be a variety of minerals that are used for direct building use, rather than as an input for a construction material (e.g. limestone blocks used to make a wall). 


Construction Dominant

What is it?
 
A mineral is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound that occurs naturally in pure form. Minerals are most commonly associated with rocks due to the presence of minerals within rocks. These rocks may consist of one type of mineral, or may be an aggregate of two or more different types of minerals. Non-metallic minerals are those which do not yield new products on melting. The materials include minerals that do not contain metals or fossil energy carriers. Examples of non-metallic minerals are; stone, sand, clay, and salt. 
 
How is it produced? 
 
Non-metallic minerals are extracted from the environment through mining and quarrying activities, or via dredging of alluvial deposits, rock crushing and the use of salt marshes. 
 
Where/how is it used in our economy (main sectors, main products, ingredients)?
 
Non-metallic minerals (2) are used most notably in construction (e.g. sands, gravel, stones etc.), manufacture of mineral products (e.g. glass, cement etc.), or manufacture of chemicals (e.g. mineral fertilisers). 
 
Why should we care from a circular economy perspective? (How is it un-circular?)
 
Mineral mining and processing activities can be highly destructive to local ecosystems. 
Mining of non-metallic minerals can have negative environmental impacts on air, water, and soil. Stone dust produced from crusher units can also be damaging for human health (3). Mitigating the environmental impacts of industrial mineral mines could be improved by changes to existing regulations and by implementing circular approaches such as lifetime extension, remanufacturing, and reuse. 
 
(1) https://www.slideshare.net/hzharraz/nonmetallic-mineral-deposits#:~:targetText=Non%2Dmetallic%20minerals%20are%20those,associated%20with%20igneous%2Fmetamorphic%20rocks.
 
(2) MF.3
 
(3) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10106049.2019.1597390?journalCode=tgei20

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Minerals & chemicals

The residual biomass that is discarded during production, such as straw and leaves, are not included in annual crop statistics. Nevertheless, those crop residues are often subject to further economic use. For example, a large fraction of crop residues is used as bedding material in livestock husbandry; crop residues may also be used as feed, for energy production, or as industrial raw material.

Crop Residues

Animal products refers to wild fish catch, aquatic plants/animals, hunting and gathering, live animals, animal products and food products like meat, fibre, milk, eggs, or other products. 



Animal Products

Solid fuel refers to various forms of solid material that can be burnt to release energy, providing heat and light through the process of combustion. This includes lignite, hard coal, tar sands, and peat.

Coal and solids 

Industrial and agricultural minerals are non-metallic minerals that are primarily used in chemical, industrial, or agricultural processes. Chemical minerals are used in chemical processes such as the production of detergents, animal feedstock, and many other minor applications. They also contain some applications of salt, which may be produced from rock salt, brine or seawater; it is used for human consumption, in the chemical industry, or to ‘grit’ roads to prevent the formation of ice. Fertiliser minerals are nitrogen, potassium and phosphate, the three most common nutrients used in agriculture. Nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and potassium (K) are also combined to form NPK compound fertilisers, which provides crops with these nutrients at the same time. 
Finally, there are a number of minerals used as inputs for specific processes: Graphite, a stable form of pure carbon, is mainly used in refractories; Quartz and quartzite are special qualities of silicon used e.g. in the optical industry or in metal manufacturing; Siliceous fossil meals such as Kieselgur, Tripolite, Diatomite and other siliceous earths, used e.g. as absorption agent or material for heat insulation; Steatite and talc are magnesium silicate minerals, used for several industrial purposes; Feldspar is an essential component of glass and ceramic manufacture.


Industrial / Agricultural Dominant

Materials

This collection is being created to regroup all case studies related to the packaging industry (CAT purpose)

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Packaging collection

Greywater is drained water from bathing, laundering, washing dishes etc. and excludes sewage (black water). Greywater can be reused most commonly for irrigation and toilet flushing if the appropriate system to capture and distribute it is in place. To extend usage possibilities, filtration and treatment systems may be introduced. 

