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This collection features a selection of case studies, based on the global *Circularity Gap Reports*, that can mitigate climate breakdown by reducing virgin material consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The latest **[Circularity Gap Report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023#download)** reveals that the global economy is now only 7.2% circular and outlines how circular solutions across four sectors can bring global planetary boundaries back within safe limits. 

In the six years of the *Circularity Gap Report*, the global economy has extracted and used unprecedented amounts of materials. The first edition of the *Report *in 2018 found that global circularity was 9.1% and it has decreased every year since—leaving a Circularity Gap of over 90%. If this trend continues, we will have to find more and better solutions to combat the negative effects of climate change. This is why we have identified case studies from across the globe—based on the needs of society and planetary health—that serve as real-world examples of the circular economy in action.

Circle Economy 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. 


To learn more about these interventions to accelerate the circular transition, read the latest [Circularity Gap Report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023#download), as well as previous editions of the global [Circularity Gap Reports](https://www.circularity-gap.world/global).

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Global Circularity Gap Report 2023

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Article / Report

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

Other

With an expanding, aging and, on average, more prosperous population, healthcare services are increasing globally. Buildings aside, typical resource groups include use of capital equipment such as X-ray machines, pharmaceuticals, hospital outfittings (beds), disposables and home care equipment.


Healthcare

- Repair, maintenance, and durable design of medical equipment 
- Substitute single-use medical items for reusable alternatives
- Virtual health care (ex. Doctor's appointments over Skype etc.)
- Medical equipment cascading
- Medical waste recycling

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Circular healthcare 

Industries

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Urban Opportunities

The framework consists of 21 complementary interventions, across six scenarios - one for each of the six societal needs we model. These interventions can mitigate climate impact by curbing GHG emissions

Note: interventions are currently focused on:
- 🏠 Housing 
- 🍎 Nutrition
- 🚗 Mobility
- 👚📺 Consumables
- 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Healthcare
-  🔊 Communication

These 21 interventions are spread across six societal needs and wants, with a set of solutions. Within these solutions are strategies on ’how to get there'.  

The framework moves beyond incremental action and provides solutions that will require behavioral change (dietary shifts towards less meat consumption, for example) and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in the industry to mitigate emissions in hard-to-abate sectors (such as steel manufacturing). It illustrates how continued globalisation can benefit from the uptake of digital solutions. The combined interventions showcase the mitigation potential that begins where the current country pledges end; illustrating the additional impact our interventions can bring to the NDCs. In short, the interventions provide input for a more profound fundamental transformation than the more current pathways that make up the vast majority of NDCs. 

Together, the combined interventions can almost double the current global Circularity Metric of 8.6%, bringing it to 17%. 

This results in:
• Shrinking global material use and extraction by 28%. 
• Cutting global GHG emissions by 39%—fully closing the Emissions Gap as defined in our report and taking into account the updated NDCs.
• Allowing the world to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping at 1.5-degrees of warming by 2032.

*This framework was developed in the Circularity Gap Report 2021. Read more about it [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/resources/circularity-gap-report-2021)*






Global Circularity Gap Report

An intervention-based framework for nations and stakeholders working towards circular countries

