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Dr Geraldine Brennan caught up with Giorgio Kaldor of Renewable Matters magazine at the recent Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot, where they discussed what needs to happen for the circular transition in Ireland, the need for investment and support for a "test the waters" approach. "I n the Irish context, some of the main barriers to circularity are the fact that, of course, cost savings can be achieved by implementing circular strategies in the production process, for example by changing packaging, but if you really want to incorporate the circular economy into your business model, you need to change it radically. This requires internal investment. So, for companies making the transition, ROI is not always immediate,............This does not mean that there are no savings and opportunities if you start from scratch in the design of the circular economy, but if it is a transition, the costs depend on the system in which you have already invested. We must therefore undertake a process of transformation that takes time. Some companies have set up risk funds for research and development. Others have to justify the fact that they are taking money from part of the company to try to change. So, I think it’s about supporting businesses, and that’s why government funds are so important because they help people 'test the waters' and create the circular economy" Read the full article here F rom vision to reality: here is Ireland’s circular transition Materia Rinnovabile | Renewable Matter

In May 2023 the Circular Economy Hotspot came to Dublin under the leadership of the Rediscovery Centre and with the support of CIRCULÉIRE, Department for the Environment, Climate, and Communications , Dublin City Council , and the Eastern & Midlands, Regional Waste Planning Office . This week-long event, which ran from Monday 29th of May until Thursday 1st of June highlighted the ground-breaking circular economy initiatives, best practices, and innovation on display in Ireland to an international audience. CIRCULÉIRE were delighted to support the organisation of this hotspot and to participate in events and activities throughout the week. On Monday the 29th of May CIRCULÉIRE/IMR hosted a delegation of representatives from the Catalonia Government in our IMR offices in Rathcoole prior to the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot opening ceremony in the Mansion House, Dublin. At the Mansion House delegates heard from key speakers, including The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, Minister of State with Responsibility for the Circular Economy, Ossian Smith TD, and Owen Keegan, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council and celebrated the announcement of Slovenia as the future Circular Economy Hotspot 2025 host. On Tuesday the 30th of May an exhibition and conference was hosted in Croke Park, at this event the CIRCULÉIRE team showcased it’s services to hotspot delegates and facilitated the exhibition of four of our CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund Awardee Projects C-SUP by Novelplast, CESI by WEEE Ireland, MEDAL CRM by Offerre, and Circular By Design by DCCI and NCAD. Head of Circular Economy and CIRCULÉIRE project lead Dr Geraldine Brennan also presented CIRCULÉIRE’s impacts over 2020-2022 and participated in an international panel exploring how to scale-up Innovation & Collaboration for circularity alongside Prof. Andre Martinuzzi, Director of the Institute for Managing Sustainability, Associate professor at Vienna University of Economics and Business, Anna Brussa, EIT CKIC’s Industrial Value Chain Lead, and Joël Mestres Lobez, Financial Engineering Manager, CINEA. To conclude the second day of the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot CIRCULÉIRE in association with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce hosted a ‘Circular Matchmaking’ Industry Networking event. The third day of the Hotspot was dedicated to Deep Dive Workshops, the CIRCULÉIRE team co-designed and delivered a Design and Manufacturing workshop in collaboration with Mike Townsend of Earthshine Group. This workshop was attended by over 80 international attendees from industry, policy and academia and included company case studies from businesses who are embodying circular design in their organisational plans, including CIRCULÉIRE member Kevin Cronin of Freefoam Building Products , Marion Briggs of Health Beacon , Richard Brennan of Revolve Fleet , Jean René Skjelbred of Norsk Ombruk AS , and Peter Corcoran of MBio . Expert contributions were also offered by Gwen Cunningham, NCAD + Circle Economy (Textiles); Donal Healion, NCAD (Med Tech); and Frank O’Connor, Anois (Systems Design). On Thursday 1st of June, the final day of the Dublin Circular Economy Hotspot, CIRCULÉIRE supported one of our founding members Farrell Furniture and their CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund winning ‘ Do More with Less ’ project partners the Office of Public Works Furniture Division (OPW), and Atlantic Technological University (ATU). This was a truly unique opportunity to get insight behind the scenes of the incredible product life extension endeavours undertaken by the OPW in collaboration with Farrell Furniture & ATU through the Do More with Less project. This was a fantastic week-long international showcase and knowledge sharing event for the circular economy industry in Ireland and we were incredibly proud to be a part of it.