Use greywater

Collection of waste arising from commercial and industrial actors

Collect non residential

The organics opportunity space refers to biological systems, organic products and materials, and the processes that relate to conserving and circulating organic materials at all stages of the value chain. Organics form part of the biocycle (as opposed to the technical cycle which includes metals and other non biodegradable materials) and requires different solutions to preserve nutrients at their highest value for re-entry back into the system. 


ORGANICS

In some cases, animals can act as efficient bio-converters of organic waste or excess organic materials, especially when the waste or organic materials is superior (healthier and more appropriate) feedstock for the animals in question, and those animals in turn have a regenerative . Further the introduction of animals into production chains or park management can be implemented with the aim to increase biodiversity and regenerate local ecosystems. 

Involve other animals

Locally produced food has to travel shorter, which means less fuel is consumed and less greenhouse gases are generated. Moreover, buying locally produced food helps local farmers and markets and creates more jobs in the local businesses. 


Produce locally

Make collected and sorted recyclables available for use by citizens, small businesses up to large scale industrial processes. 

Use recyclables

Solutions at all stages of the textiles value chain.

Zero Waste Textiles

The Value Chain opportunity space covers the activities of businesses across the whole value chain in the creation of a circular city that aids circular consumption. Municipalities create enabling conditions for businesses to offer circular products and services, and can become familiar with the range of solutions available to businesses that will encourage circular consumption and production in their locale. 

VALUE CHAINS

Infrastructure for citizens or cities to sort waste and extract recyclables, including incentives and pay-as-you-throw policies, as well as clear and targeted communications campaigns.

Sort recyclables

Use waste heat

Derive chemicals and fuels from organic waste matter, for example, wasted fats, grease and oils can be used for biodiesel production. Food waste such as corn starch and sugar cane can be used for PLA (Polylactic Acid) to replace plastic packaging, liquid fats and solid meat products can be used as raw materials in the rendering industry (animal food, cosmetics, soap, etc.).


Derive fuel and materials

Wastewater (blackwater and water from industrial processes) can be treated and reclaimed for agricultural and industrial purposes. Moreover, depending on economic factors, wastewater treatments can be adopted for supplying domestic freshwater. 

Use wastewater

Biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic solid waste can be used as an energy source for cooking, lighting and generate electricity, replacing thus other fuels. Moreover, the treatment of organic waste alleviates the solid waste crisis in urban and peri-urban area if the developing world.


Use biogas

Buildings are where we live, work and play, and also where we store machinery and goods for later consumption. Buildings are but one component of the greater built environment which includes urban infrastructure such as roads, bridges and utilities. 
Current construction techniques have buildings consuming the bulk of materials globally. With increasing urbanisation and therefore demand for buildings of every kind, we drastically need to re-imagine how we design, utilise and decommission buildings.

BUILDINGS

When designing and procuring for a new building, source recycled and secondary materials and parts. Prepare parts and materials from decommissioned buildings to be used again and release them into the market for re-use. 

Trade secondary materials

Measures to drain accumulating rainwater from rooftops, roads or other public surfaces and channel it into containers for multipurpose use. These include watering plants and crops, as an input into manufacturing processes, the establishment of public water features, or the introduction back into plumbing systems, Uses may include the application of filtration and treatment systems when needed. 

Manage rainwater

Solutions at all stages of the Electronics Value Chain

Zero Waste Electronics

Waste is often the entry point for discussing a circular economy. However, in a fully circular economy, waste does not exist as it has  been designed out of the system from the outset, either through avoidance (reduction of materials) or because outputs are such that they can be re-used as inputs into other production and consumption processes. Studying existing waste streams allows us to trace the problem back to its source and design an appropriate intervention. 

WASTE

Change the system or the structure of an existing building to improve its performance. This often includes the addition of new technologies and/or new features to update or improve the performance of in-place systems in order to decrease energy demand, improve energy efficiency, improve water management or even increase adaptability of the space.