  HEALTHCARE
 PLASTIC WASTE
  ANALYSIS OF 
OLVG HOSPITAL
 PLASTIC WASTE STREAMS
 Introduction
  As part of the Nederland Circulair
 initiative by the Dutch 
Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, a variety of 
organisations within the healthcare industry gathered to 
jointly identify ways to make hospitals more circular. To 
pursue this, a series of pilots were identified for further
 exploration. One of the pilot projects aims to create a 
mono
-stream flow of plastic within the healthcare space.
  In order to contribute to the overall objective of creating a 
mono
-stream of plastic packaging within hospitals, Circle 
Economy 
engaged in an 
analysis of
 typical
 plastic waste 
streams from OLVG hospital.
  Overview
  The analysis of the plastic bags was conducted at the 
facilities of ICOVA. The 9 bags of plastic waste from OLVG 
were sorted
, as shown in the image above,
 into 
nearly 65
 different
 categories and then weighed.
  This data was then analysed to answer questions 
regarding the composition and types of waste.
   Objectives
  The objectives of the analysis were to sort through 9 bags 
of plastic waste from OLVGÕs operating room and 
identify 
the contents to determine:
 ¥!Types of plastic products in the waste stream
 ¥!Composition and diversity of plastic types
 ¥!Most common plastic types
  Types of Plastic Products
  The 
types of plastic products found within the plastic 
waste 
streams 
are shown in Figure 1. The figure provides a 
breakdown of the different products based on their 
weights. 
  The 
largest category of plastic
 products found in the was
te bags from OLVG hospital is 
disposables packaging
 Ð making up over 50% of the total plasti
c waste. 
Within 
disposables packaging,
 Figure 1 p
rovides a deeper analysis 
of the 
nearly 15 different 
types of plastic 
used
 within 
disposables packagin
g. Although there were no markings 
to be found on the packaging that would indicate the types 
of plastic 
used, Circle Economy conducted additional 
research to try and determine the plastic types of the 
packaging.  The largest estimated plastic type used in disposables 
packaging based on weight 
are Polypropylene
 (PP), followed by 
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PE
T), Mixed 
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
 with Coated Medical Grade 
Paper, and 
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
.  Of these plastics, PET and HDPE are
 the most recyclable as 
they are the most commonly used and most commonly 
recycled plastics within society
1. While LDPE,
 PP, and PVC are also recyclable, they
 typically 
are not recycled or are 
down
-cycled. Mixtures of different plastics and other 
materials such as paper are not possible to recycle and are 
typically disposed of or incinerated (
see Appendix A).  Bubble 
wrap from shipments and deliveries
 is the second 
biggest plastic product by weight
 Ð making up 25% of the 
total plastic waste 
- and is the biggest single mono
-plastic 
product 
- composed of only one material, Low Density 
Polyethylene (LDPE). This type of pl
astic when recycled is 
also typically down
-cycled.
  The remainder of plastic products within the
 OLVG waste 
stream
 are medical
 equipment 
Ð Trays, Plastic Medical 
Bottles
, Plastic Cups
, Gloves, Syringe and Accessories, 
Sterile Liquid Containers, 
Tubing and Accessories, 
Medical 
Bags, Eyeshields, etc.
 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!#$%&'()&!*+!',-!./0*-1&
!!!"#$%&'()#$*+,$*-&.//)-&
01$*#+$2)*3
-&45678992$&:%;<
-&=5556>+*</*;92$*&?;@A;6+B6
-&CCD46E2/,$*
-&F556G$)+@;2&7;6
-&FH56?2;*"+@&I8<*
-&J56?2;*"+@&G$)+@;2&7/""2$*&K&
(@@$**/%+$*
-&4=56L"$%+2$&M+N8+)&I/B";+B$%
-&==O6L1%+B6$&K&(@@$**/%+$*
-&PO6Q%;1*
