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17 Plastic futures: mobilising circular economy contexts to address the plastic crisis

  • Marta Ferri , Alison Stowell and Gail Whiteman
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Handbook of the Circular Economy
This chapter is in the book Handbook of the Circular Economy

Abstract

The plastic crisis has demonstrated how single-use plastic waste is growing significantly and has a negative impact on natural ecosystems and human activities (UNEP 2018). Drawing upon Douglas’ (1966, pp. 34-35) idea of pollution, singleuse plastic waste is seen as a “matter out of place.” In an attempt to put these materials back “in place,” organisations invoke circular economy ideas. We use the International Alliance for Sustainable Business (IASB) case study to show how a businessdriven global alliance attempts to organise circular solutions to help members face the plastic crisis. By paying attention to the process of ‘contexting’ (Asdal & Moser 2012), we argue that considering the interrelations between organisations’ agendas (social values) and plastics material composition (material values) helps to understand how circular solutions get organised and what notions of responsibility these solutions enact - considering how and who invokes various contexts illuminates the processes that make certain solutions to the plastic crisis prevalent. Thus, the contexting becomes a political activity because the actors’ interests and agenda inform its enactment.

Abstract

The plastic crisis has demonstrated how single-use plastic waste is growing significantly and has a negative impact on natural ecosystems and human activities (UNEP 2018). Drawing upon Douglas’ (1966, pp. 34-35) idea of pollution, singleuse plastic waste is seen as a “matter out of place.” In an attempt to put these materials back “in place,” organisations invoke circular economy ideas. We use the International Alliance for Sustainable Business (IASB) case study to show how a businessdriven global alliance attempts to organise circular solutions to help members face the plastic crisis. By paying attention to the process of ‘contexting’ (Asdal & Moser 2012), we argue that considering the interrelations between organisations’ agendas (social values) and plastics material composition (material values) helps to understand how circular solutions get organised and what notions of responsibility these solutions enact - considering how and who invokes various contexts illuminates the processes that make certain solutions to the plastic crisis prevalent. Thus, the contexting becomes a political activity because the actors’ interests and agenda inform its enactment.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. About the editors XIII
  5. List of contributors XV
  6. The circular economy: landscape, dimensions and definitions 1
  7. Part I: Introducing transformation
  8. Introduction 19
  9. 1 Walter Stahel on envisioning circular systems, lifecycles and products 25
  10. 2 Ken Webster on framing potential circular economies 35
  11. 3 Kate Raworth on creating regenerative and distributive economies by design 45
  12. 4 Frances Wall on virgin resources, scarcity and circularity 53
  13. 5 Hugo Spowers on transforming established industrial trajectories with a circular business strategy 63
  14. 6 Andy Rees OBE on waste, reuse, recycling and the power of positive governance 75
  15. 7 Ladeja Godina Kosir on transformation of people and the power of networks 85
  16. Part II: The state of transition
  17. Introduction 93
  18. 8 Circular design in practice: eight levers for change 97
  19. 9 Biomimicry and the Circular Economy 125
  20. 10 The transformational power of Circular Innovation 147
  21. 11 Three lenses on circular business model innovation 175
  22. 12 Finance and accounting in the circular economy 191
  23. 13 Circular Economy regulation: an emerging research agenda 219
  24. 14 Circular society activism: prefigurative communities in everyday Circular Economy action 241
  25. 15 Circular economy jobs: risks and opportunities in the labour market 261
  26. 16 Resources, waste and a systemic approach to Circular Economy 285
  27. 17 Plastic futures: mobilising circular economy contexts to address the plastic crisis 307
  28. 18 Aesthetic engagement: material practices of organising towards regenerative futures 333
  29. Part III: Industrial vignettes: exploring industry transition
  30. Introduction 371
  31. 19 BAM bamboo clothing 377
  32. 20 Winnow Solutions Ltd 381
  33. 21 Riversimple 385
  34. 22 Rype Office 389
  35. 23 Elvis & Kresse 393
  36. 24 Circularity Capital 397
  37. 25 Teemill 401
  38. 26 Forest Green Rovers 405
  39. 27 Grover 409
  40. 28 ReStore project 413
  41. 29 Packshare 417
  42. 30 Lendwithcare 421
  43. 31 Páramo 425
  44. 32 Circular & Co 429
  45. 33 Terragr’eau 433
  46. 34 LUSH cosmetics 437
  47. 35 Shark Solutions 441
  48. 36 gDiapers 445
  49. 37 Ricoh 449
  50. 38 Riverford Organics 453
  51. 39 Oxwash 457
  52. 40 Triodos Bank 461
  53. 41 Co Cars 463
  54. 42 Oddbox 467
  55. 43 Fairphone 471
  56. 44 Ooho from Notpla 475
  57. 45 Repair Café 479
  58. 46 Gerrard Street 483
  59. 47 Patagonia 487
  60. 48 Whirli 491
  61. List of figures 495
  62. List of tables 497
  63. Index 499
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110723373-020