Retrofit Buildings

The circulation of materials and products may result in an increased demand for energy usage overall, therefore it is especially important to provide energy from regenerative sources, and to utilise regenerative and cyclable materials in the production of parts and the required infrastructure.  Energy efficiency is an important step but does not bring about a fully circular economy at a bigger scale or in the longer term. 

ENERGY

Implementation of strategies to collect recyclable waste in order to make it accessible and available to be used as an input in industrial processes (big or small). These are door-to-door collection (higher recovery rates but more costly intensive), drop-off schemes (cheaper but less effective, more common in cities with high housing density), or a combination of the two, and their corresponding incentive schemes. 

Collect recyclables

Rescue or mine materials or components from buildings for use in new buildings or for processing to be used in other industrial processes.

Salvage components

Recover and collect surplus food products that might otherwise be wasted for distribution to people.


Redistribute surplus 

In the context of cities, regenerating ecosystems refers to the active protection of native habitats or the conservation and restoration of natural habitat analogues. Examples: reforestation and afforestation in urban contexts, protection of birds and local wildlife, management of green spaces, and removal of waste and plastic (or other anti pollution measures).

Regenerate ecosystems

A circular water economy reduces water consumption, reuses and recycles water and wastewater, and recovers materials, including heat and minerals, from water and wastewater to not only mitigate greenhouse gas emissions but also enhance resilience to climate change. A circular water economy preserves the health of water ecosystems using context specific approaches. 



WATER

Other

Collect organic waste generated by households and related businesses for use in, for example, composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Collect organic

Efficiency and effectiveness of water supply services must be secured by minimising the leaks, through a combination of leak detection techniques, pipes maintenance and reparation and water audits. Leak minimisation can be enhanced through the use of sensor technologies.

Minimise leaks

Urban Opportunities

National government

Local government

Civil society

Business

Knowledge institute

Implementing stakeholders

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This collection was curated by the Circle Economy team from Knowledge Hub case studies for businesses, local and national governments around the world to find inspiration in practical examples of the circular economy. 

Visit the <a href="https://circle-economy.com" target="_blank">Circle Economy website</a> for more information and for more publications on the circular economy.

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Circle Economy

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Circular food systems entail that the food is produced regeneratively and, where appropriate, locally. Food and packaging waste are designed out entirely, while healthy, low-impact diets are promoted and easy to access. 

[Circle Economy](https://www.circle-economy.com/) is a not-for-profit organisation working to accelerate the circular transition. Through the *Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative*, our mission is to deliver an annual global Circularity Metric that measures the state of the world economy and identifies key levers to transition to global circularity. With nature as our guide, we work alongside cross-sector stakeholders from academia, businesses, NGOs and governments to provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable interventions that transform circular opportunities into realities. 

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Circular Food

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Limes and lemons - Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

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The Circularity Gap Report: Friesland is a joint initiative led by Circulair Friesland, the Province of Friesland, and Circle Economy to track Friesland’s progress toward a more circular economy while also serving as a model for other regions. As the organizations behind this dashboard, we aim to provide structured indicators to measure key aspects of circularity—such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular jobs—alongside on-the-ground case studies that highlight innovative local initiatives. This approach helps policymakers, businesses, and communities assess progress, address challenges, and accelerate Friesland’s transition to a circular economy. In doing so, Friesland is working toward meeting the national goal of reducing primary resource use by 50% by 2030 and achieving a fully circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050.

Beyond Friesland, this dashboard is designed as a replicable tool that can be implemented in other regions worldwide. By fostering comprehensive comparisons, it enables knowledge sharing and collaboration, allowing regions to learn from one another and scale successful strategies. In addition to tracking current trends, the monitor offers forward-looking recommendations to drive circular development—both within Friesland and beyond—helping to create a more sustainable global economy.

This case study collection supports the dashboard, in showcasing circular economy projects and initiatives already occurring in the region.

