ABSTRACT
Asia will play a key role in future global resource consumption due to its population and economic growth. This chapter gives an overview of the Asian context to Circular Economy (CE) and CE policy development and best practice in Japan, China and Taiwan. In summary: Japan is the front runner of CE in Asia with comprehensive CE legislative and recycling systems; China is the world’s second biggest economy and has an ambitious CE strategy; and Taiwan has transformed itself into a recycling powerhouse. In Asia, traditional business models have relied on large quantities of cheap and easily accessible materials and energy. The majority of Asian CE companies currently focus on ‘waste-as-a-resource’ business model, e.g. circular supplies, resource recovery, product life-extension. Some companies have start to develop disruptive technologies, advanced materials or advanced manufacturing processes.