Meet the six new ventures who will embark on this year's fast track Circular Economy innovation and mentoring programme. The CIRCULÉIRE venture programme is the first of its kind in Ireland (established in 2020) to target late-stage ventures that demonstrate or enable circular business models. Following a very competitive selection process, each awardee will receive a grant of €5k and participate in our bespoke Innovation & Mentoring Programme from July to December 2023. This Programme has been co designed with Trinity Tangent and delivered by Aideen O'Hora Co Founder Sustainability Works and Ron Immink Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy expert and thought leader. Read more about the awardees and their visions to validate their solution and build new markets for circular solutions across multiple sectors: UsedFULLY creates science based solutions for unwanted clothing and textiles. Circulating textile resources, measuring impacts, reducing waste and emissions. Implementing new technologies and circular business models at scale, ensuring the full value of textile resources are maximised to minimise the impacts of what we clothe and protect ourselves with. "UsedFULLY is excited to be accepted into the CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme. Growing a thriving business through the support and networks of this programme. Rapidly scaling our science based, circular textile solutions in Ireland, Europe and beyond." Bernadette Casey Co Founder Usefully Ériu is reviving the lost legacy of Irish Wool. Ériu yarn is made from the softest Irish wool, hand selected, processed and designed entirely in Ireland. We are proud to be the first Irish knitwear brand whose products are exclusively Irish sourced and made through our ‘Farm to Yarn’ sustainable initiative, we source from our trusted network of farmers around Ireland, as well as Eriu’s own farm in Wicklow. Our mission is to combat the tragic decline of the Irish wool industry and to put a value back on Irish wool again. We seek to draw from our ancient heritage of working with wool and community values which were created around these industries and reignite them by creating new communities, new products and developing new markets. Medtech company Tympany Medical has developed Solascope a variable angle scope in Endoscopy manufactured with circularity at it's core. Endoscopy is the use of a camera technology to improve visualisation of hard to reach areas during surgery. Traditional endoscopy technology uses a rod lens, which is limited by light available and image technology used, however they are very fixed in terms of what can be seen through them and cannot vary the angle of view – a significant problem in an area with multiple cavities like the sinus. Tympany aims to change this, by introducing a variable angle scope called Solascope which while delivering excellence in visual technology for endoscopy will also deliver the next generation of manufacturing for circular economy. This will shift the lifecycle of Solascope endoscopes from linear to circular as sales progress. This is achieved through an encapsulation process where high value internal components like the camera module maintain their integrity and value and are re-used and lower value components which protect them are directed towards recycling. The FACTORY is on a mission to reinvent the traditionally wasteful and plastic-reliant signage industry by utilising wood, cardboard and other more Earth-friendly materials. This reinvention will be enhanced by using green energy for production, and most importantly, a reimagining of the signage system, so reuse is at its core. "We believe all businesses must operate in harmony with the environment, so, as in nature, the reuse of materials is vital. The CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme is a trail-blazing initiative that will facilitate The FACTORY to manufacture signage for a circular economy." Lisa Dooley Creative Director The Factory Well Spent Grain’s first product is called Born-Again bites which will help eliminate the stigma that sustainable & upcycled snacks have a bland taste. Born-Again bites are made from upcycled brewer’s spent grain plus 5 ingredients (i.e., dates, 100% peanut butter, toasted hazelnut, 70% dark chocolate, maple syrup) to provide good nutrition and a boost to adults’ energy levels. Each pack of Born-Again bites has a natural malty, nutty and fruity flavour, with hints of dark chocolate and maple syrup. It provides some protein and is high in fibre. It has a soft texture, not chewy, no preservatives/artificial flavouring.are committed to leading the charge in improving climate change as well as reducing the impact of food waste in the supply chain by upcycling brewer’s spent grain (which is underutilized and wasted in the food supply chain), all while contributing to a circular food economy and promoting sustainable snacking lifestyle. "In the long term, our dream is to become a leading food upcycling company that offers a wide range of value-added food & snack products in Ireland & Europe. We will be acting as a role model and advocator for a circular economy across Ireland & Europe." Sunkyung Choi , Patrick Nagle Co Founders Well Spent Grain Arcology System is a revolutionary smart and data-driven interior construction system that offers modularity and adaptability, unlocking circular economy value in the way commercial fitouts are financed, procured, built