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. About the editors XIII
  5. List of contributors XV
  6. The circular economy: landscape, dimensions and definitions 1
  7. Part I: Introducing transformation
  8. Introduction 19
  9. 1 Walter Stahel on envisioning circular systems, lifecycles and products 25
  10. 2 Ken Webster on framing potential circular economies 35
  11. 3 Kate Raworth on creating regenerative and distributive economies by design 45
  12. 4 Frances Wall on virgin resources, scarcity and circularity 53
  13. 5 Hugo Spowers on transforming established industrial trajectories with a circular business strategy 63
  14. 6 Andy Rees OBE on waste, reuse, recycling and the power of positive governance 75
  15. 7 Ladeja Godina Kosir on transformation of people and the power of networks 85
  16. Part II: The state of transition
  17. Introduction 93
  18. 8 Circular design in practice: eight levers for change 97
  19. 9 Biomimicry and the Circular Economy 125
  20. 10 The transformational power of Circular Innovation 147
  21. 11 Three lenses on circular business model innovation 175
  22. 12 Finance and accounting in the circular economy 191
  23. 13 Circular Economy regulation: an emerging research agenda 219
  24. 14 Circular society activism: prefigurative communities in everyday Circular Economy action 241
  25. 15 Circular economy jobs: risks and opportunities in the labour market 261
  26. 16 Resources, waste and a systemic approach to Circular Economy 285
  27. 17 Plastic futures: mobilising circular economy contexts to address the plastic crisis 307
  28. 18 Aesthetic engagement: material practices of organising towards regenerative futures 333
  29. Part III: Industrial vignettes: exploring industry transition
  30. Introduction 371
  31. 19 BAM bamboo clothing 377
  32. 20 Winnow Solutions Ltd 381
  33. 21 Riversimple 385
  34. 22 Rype Office 389
  35. 23 Elvis & Kresse 393
  36. 24 Circularity Capital 397
  37. 25 Teemill 401
  38. 26 Forest Green Rovers 405
  39. 27 Grover 409
  40. 28 ReStore project 413
  41. 29 Packshare 417
  42. 30 Lendwithcare 421
  43. 31 Páramo 425
  44. 32 Circular & Co 429
  45. 33 Terragr’eau 433
  46. 34 LUSH cosmetics 437
  47. 35 Shark Solutions 441
  48. 36 gDiapers 445
  49. 37 Ricoh 449
  50. 38 Riverford Organics 453
  51. 39 Oxwash 457
  52. 40 Triodos Bank 461
  53. 41 Co Cars 463
  54. 42 Oddbox 467
  55. 43 Fairphone 471
  56. 44 Ooho from Notpla 475
  57. 45 Repair Café 479
  58. 46 Gerrard Street 483
  59. 47 Patagonia 487
  60. 48 Whirli 491
  61. List of figures 495
  62. List of tables 497
  63. Index 499
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