-&O556Q89+B6&K&(@@$**/%+$*
-&=HD6!"#$%&'()*++,
-)./001+23
-)4/01567'()*89$:'()5'(6;$<)
=%$(')+$>'%?@A+2,
-)40/1!"#$%&'()*+B8,
-)//01567'()
*+23?CA+2,
-)/0/1!"#$%&'()*@A+2,
-)DD01567'()*+23?+2,
-).001567'()*E<F#6"6F#?+$>'%,
-)/01!"#$%&'()*CA+2,
-)G/1567'()*+B8?CA+2,
-)D01!"#$%&'()*89$:'()5'(6;$<)
=%$(')+$>'%,
-).01567'()*+$>'%?+23?CA+2,
-).01567'()*89$:'()5'(6;$<)=%$(')
+$>'%?CA+2,
-).01@A+2
-)/1!"&"9H"
-)I1!"#$%&'
()'*+,-."/'0,-.&'1.%&,2-'3%42'5678
'!"!#$%&'()*%+*),(-.%/),(0%
12'3%4567
 Composition and Diversity of Plastic Types
  The composition of plastic types found within the OLVG 
plastic waste stream 
were 
identified based on the 
SPI: Plastics Industry Trade AssociationÕs 
Resin Identification 
Code (RIC) system
2, shown in Figure 2 below.
  Out of the plastics
 that
 were marked using these codes, 
and were able to be identified
, Low Density Polyethylene 
(LDPE) 
makes up nearly 25% of the total plastic waste 
stream and PET makes up nearly 10% of the total. 
Figure 3 
provides a breakdown of the plastic types that were 
identified.
  However, as Figure 3 
also 
shows, nearly 45% 
of the plastics 
were unmarked 
Ð this is due to 
the fact that there is no 
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!2!#$%&'()&!3.4/&'1+!51%4-!6&&7)(%'(7.
!mandatory requirement for marking plastics, particularly 
for non
-containers such as films, bags, etc.
3  For these unmarked plastics, Circle Economy analysed the 
type of plastic that the products could be made out of 
based on physical characteristics and identification 
techniques.
 The breakdown of the potential plastic types 
for the unmarked plastics is also shown in Figure 3.
  It is also worth noting that the set of gloves that was 
disposed as plastic waste is actually made from nitrile 
rubber, adding to the lack of transparency r
egarding the 
specific types of plastic used in medical products and 
packaging.  In addition, 
nearly 20% of the plastic waste was composed 
of mixed materials 
Ð either different kinds of plastic or 
plastic combined with other materials such as paper and 
aluminium.  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!8!91('(&,!#$%&'()&!:-4-1%'(7.
;!<%'/1-=71>&
!!"#$%&'
9)':&-"
;'<=&;."3"/,."4;'>4=&'?:<>@'1A-.&2
'!!"#$%&'()
*"+,-./0#1
*"2.30#1
*"4++,.#15
*"!2,.##*"22.6('7($8"9:;;87
*"+,,.<=>%7?8@
*"-A,,.B(C8@
*"+!,,.<=?=DE=
*"F.!"#$%&'(%&)*#+',-#&%'
.#/%-012.3
4'5678.390:2.3
4'7678.390.3
4';668<+=>)?)=>0.#/%-
4'768<@A0.B!0..
4'C78..012.30D=EE%-
4'C78.A0<@A
4'C78.B!0:2.3
4'C68!"#$%&'(%&)*#+',-#&%'
.#/%-0:2.3
4';68.#/%-0.390
:2.3
4';68..4';5668.B!
4'5F68.A4'7668.39
4'CG7812.3
4'CC68:2.3
4';5785'/+#H$)*
4'C68A)+)*"?%
4';78!"#$%&'(%&)*#+',-#&%'
.#/%-
4';68."+I*"#$%&'J-#K$'
.#/%-
4';68!"#$%&'B)'C%&,D=4E;'43'*+,-."/'FAG&-
'!"!#$%&'()*%+*),(-.%/),(0%
12'3%4567
  Conclusion
  From the analysis of 9 bags of plastic waste from OLVG, 
there are important insights 
based on the most common 
plastic products that are currently 
disposed
 as well as the 
composition of plastic types within those products
  First, focusing on the types of plastic used in packaging of 
medical disposables presents the gr
eatest opportunity for 
impact. Disposables packaging makes up over 50% of 
plastic waste, and is composed of nearly 15 different types 
of plastic materials. Shifting towards the use of a single 
plastic type 
is essential to enable greater recovery and 
recycl
ing of disposables packaging.
  PET and HDPE are the most suitable candidates for this 
shift towards singular plastic types, as they are the most 
commonly used and most commonly recycled plastics in 
society.  
PET is best suited for single
-use applications 
such as disposables packaging, while HDPE is known for being 
one of the safest types of plastic.
