ASI, in collaboration with the Circularity Working Group, have released the Concept Paper on Circular Product Design.

This initiative aims to integrate circular economy principles at every stage of the product lifecycle. The concept paper provides stakeholders with strategies to reduce resource dependence, create shared value, and drive innovation.

Embracing Circular Economy Principles

The framework of this paper is built on the principles defined in ISO 59004:2024, which advocates for a circular economy that maintains continuous resource flow while minimising waste and resource inputs through:

  • Systems thinking
  • Value creation
  • Value sharing
  • Resource stewardship
  • Resource traceability
  • Ecosystem and community resilience

These principles are intended to integrate circular economy considerations directly into product design and development, helping to align practices with sustainable development goals.

Four key outcomes categories of applying circular design principles

The paper focuses on four outcome categories for implementing circular design principles effectively:

  1. Design strategies for circular outcomes
  2. Material dynamics for circularity
  3. Knowledge and information sharing
  4. Chemical and material transparency

The paper introduces a maturity level framework that could assist entities in evaluating current circular design practices and identifying areas for improvement. By assessing where entities stand within this framework, businesses can potentially gauge progress in integrating circular economy principles. The framework aims to guide advancement towards more sophisticated practices, illustrated through examples at each level.

ASI are inviting industry stakeholders to engage with the new Concept Paper.