and managed for REIT’s, developers and end-users. This innovative system integrates the existing supply chain around connection hardware quicker, more cost effectively and enable materials to be kept in use at their highest value possible without waste. Assets become intelligent, and interiors are transformed into ‘Material Banks,’ resulting in future proofed spaces that can be fully utilised for Space-as-a-Service (SPaaS) business models. "We applied to the CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme to leverage manufacturing assistance and tap into specialist expertise across various verticals required by our hardware and platfom solutions. Additionally we aim to become investor ready with the guidance and resources supported by the programme." Colette Van Jaarsveld . Arcology System Ltd About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

In November 2022, CIRCULÉIRE, in collaboration with its secretariat Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), was granted funding and entrusted with the task of developing a proposal for a Center for Excellence for Circular Innovation. As Ireland’s National Platform for Circular Economy, CIRCULÉIRE aims to continue scaling industry-led circular innovation while leveraging existing expertise and activity within the national circular innovation ecosystem. This significant announcement was made by Ossian Smyth TD , the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications. " Since its establishment in 2020, CIRCULÉIRE and its esteemed members have been at the forefront of circular innovation, actively supporting manufacturers and their supply chains in embracing the principles of the circular economy ," highlighted Minister Ossian Smyth. " By facilitating the transition to a circular economy, CIRCULÉIRE is playing a crucial role in helping Ireland meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030. " In pursuit of this mandate, the dedicated team at CIRCULÉIRE has spent the initial six months of 2023 engaging with renowned sustainability experts, including Dr. Ilka Weisbrod , who joined IMR on secondment from Indeed Innovation. Between April and June this year, CIRCULÉIRE has hosted three industry-led consultation workshops in Belfast , Limerick , and Dublin , and virtual discussions with a panel of international experts, and meetings with leading academics in Ireland. Each of these engagements has provided us with invaluable feedback, shaping the formation of our proposal. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all participants for their active involvement and contribution to this vital endeavor. As we move forward, guided by the expertise and collaborative efforts of our stakeholders, CIRCULÉIRE is confident that our proposal for a Centre for Excellence for Circular Innovation will pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in sustainable practices, foster greater circularity, and create a more resilient and prosperous future. On the 31st of July 2023 CIRCULÉIRE will submit their Centre for Excellence proposal to the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications, stay tuned for further updates on our progress as we work towards realizing this ambitious vision. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

There was a packed room at this afternoon's session on Evidence for Sustainability panel as part of the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery & Reform Transformation Conference with Ossian Smyth , Geraldine Brennan, PhD Head of Circular Economy Irish Manufacturing Research along with Andrew Brownlee CEO SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) who discussed the work of their respective organisations, and the role of evidence in shaping policy and service delivery in the area of sustainability, moderated by Rowena Dwyer . The discussion highlighted what activities are underway develop the necessary skills, environment and capacity building required to reach our climate targets in 2030 and beyond. Geraldine Brennan highlighted CIRCULÉIREs' key objectives to support and accelerate industry-led circular economy implementation and innovation at scale through awareness raising, knowledge sharing through our annual thematic working groups, supporting industry policy engagement, 1-2-1 capacity building around circularity through supporting companies to develop a circular strategy and action plans, the 2020-2022 innovation fund which de risks circular innovation pilots, late-stage circular venture accelerator and engagement EU/international ecosystems related to ISO Standard Development to OECD Working Groups. Geraldine Brennan, PhD explained how CIRCULÉIRE structurally enables feedback from stakeholders eg industry and public sector investors through Steering Group representation by members who are elected by the network to represent industry perspectives in terms of programme design. In 2020-2022 CIRCULÉIRE ran 8 thematic working groups on topics ranging from – Circular Bioeconomy to Industrial Symbiosis to Circular Procurement to Circular Design, Circular Packaging, Circular Plastics, Redirecting Finance Flows to the Circular Economy to demystifying for industry the End of Waste and By Products Regulatory Regime. All available at the CIRCULÉIRE Knowledge Library https://lnkd.in/e5rTKA57 Andrew Brownlee outlined how SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna) is bridging the skills gap in the public sector with