  Further analysis needs to be conducted to determine if PET 
and HDPE plastics meet the requirements for sterilisation, 
safety, preservation, etc. of medical eq
uipment used in the 
healthcare industry. This will require a joint effort between 
the packaging manufacturers, manufacturers of medical 
equipment, hospitals, and recyclers to ensure that the 
ideal plastic type is identified.
  Second
, to make the plastics used within hospitals easier 
to recover and recycle at the end of life, it is important to 
require the printing of plastic codes for products and 
packaging. Greater transparency regarding the types of 
plastic being used will ensure that recyclers can more 
easily process and recycle plastic waste.
  Lastly
, there is a need to work with 
manufacturers of 
plastic pro
ducts to minimise the amount of mixed plasti
c used. Products that combine different types of plastic or 
combine plastic with other materials make it more difficult 
to separate and recycle plastic waste.
  APPENDIX A
  !!!APPENDIX 
B !!  APPENDIX 
C  Category
!Detailed Description
!Plastic Type
!Estimated 
Number
!Estimated 
Weight (g)
!Adhesive
!White Adhesive Backing Sheet
!Unmarked (Polycoated Kraft Paper)
!15!5!Adhesive
!Yellow Adhesive Backing Sheet
!Unmarked (Polycoated
 Kraft Paper)
!25!5!Bubble Wrap
!Bubble Wrap
!LDPE
!100!2000!Disposables Packaging
!Surgical Glove Packaging
!Unmarked (Coated Medical Grade Paper)
!3!10!Disposables Packaging
!Steri
-Drape Packaging
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!2!10!Disposables Packaging
!Transparent 
Plastic Bags
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!10!25!Disposables Packaging
!Catheter Packaging
!Mixed (Paper/PET/LDPE)
!3!10!Disposables Packaging
!Chloorhexidine Digluconaat Packaging
!Unmarked (HDPE)
!1!5!Disposables Packaging
!Colour
 Sterile Film
!Mixed (PET/PE)
!20!100!Disposables Packaging
!Translucent Sterile Bag
!Unmarked (PP)
!50!1500!Disposables Packaging
!Biogel Brand Gloves Pack
!Mixed (PET/LDPE)
!100!500!Disposables Packaging
!Paper Backed Plastic Bags
!Mixed (Coated Medical Grade Paper/HDPE)
!30!700!Disposables 
Packaging
!Large Adhesive Translucent Plastic Bag
!Unmarked (HDPE)
!20!175!Disposables Packaging
!Big Case Back Table Cover Packaging
!Mixed (Coated Medical Grade Paper/LDPE)
!2!10!Disposables Packaging
!3M Tegaderm Film Packaging
!Mixed (Coated Medical Grade 
Paper/HDPE)
!1!5!Disposables Packaging
!Klinion Soft Nitrile Examination Glove 
Packaging
!Mixed (PET/LDPE)
!1!5!Disposables Packaging
!Hard Plastic Packaging
!Unmarked (PVC)
!6!550!Disposables Packaging
!Hard Plastic Blister Packaging
!Mixed (PVC/LDPE)
!4!20!Disposables Packaging
!Vicryl Polyglactin 910 Packaging
!Mixed (Aluminium/Paper)
!6!50!Disposables Packaging
!Needle Overwrap
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!6!10!Disposables Packaging
!Plastic Packaging Material
!Unknown
!1!3!Disposables Packaging
!Flexible Plastic Blister 
Packaging
!Unmarked (HDPE)
!3!10!Disposables Packaging
!Transparent Plastic Overwrap
!Unmarked (HDPE)
!3!10!Disposables Packaging
!Transparent Plastic Bags
!Unmarked (HDPE)
!5!20!Disposables Packaging
!Hard Plastic Blister Packaging
!PET
!5!750!Disposables 
Packaging
!Plastic Packaging Material
!HDPE
!1!5!Eyeshield & Lenses
!Euroguard Eyeshield
!Unmarked (PET)
!3!10!Food Packaging
!Food Plastic
!Unknown
!3!5!Food Packaging
!Becel Margarine Portion Packaging
!Unmarked (7 plastic)
!2!5!Gloves
!Klinion
 Soft Nitrile Examination Gloves
!Nitrile Rubber
!2!100!Medical Bag
!Perforated Plastic Bag
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!15!100!Medical Bag
!Ziplock Bags
!LDPE
!3!10!Medical Bag
!Adhesive Lab Bag
!Unmarked (PP)
!5!20!Medical Bag
!Translucent Plastic Bags
