Circular State of The Union 2022: Flanders for a circular future

Flanders is preparing for a circular economy to combat global warming and the race for materials. Today, one hundred Flemish partners have signed a declaration to make the circular transition of the Flemish economy a reality within six domains. Innovation and recycling will take centre stage.

The six concrete domains are circular construction, the bio-economy, circular chemistry and plastics, the manufacturing industry, food chain and water cycles. For each domain, a plan with concrete actions is ready and a strong public-private partnership is taking up the gauntlet.

Among the partners who signed the declaration of commitment are the farmer's union, The Flemish Confederation of Building, Agoria (the federation of the technology industry), Fedustria (federation of the textile, wood and furniture industry), HoGent (Ghent University of Applied Sciences and Arts) and Bond Beter Leefmilieu (network organization for healthy, carbon-neutral future).

The transition to a circular economy is no longer a theory. "Today we are already 21% circular in Flanders”, states Flemish Minister for Economy and Innovation Hilde Crevits. New business models are already tending more towards renting and sharing in order to avoid having to use materials unnecessarily. In Flanders, plaster walls, building blocks, jeans or reusable cups are already being produced in a fully circular way. “That figure has to go up, for our environment, but also for our independence from foreign countries and employment in our economy. ​ It should be our ambition to double the reuse or recycling of our materials by 2030.”

More effort needs to be put into converting our own used materials or waste back into new materials. Think bio-degradable plastic from potato peels, making insulation material from cut grass or simply repairing old appliances or parts. But it’s also a matter of gaining better insight into what we have and can reuse. "Our partners from the construction industry are working on a digital passport of buildings that contains the composition of materials of the buildings. That digitization will map the materials and help ensure that nothing goes to waste. In the manufacturing industry there are also many opportunities for the social economy to repair household appliances, ICT equipment, e-bikes and batteries and keep them in use for longer," says Brigitte Mouligneau of Flanders Circular.

"In a circular economy, we all win," says Flemish Minister of ​ Environment Zuhal Demir.

"It offers gigantic opportunities for the industry to completely rethink itself. And in our search for suitable raw materials, we become less dependent on substances that can only be found in distant foreign countries. In doing so, the climate wins and our portfolio also benefits," she concludes

The circular progress in Flanders can be followed via the specially developed Circular Economy Monitor. Together, ministers Crevits and Demir already invested 120 million in circular innovation from 2019 to 2022. And they will continue to do so.

(HC)

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