the focus on green careers such as bio diversity, retro fitting, sustainable finance and highlighting the green skills for construction pledge to ensure that every FE learner would have access to green / sustainability module. https://lnkd.in/e2iRDDtp About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Last night, we had the pleasure of supporting an evening of energy, expertise and and enthusiasm at the Republic of Work Sustainability Initiative with Eshna Gogia and Frank Brennan at Future of Fashion 2030 & Beyond CIRCULÉIRES Communications and network Lead  Lucy Campbell  gave an overview of the supports offered to Industry across all sectors in refining and developing circular innovation and business models and showcased the impact of the CIRCULÉIRE funded  Design & Crafts Council Ireland and National College of Art & Design  and  Creative Futures Academy  innovation pilot Circular by Design , where 11 design companies were supported to embed circularity into their product development and supply chain operations through a first of it's kind Circular by Design training code and toolkit  headed up by Gwen Cunningham | LinkedIn Special thanks to Malú Colorín Co Founder Fibreshed Ireland and Talú who gave a superb overview of the her collaborative pilot with Laidain Aiken We heard from a vibrant panel of mid to late stage retail and apparel entrepreneurs who are driving their business to keep Sustainability and Circularity at the core of their business models with Shana Chu Tailr, Tom Cotter CEO OCEANR  and  Jack Norman CEO Zirkulu Shanas' passion for improving the Fashion industry makes her a big believer in using technology to create a more efficient and sustainable future for fashion. Tailr is an innovative cloud-based SaaS platform that connects design teams with brands with real-time data, using AI to examine different data sets to predict how fabric will handle during production. Tom Cotter is the founder of  OCEANR . Tom turned his life-long passion for water sports to focusing on the ocean’s plastic crisis into a  deep focus on research to determine what could be done to help alleviate that problem. Enter OCEANR: an eco-apparel brand with a big focus on  #oceanconservation . Jack Norman is a co-founder at  Zirkulu, who are building the future of outdoor apparel from plant-based and natural materials and believes change is no longer a choice but a necessity as the outdoor industry is currently dominated by fossil fuels-based synthetics like polyester and nylon. Zirkulu build technical outdoor apparel based on the principles of the circular economy. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Throughout October and November the CIRCULÉIRE Thematic Working Group (TWG) delivery team within Irish Manufacturing Research delivered three TWG topics. Each topic was broken down into a Master Class, an Ideation Workshops, and Roundtable Discussions with our Network Members, and included areas of regulations and practices critical for all organisations, aiming at advancing their circularity and innovation journey on the short, mid, and long-term scenarios: Circular Economy, Product Lifecycle Thinking, and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation : regulation implications for industry and ESPR as an innovation driver for circular economy implementation; designing products and services with a circular economy mindset, considering the entire lifecycle of products from design to disposal, and creating value through sustainable and innovative business practices; Digitalisation and Digital Product Passport : latest digital technologies to optimize the use of resources, reduce waste, and increase efficiency in the supply chain; the importance of data-driven decision-making; how digitization can support transparency and traceability in the supply chain, as well as ensuring your business is ready to adapt to future EU regulatory changes such as Digital Product Passports; Measuring Circularity : main measurement approaches and tools for measuring circularity, such as life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, and circularity indicators. The process of measuring progress in the circular economy, and whether and how impact is highly dependent on the goals, reach, and target audiences of circular economy practitioners Throughout these sessions, we were joined by policy and practice experts that have contributed with their knowledge and action insights: Aisling McCarthy (DETE), Vojtech Vosecky (CIRCLE ECONOMY), Amba Concheso (DSS+), Dr Rembrant Koppelaar (EcoWise), Shane Colgan (EEA), and Dr John Gallagher (TCD). We have compiled the highlights and the learnings from these sessions, and from feedback received from our network and will be sharing this with the public in three webinars. Join us on the following dates to learn more about: Circular Economy, Product Lifecycle Thinking, Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation : Tuesday 28th November 2023 | 11am – 12.30pm Register We will be joined at this session by Aisling McCarthy (DETE), Vojtech Vosecky (CIRCLE ECONOMY) Digitalisation and Digital Product Passport : Friday 1st December 2023 | 11am – 12.30pm Register We will be joined at this session by Amba Concheso (DSS+), Dr Rembrant Koppelaar (EcoWise) Measuring Circularity : Monday 4th December 2023 | 11am – 12.30pm Register We will be joined at this session by Shane Colgan (EEA), and Dr John Gallagher (TCD) About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Imagine