ABSTRACT
International programmes on sustainable development regularly invoke circular economy or cradle-to-grave resource flows in their policies and recommenda ‐ tions. The concept of circular economy has many variants, depending strongly on the standpoint of the interested agencies and sectors. It is based on the idea that a managed closed loop of materials is a more appropriate and sustainable way of organising our activities than the current wasteful linear flow that takes natural resources, transforms them into products, then dumps the residues and end-of-life products into the environment. The circular economy concept has particular relevance for a region, as most products brought into the region have to be assimilated there, with many eventually ending up as waste to be disposed of locally. Conversely, secondary raw resources derived from this waste can be a potential source of income.