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!20!25!Medical Bag
!Blue Lab Bag
!Unmarked (PP)
!15!25!Medical Bag
!Small Specimen Bags
!Unmarked (PP)
!3!10!Plastic Cups
!White Disposable Plastic Cup
!Unmarked (PP)
!5!50!Plastic Cups
!Plastic Cups
!PP!2!10!Plastic Medical Bottles 
& Accessories
!Assorted Plastic 
Caps
!Unmarked (PP)
!6!20!Plastic Medical Bottles 
& Accessories
!Plastic Lids
!Unmarked (PVC)
!4!10!Plastic Medical Bottles 
& Accessories
!Plastic Bottles
!Unmarked (PET)
!6!275!Plastic Medical Bottles 
& Accessories
!Plastic Container Holder
!PP!1!15!Sterile 
Liquid Container
!Sterile Inhalation Water Pack
!Unmarked (PP)
!1!25!Sterile Liquid Container
!Ringerlactaat Flexible Bag
!7 Plastic
!6!100!Sterile Liquid Container
!Sterile Water for Injection Mini
-Plasco
!LDPE
!6!50!Sterile Liquid Container
!Caps for Mini
-Plasco
!LDPE
!17!50!Syringe & Accessories
!Syringe
!Mixed (PP/HDPE/Rubber)
!3!25!Syringe & Accessories
!Needle Caps
!Unmarked (PP)
!9!50!Tray
!Plastic Tray
!Unmarked (PS)
!1!100!Tray
!Blue Plastic Tray
!Unmarked (PS)
!4!400!Tubing & Accessories
!Dialysis Tubing
!Unmarked (PVC)
!10!100!Tubing & Accessories
!Dialysis Tubing Connectors
!Mixed (PS/ABS)
!5!25!Tubing & Accessories
!Plastic Tube Clamps
!Unmarked (7 Plastic)
!2!10!Tubing & Accessories
!Plastic Tube Clamps
!Unmarked (7 Plastic)
!2!5!Tubing & Accessories
!Hard 
Plastic Tube
!Unmarked (PVC)
!2!10!Tubing & Accessories
!Plastic Tube Spiral Luer Adapters
!Mixed (ABS/PVC/PP)
!10!25!Tubing & Accessories
!Plastic Connector Tubes
!Unmarked (PVC)
!2!10!Tubing & Accessories
!Corrugated Tubing
!Unmarked (LDPE)
!1!5!Tubing & 
Accessories
!Pipe Fittings
!Unmarked (PVC)
!5!25!Tubing & Accessories
!Plastic Tab
!7 Plastic
!1!3!Tubing & Accessories
!Venoject Luer Adapter
!PP!7!30!Tubing & Accessories
!Yellow Plastic Tubes
!Unmarked (PVC)
!9!20!Tubing & Accessories
!Parts of Clear Plastic 
Tubes!Unmarked (PVC)
!8!15!Tubing & Accessories
!Parts of Translucent Plastic Tubes
!Unmarked (Silicone)
!3!15!!

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Government of the Netherlands

OUR MISSION IS TO ACCELERATE THE PRACTICAL AND SCALABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

At Circle Economy, we believe in a visionary future for our planet — one in which we do not have to compromise in order to achieve economic, social, and environmental prosperity. As an impact organisation, we connect and empower a global community to create the conditions for systemic transformation. With nature as our mentor, we work alongside businesses, cities and governments to identify opportunities to make the transition to the circular economy, and provide a powerful combination of practical and scalable solutions to turn these opportunities into reality.
‍
Our mission is to empower a global community of businesses, cities and governments to accelerate the transition to the circular economy through practical and scalable insights and solutions that address humanity’s greatest challenges.

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Circle Economy

Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment

<p>As part of the Nederland Circulair initiative by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, a variety of organisations within the healthcare industry gathered to jointly identify ways to make hospitals more circular. To pursue this, a series of pilots were identified for further exploration. One of the pilot projects aims to create a mono-stream flow of plastic within the healthcare space. In order to contribute to the overall objective of creating a mono-stream of plastic packaging within hospitals, Circle Economy engaged in an analysis of typical plastic waste streams from OLVG hospital. Read more at:</p>

Healthcare Plastic Waste