being able to schedule your e waste collection for pick up at your front door ! Maybe now you can. At last month's CIRCULÉIRE network meeting we were proud to announce the launch of a pioneering circular logistics SaaS platform in Ireland in 2024 C2X:Smart Take Back for the 21st Century, developed by founder P aul McSweeney and T he ZeroNet. This year (2023) Mr McSweeney and The ZeroNet were awarded Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS) funding from the D epartment of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) to launch The ZeroNet in Ireland specifically C2X : a smart take back scheme from the consumer to everywhere. Beginning in 2024, they will be partnering with fellow CIRCULÉIRE members I QUTECH and O fferre to expand their offering across Ireland. These partnerships will assist in the take-back service for specialist and banded electronics (iQuTech) and specific medical devices (Offerre). The platform will launch with collaboration from L imerick City and County Council , D ublin City CouncilD un Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. The ZeroNet was created as a means to tackle the “tsunami of e-waste” that is globally being mismanaged each year worldwide. Seeing a missing puzzle piece CEO Paul McSweeney set about to create the world’s first cloud-based technology platform designed around managing the domestic recovery of e-waste with a key ethos: transforming the way in which products and materials are recovered and facilitating a transformation in high value, zero-waste recovery. With plans to also offer take-back collections for textiles and clothing there are big things on the horizon for this innovative approach to driving circular economy. Here's what the team had to say W atch Here About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by I rish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and D epartment of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE h ere.

At this year's WEEE Ireland Member Conference held on Wednesday 18th Oct 2023 at Castleknock Hotel, Dublin, Dr. Geraldine Brennan along with CE expert contributors provided insightful and detailed input into this years conference titled Follow our Lea d aimed at Irish Producers, Retailers, Local Authorities, and other Stakeholders. A packed room of over 120 delegates heard updates on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations under the Circular Economy, WEEE Directive Evaluation and New European Battery Regulations, an overview of the UK WEEE System report commissioned by REPIC and an overview of CIRCULÉIRE's work to date across the ICT sector. The opening address from Minister of State for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Public Procurement, eGovernment with special responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth welcomed the "bring it back ethos " already embedded in the Irish WEEE system and the national take back communications campaign funded by DECC. WEEE Ireland CEO Leo Donovan, summarised the current state of the national WEEE and Battery systems in Ireland, how it has involved over the last 18 years and where the future focus toward improved circularity can be delivered including: Importance of Standards in quality recycling and Critical Raw Material recovery as well as ensuring health and safety for proper disposal of lithium battery containing devices. Supporting Indigenous Collection Facilities for WEEE and Waste Batteries with a national tonnage strategy. Visible Environmental Management Costs for supply chain engagement and encouraging takeback through retail and other channels. Capture of all WEEE flows including repair and reuse information, with an All Actors approach for accurate data management and reporting across our national EPR systems Dr. Geraldine Brennan took the conference through an overview of the plans, programmes, thematic workshops, publications and more that CIRCULÉIRE has developed to foster circularity across its 50 + industry Members and their affiliates. WEEE Ireland has been a founding member of CIRCULÉIRE since 2019 and Geraldine provided a deep dive into how CIRCULÉIRE has supported WEEE and it's members through this partnership and across the wider electronic and battery cluster through four CIRCULEIRE funded innovation projects. These included: Circular Economy Skillset Initiative (CESI) an industry-accredited, standards-based, white goods repair training programme from which 10 students have recently graduated with 2 students already in employment; M ED Devices A New Life (MEDAL) consortia are piloting a take-back scheme for single-use wearable medical devices informed by consumer behaviour; Long-Life Lithium Battery (LLLB) Re-Use Pilot enabled KMK Metals Recycling to upskill their staff and build the physical dismantling infrastructure to enable the safe dismantling of EV batteries; Robo CRM Advanced Robotics to capture Critical Raw Materials in WEEE recycling non-destructive detection methods in conjunction with pattern recognition and an artificial intelligence engine to identify and sort batteries and electronics containing batteries from the main WEEE stream. Three of these pilots related to electronics, batteries or wearable medical devices – which are part of the hard to get at “invisible” e-waste category https://resource-recycling.com/e-scrap/2023/10/11/weee-forum-one-sixth-of-e-waste-is-invisible/ Geraldine also highlighted the