The system or model of the circular economy is based on the management of waste through the 3Rs: reduce, recycle, reuse.

All the countries of the world are governed by particular economic models that are based on their productive capacities, potentials and natural resources, with an ultimate goal: the entry of financial income to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants.

But, in recent years a new system has gained popularity in advanced societies: the circular economy. At present, the model has been applied with some success in nations such as Japan, Norway and Sweden, among other developed countries.

What is this system about?

The circular economy is presented as a system of resource utilization where the reduction of the elements prevails: minimize the production to the indispensable minimum, and when it is necessary to make use of the product, bet on the reuse of the elements that due to their properties cannot return to the environment .

In other words, the "circular economy" is a strategy that aims to reduce both the entry of virgin materials and the production of waste, closing the "loops" or economic and ecological flows of resources.

The term "circular economy" was first used in Western literature in 1980, to describe a closed system of interactions between economy and the environment. Circular economy is part of the study of feedback of nonlinear systems, by living systems.

In Germany, for example, the interpretation of the circular economy is based on waste management through the 3Rs: reduce, recycle, reuse.

There is also a set of golden rules that encompass the circular economy in its application model.

First, "waste becomes a resource" that is the main characteristic of this economy, all biodegradable materials return to nature and everything that is not biodegradable is reused.

Subsequently, it is necessary to “reintroduce in the economic circuit those products that no longer correspond to the initial needs of the consumers. Also that reuse certain waste or certain parts thereof, which can still work for the development of new products. ”

Other precepts of this circular economy are

The repair: find a second life to the damaged products.

Recycling: use the materials found in waste.

The recovery: use energy waste that cannot be recycled.

The circular economy is based on three key principles, each of which addresses several of the challenges in terms of resources and the system that industrial economies face.Esos principios son: Preservar y mejorar el capital natural, optimizar el uso de los recursos y fomentar la eficacia del sistema.

Circular economy can also be defined as the intersection of environmental, economic and social aspects.

It is about implementing a new economy, circular (non-linear), based on the principle of closing the life cycle of products, services, waste, materials, water and energy.

It is presumed that the development of the circular economy should help reduce the use of resources, reduce waste production and limit energy consumption.