A circular economy future is one in which waste no longer exists, one where material loops are closed, and where products are recycled indefinitely.” In the June 2017 edition of the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Jonathan Cullen authored an article titled, “Circular Economy; Theoretical Benchmark or Perpetual Motion Machine?” He explores the concept of losses in a closed-loop system. “Every loop around the circle creates dissipation and entropy, attributed to losses in quantity (physical material losses, by-products) and quality (mixing, downgrading).” Cullen concludes that, “circular economy, if refined and presented as a theoretical benchmark, could offer a powerful framework for measuring and pursuing progress.

Jonathan Cullen
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2017, 21(3) 483-486