CIRCULÉIRE Circular ICT & Electronics (2022) Good Practice Guide , citing the key recommendations to further unlock circularity in the Electronics and ICT sector through: Greater implementation of Preparation for Reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing activities. Continued investment in value chain cooperation and experimentation to pilot circular innovation. Measurement of (BB) post-industrial activities Development of an All-Island Remanufacturing Strategy The full conference highlights can be accessed from the the WEEE Ireland Website HERE About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Over 500,000 mattresses are being discarded each year in Ireland through Fly Tipping and illegal dumping. This is a staggering volume that could fill Croke Park three or four times over. As part of their focus on Climate Change, the RTÉ series Heated profiled CIRCULEIRE member CIRTEX to demonstrate how Irish Industry is rising to the challenge of mattress waste through Vision and Smart thinking. W atch here. In this programme, CIRTEX CEO Rick Earley describes the CIRTEX process where mattress are stripped down into component parts, the steel springs are recycled as stainless steel and the polyester coverings are shredded, de contaminated though a 180 degree incinerator process and mattress padding re enters the production streams of the furniture and bedding Industry. The process of recycling mattress padding is very new. While steel springs were recycled, the remainder of the used mattresses were going to landfill and incineration. Rewind to 2022, when CITEX was awarded grant funding through CIRCUÉIRE's innovation fund to come up with a solution to turn this soft padding material into insulation and other useful products that can be further upcycled when they reach their “end of life”. CIRTEX partnered with Tipperary County Council and Clothes POD to collect these materials from the public in a clean and effective manner. Through this project, the partners developed a product range that uses previously unrecycled materials from the mattress to make new products, which can be recycled multiple times. R ead More By creating a sustainable business model, developing the market, and having pre-existing large-scale manufacturing equipment in place, the business will be able to scale and make a meaningful impact on the industry. CIRCULÉIRE members were able to see this innovation in action at the recent network meeting when Rick Earley took them through the process W atch Here About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by I rish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and D epartment of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE h ere.

CIRCULÉIRE is delighted to announce the launch of Towards a Circular Economy of Water in Ireland at the All Ireland Waste Water Expo in Leopardstown Race Course. This Best Practice Sectoral guide is the ninth in a series of reports produced by CIRCULÉIRE, Ireland’s National Platform for Circular Manufacturing targeted at Irish industry players in sectors deemed strategically important to supporting Ireland’s transition to a circular economy. Why Water ? The figures from the United Nations World Water Development report, demonstrates that due to increasing population, economic development and shifting consumption patterns, global water use has increased by a factor of six over the past hundred years and it keeps steadily growing at a rate of around 1% per annum. Future estimations predict global demand for freshwater will exceed viable resources by 40% by 2030 if we continue as we are today. Some regions are already classified as water-stressed, and climate change will aggravate this situation further by creating water stress in regions where today water is seemingly abundant. We have already seen a global increase in the frequency of extreme water events due to climate change. These figures are stark and more than ever society must be made aware of the National Geographic assertion that “All the water that will ever be, is right now.” Industry is a major water user, and forecasts mention water demand from it is projected to grow by 400% by 2050. However what if we could reduce Industrial consumption by up to 50%, through the application of systems thinking to identify CEW strategies to support this reduction? Circular Economy of Water ( CEW ) Co authored by Ana Santos, Geraldine Brennan and Paul Mc Cormack Cooney, The Circular Economy of Water Sectoral Guide is intended for all industrial sectors, potential project funders and policymakers involved with utilisation of water in Ireland. It aims to provide industry stakeholders with an overview of Circular Economy of Water (CEW) strategies to encourage their replication and adoption across industry. For policymakers, the Guide is intended to both draw attention to some of the key policy enablers which are supporting the advancement of a CEW in Europe and Ireland and to highlight the necessity for industry to participate in the policy process through sharing their insight, research results, and the challenges of implementing a CE. Highlighting Best Practice In this report we examine the Circular Economy of Water in Ireland and abroad and highlight best practise innovations on the use of Water with a focus on the five high impact sectors in Food, Automotive Industry, pharmaceuticals and Chemicals, Cosmetics and Microelectronics through case studies from