Product Circularity and the Hidden Economic Opportunities of Discarded Fishing Nets and Ropes

This webinar originally aired on 5 October 2017. Circular economies aim to minimize resource inputs, emissions, and energy leakage by designing long-lasting products; maintaining, repairing, and reusing them; and recycling them at the end of their useful life. This is in contrast to traditional linear economies utilizing 'take, make, dispose' models of production. The talk will provide guidance on how organizations can implement circular economy principles related to products, processes, and business models. It will also introduce the Circular Ocean project which pursues innovative and sustainable solutions for marine plastic waste arising from waste fishing nets and ropes (FNRs). Issues related to waste FNRs, existing products that utilize FNRs, and potential new business models for waste FNRs will be presented. Read more about the Circular Ocean project at http://www.circularocean.eu. This webinar was presented by Martin Charter, Director of The Centre for Sustainable Design of the University for the Creative Arts. Webinar co-sponsored by the NOAA National MPA Center, MPA News, and the EBM Tools Network (co-coordinated by NatureServe and OpenChannels.org).