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This collection features a selection of inspiring examples of the circular economy in Norway! 

Circular Norway is a driving force for the conversion of Norwegian companies and municipalities to a circular economy through practical tools, innovation, and business development. They collaborate with the leading environments on the circular economy in Europe, and together they contribute to Norway delivering on the sustainability goals and climate goals in the Paris Agreement.

At 2.4%, Norway's circularity rate is below the global average (8.6%). Norway consumes 235 million tonnes of materials—metals, fossil fuels, biomass, and minerals—to fuel its societal needs each year. 97.6% of these materials are never cycled back into the economy. But Norway has enormous potential: the country could see a 20-fold increase in its circularity by restructuring Norwegian business and industry.

To learn more about Norway's initiatives to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, visit www.circularnorway.no/ (content in Norwegian) 

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Circular Norway

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Policy case

Contribution to social parity, or impact on social disparity

Equality

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Reduced use of fossil fuel energy sources and/or increased use of renewable energy

Reduce Energy Consumption

Marketplaces or services that enable the second hand sale of products

Second-hand sale, distribution

Utilising data and models to to identify, enable and/or implement circular strategies (eg. effective resource use & logistics planning, circular business models & design)

Data analytics, modelling

Impacts

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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 In 2015, the UN launched the 2030 agenda for sustainable development which sets 17 sustainable development goals. The Second Hand Effect aligns with SDG 12; Responsible consumption and production. Buying and selling second-hand is one of the easiest ways you can contribute to the UN’s sustainable development goals. Read more!

Norway

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Schibsted is a family of digital consumer brands with a strong Nordic position, providing leading marketplaces, and smart digital services. Schibsted is on a mission to empower people in their daily life, using tech and data to create innovative products and great user experiences – and to help build a sustainable future.

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Schibsted

Adevinta is a global online classifieds specialist, operating digital marketplaces in 15 countries with 3,500 employees.

 Adevinta

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is an independent non-profit organization owned by a foundation established by the Swedish state and industry. IVL conducts re- search and provides business services related to all types of environmental questions. They have extensive experience from performing life-cycle assessments and environmental analysis with a range of industries.

 IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

The Process21 circular economy expert group has, through close&nbsp;collaboration between&nbsp;industry, academia and representatives from the tripartite constituents, created&nbsp;strategic advice and recommendations to the Norwegian government.

Process21: circular industry collaboration 

Business case

UN Global Compact Norway has created the Action Platform: Circular and climate-neutral business models. The goal is to help companies become more circular and climate neutral, solve challenges and create new business models.

Making global goals national business

Meg-til-deg (me-to-you in English) is a consumer-to-consumer shipping service launched by Helthjem. The service facilitates the distribution of used goods among consumers and it is known for its convenience. The pick-up and delivery are all arranged online, and all the user has to do is put the package on their doorstep.

“Me-to-you” – customer shipping

Hydro CIRCAL is recycled aluminium made with a minimum of 75% recycled, post-consumer aluminium scrap. Using recycled aluminium, drastically reduce energy use in the production phase whilst still offering high-quality aluminium.

Aluminium made with recycled post-consumer scrap

Borregaard has the world's most advanced biorefinery. By using wood as a raw material, the company produces environmentally friendly and sustainable biochemicals, biomaterials and biofuel that can replace oil-based products. Borregaard’s vanilla flavour produced from Norwegian timber’s lignin is in increasing demand as an alternative to vanilla flavours made from oil, the dominant product in the market.&nbsp;Also, within the company, wood chippings are treated so that cellulose fibres are released, while remaining timber parts, such as binding agents and sugar compounds, are separated in the pulping processes with components flowing toward the ethanol factory; remaining residual organic material is biologically treated to become biogas (methane).

Everything made of oil, can be made out of wood

Kari Traa has launched a new collection called Wastelayer. This collection is made from the production waste of the iconic «Rose Merino Wool» fabric, which is then mixed with sustainable fibers from wood pulp and recycled cotton. Resulting in the perfect base for both outdoor activities and everyday wear.

Wastelayer, giving surplus wool new life

Looping saw the potential to create a more sustainable solution for module covers in the construction industry. Through testing and prototypes they launched Modulcover, a modular, reusable module cover. For their first customer, they were able to save 30 tonn of plastic waste. With the help of smart fastening mechanisms and a durable polypropylene with a 100% recycling rate, this product innovation reduced the use of disposable plastic by as much as 95%.&nbsp;The remaining 5% was replaced with durable recycled plastic which is washed, maintained and reused. On top, the customers are saving time when setting up and packing down the construction site.

Modulcover, reducing waste through product as a service

MAPEI haș developed a process in which they are able to convert, residue materials from concrete into reusable material for concrete production. The new process is able to clean the containers, dry the left over slag which can then be added as resource into new concrete production. Through this process, they are removing a waste problem and saving primary materials.

Re-con zero Evo - Reducing waste and inputs in concrete production

Fretex Norway is the largest collector of used clothes and textiles in Norway. With a total of 40 second-hand stores and 1 online store, Fretex had a turnover in 2019 at 188 million NOK.

The largest second-hand chain store in Norway

Schibsted and Adevinta has, in collaboration with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, used ad data to estimate the potential environmental benefits of second-hand trade conducted in twelve of the group's marketplaces. The calculations show that by shopping second-hand instead of purchasing new items 25.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions was potentially saved.