Nestle, Wyeth, Mercedes, Nissan, Astra Zeneca, L’oreal P & G and Intel. From these Irish and International case studies, we draw out the barriers and lessons learned to determine what is needed to Circularise the use of water and delivers five key recommendations aimed at advancing a CEW in Ireland. For further discussions about this report, get in touch with Geraldine Brennan Head of Circular Economy at Irish Manufacturing Research or Paul Mc Cormack Cooney Best practise and Toolkits Lead CIRCULÉIRE. All our Sectoral Guides are available for FREE download at the CIRCULÉIRE Open Access Knowledge Library at the links below: Towards a Circular Economy of Water in Ireland Towards a Circular Economy of Water In Ireland - Executive Summary Circular Construction & Built Environment Good Practice Sectoral Guide Circular ICT & EEE Good Practice Sectoral Guide Circular Fashion and Textiles Good Practice Sectoral Guide Circular Food and Drink Sectoral Guide Circular Maritime and Shipping Good Practice Guide Circular Road and Rail Good Practice Sectoral Guide Circular Aviation Good Practice Sectoral Guide Circular Bioeconomy and Agri-Food Sectoral Guide About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

In Ireland, there are an estimated 500,000 used mattresses sent discarded every year. CIRTEX, (co-founded by Rick Earley and David Garland) were the successful recipients of grant funding through the 2022 CIRCULÉIRE Innovation Fund call. This funding from The Department of Environment Climate and Communications enabled CIRTEX to conduct new product development aimed at preventing the incineration of the estimated 500,000 mattresses discarded every year. The outcome is the creation of a product range that uses previously unrecycled materials from the discarded mattress to make new products, which in turn can be upcycled multiple times. The innovative upcycled products created by this project makes CIRTEX Irelands only upcycling textile company of its kind, meeting all regulatory and industry standards, with the capability to upcycle soft cushioning material, foam, fibre, shoddy, and coverings which were previously either incinerated or landfilled. CIRTEX also won the National Enterprise Green Sustainability Award. “This was a great example of the power of partnership” says Co-Founder, MD David Garland.” It was a collaboration between CIRTEX, with manufacturing equipment, expertise in new product development, and extensive experience in the bedding and furniture recycling industry; combined with Interior Creations trading as Caffrey’s Furniture Ireland (a mattress manufacturer and retailer that also provides a take-back scheme and was a buyer for the new products being developed); Tipperary County Council (who operate municipal recycling centres), and Textile Recycling Limited (TRL trading as Clothes POD) the largest operator of clothing bins in Ireland. They were greater active collaborators in this important innovative project proving that you can develop a smart business model that has a positive environmental impact.” Speaking on the potential to scale this business, CIRTEX co-founder and CEO Rick Earley commented: “Through the Demonstration Project, CIRTEX has developed a green business model, proving that sustainability practices are more effective and efficient and make good business sense while helping to improve the state of our planet. Our experience combined with our innovative unique processes make us Ireland’s only upcycling textile manufacturer. We are proud that after just two years of operation, over 250,000 people are sleeping on mattresses with CIRTEX products. As we scale, we have the potential and capability to divert up to 10,000 tonnes of waste mattresses from landfill and incineration, reducing Ireland's carbon footprint and conserving natural resources. But accessing a sustainable supply of these thousands of discarded mattresses is crucial for us to sustain this circular mode “. Speaking on the impacts of this pilot Dr Geraldine Brennan Head of Circular Economy Irish Manufacturing Research and CIRCULÉIRE Project Lead said: “The CIRTEX upcycled Insulation project demo project has successfully validated the company's technology, business model, and market potential. With its strong financials, growing customer base, and sustainable practices, CIRTEX is well-positioned to scale up operations and become a leading provider of recycled components for the mattress and furniture industries. The company's contributions to the circular economy are demonstrable and it’s scaling up will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the environment and the Irish economy.” Commenting on the visit minister Smyth commented: “As Minister for Circular Economy, it is great to see that CIRTEX is putting the material from discarded mattresses to good use, making new products from old and keeping valuable materials out of the waste stream’. ABOUT CIRTEX Based in Co. Longford, CIRTEX is one of Irelands leading upcycling companies and a member of CIRCULEIRE the first cross-sectoral industry led network committed to accelerating the net-zero carbon circular economy in Ireland. CIRTEX manufacture an extensive range of technical non-woven wool, fibre, and foam mix products for multiple applications by upcycling textiles. One of the many benefits of upcycling is that it reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions while also boosting Irelands local industries and businesses. www.cirtex.ie