CGR Friesland

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Producing transporation equipment and providing services for thetransportation of goods and people

Transportation and Logistics

Operating networks and software that enable the exchange and broadcasting of information, such as entertainment and internet software, television, cable, satellite or radio broadcasting systems, and cellular, wireless and/or fixed-line telecommunications services

Software and Communications

Producing textile and leather products and processing them into apparel and accessories

Fashion and Textiles

Refining and processing ores and producing ferrous and non-ferrous metal and glass products, including packaging

Metal and Glass

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Producing building materials and providing services to create residential and non-residential infrastructure and real estate


Construction and Infrastructure

Producing building materials and finished and semi-finished building products for construction

Construction Materials and Products

Providing water and sewage services, including water collection and distribution, water treatment systems and sewage treatment facilities

Water and Sewage

Producing electronics products for businesses and consumers, including cellular phones, personal computers, printers, servers, electronic computer components and peripherals, TVs, audio equipment, as well as household appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, etc.

Electronics and Appliances

Providing commercial and consumer financial services, such as lending, credit, financing, banking, asset management, financial exchanges, ratings services, money services, insurance and pension services, etc.

Financial Services

Providing healthcare services, such as hospitals, medical facilities and patient care services, medical research and clinical trial services, pharmaceuticals and drug development, and genetic engineering services

Healthcare Services

Producing machinery for mining, construction, industrial, and agricultural use, such as heavy duty trucks, rolling machinery, earth-moving and construction equipment, farm machinery, commercial printing and presses, machine tools, compressors, pollution control equipment, elevators, escalators, insulators, pumps, etc., including their related parts

Machinery

Processing and producing food and beverages for consumption

Food and Beverage

Providing electricity and gas services, including traditional and renewable energy generation, natural and manufactured gas and operating gas networks

Energy Utilities and Independent Power Producers

Producing and gathering crop and animal products from land and water through farming, hunting, and fishing

Agriculture

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Providing specialist services to support consumers, businesses, andgovernments

Professional Services

Providing goods on the Internet, through mail order, or television, or providing goods in stores, including apparel, electronics, furniture, food and drug, etc.

Retail

Producing basic and specialty chemicals, inks, agricultural chemical such as fertilisers and pesticides, plastics including packaging, and rubber

Chemical and Plastic

Producing electrical equipment and machinery for industrial use

Capital Equipment

Providing recreational and cultural services, including hotels, resorts, casinos, sport and fitness centers, stadiums, golf courses and amusement parks, restaurants, bars, pubs, fast-food or take-out facilities, as well as libraries and museums

Hospitality and Tourism

Providing various support services for businesses and governments, such as research, testing, certification and consulting services, cleaning and maintenance services, security and protection services, legal, accounting and bookkeeping services, information management, data processing, and business process outsourcing services

Research & Commercial Services

Producing transportation equipment for the movement of goods and people by air, rail, sea, and land, including airplanes, spacecraft and military equipment, ships, boats, rail locomotives and rolling stock, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, and related equipment, as well as repair services for such equipment

Transportation Equipment

Producing and providing leisure and personal products and services for consumers, such as cleaning products, sports equipment and toys, personal and beauty care products, as well as domestic and personal services such as caretaking, cleaning, hairdressing and other beauty treatment, funeral and related activities

Personal Products and Services

Providing residential and non-residential construction services, such as architectural, engineering, planning, real-estate, contracting, and inspection services

Construction and Real Estate Services

Producing indoor products for the home and office, such as furniture, including upholstery, carpets and wall-coverings, as well as cutlery, cookware, glassware, crystal, silverware, utensils, kitchenware and household specialties

Home and Office Furnishings

Extracting resources and processing them to produce materials for use bysociety

Materials and Fuels

Industries

This is a ban on the importation, manufacture, sale or supply of plastic bags, with 11 Types of plastic bags for essential uses and hygienic and sanitary purposes exempted (for example roll-on bag for meat products, waste disposal bags, bags as integral part of packaging, bags manufactured for export; exception for biodegradable plastic bags or compostable plastic bags which conform to the appropriate standard).