The Circular Economy, Responsible Consumption and the Consumer

Abstract

The rising generation of municipal solid waste has led to global environmental problems such as open dumping, uncontrolled incineration, marine pollution and global warming. In order to overcome these problems and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 12 (Responsible production and consumption), the concept of a circular economy has gained attention. The role and responsibility of consumers in a circular economy society is crucial to conserve resources and consume environmentally friendly products. In order for consumers to realise responsible consumption, strategies in each stage of the circular economy such as purchasing, waste reduction and reuse, and collection for recycling of waste must be established. Strategies for responsible consumption at the purchasing stage include legal restrictions, economic measures and promotion of appropriate consumption practices. At the discharge stage for waste reduction and reuse, a Volume-based Rate System (VBRS) and separate discharge system can be implemented. Since consumers in island regions may not be able to properly discharge waste, an appropriate collection system must be established to fulfil consumer responsibilities. For these strategies to succeed, six factors should be considered: clear policy targets, allocation of responsibilities by stakeholders, awareness, transparency of information, communication and building infrastructure.