Systems mapping is increasingly being used to understand the dynamics of any system – human, organizational, technical etc. Methodologies such as Waste Flow Mapping, Value Stream Mapping, Eco-Mapping can help identify and analyze opportunities for material efficiencies and waste reduction. But a whole systems approach examines a broader set of loops, including human and organizational dynamics that can either help or hinder change through ongoing reinforcement. This session will examine examples of whole system mapping and illustrate how applying this technique can help managers understand flows within an organization and unlock value from using these flows appropriately.

As plastics take over our sees and overflow our landfills, we need a completely new approach to this material.  We can’t continue to use plastic in the way that we have, but eliminating it altogether makes no sense either. The vision of a New Plastic Economy includes tenets such as eliminating all unnecessary plastic packaging, reducing single use packaging, ensuring all plastic packaging can be reusable, recyclable or compostable – not just in theory but in practice, and keeping hazardous chemicals out. This session will explore what achieving a New Plastic Economy looks like in practice and how companies and organizations are partnering to make it a reality. 

Early-generation wind, solar, and battery storage systems are already reaching the end of their useful lives, leaving us with the possibility of millions of metric tons of waste heading to landfills over the next 20 years. However, there are ways we can collect, process and reintroduce these materials back into supply-chains at current or even higher values. Further, it’s imperative that we design next-generation renewable systems for up-gradeability, perpetual useful life and built-in circularity. Join us to discuss how we can address these renewable energy production material end-of-life challenges at our roundtable.

About Roundtable Lunches: Join interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches do not have advanced sign-up — participation is first-come, first-served.

Many of the materials traditionally used across industries find their way to landfills. But innovations in materials are enabling us to make products that don’t have this end in sight. Across industries, material science has become a real hotspot for circularity. Some materials have inherently circular characteristics, whether because they biodegrade easily or can be recovered and reused or recycled. Innovations span from the disassembly of electronics for precious metals, to the use of innovative fabrics like banana leaves in apparel, to ensuring chemicals are made from products that biodegrade easily and harmlessly. What will it take to utilize these new materials at scale? Speakers from across industries provide insights.

What's the role of advanced recycling technologies in keeping materials circulating through our economy and creating a circular economy for plastics? 

There’s been a growing buzz around chemical recycling and the promise of new technologies that can fix the broken recycling system. However, the technologies, terminology and applications can be confusing and are not widely understood. This session will explore the chemical recycling landscape: the transformational technologies that turn waste plastics back into new materials, decrease reliance on fossil fuels and curb the flow of plastics into marine environments. 

Part two of this two-part breakout will explore the chemical recycling market opportunity, look at where chemical recycling is going and how to finance and scale this emerging market to meet the growing demand for recycled content. 

By 2050, two thirds of the world will live in cities. However, urban centres designed for the linear economy are grappling with the effects of the current take-make-waste economy. 

But circularity isn't just about materials management. As major engines for economic growth and job creation, cities are also looking to the circular economy agenda to unlock economic, environmental, and social benefits. This session will explore how city leaders are using the transition to a circular economy to rethink material flows, create jobs for their communities, providing safe and affordable places to live and improving how people and goods move throughout the city.

Whether it's at the product, business or systems level, new circular economy metrics are a useful tool to quantify and understand impact. But measuring circularity is just the start. This session will help you move beyond measuring to action. Learn how to act and adapt once you've quantified circularity, and adapt your product or business design to move closer to closing the loop. 

The increased awareness of the food waste problem has attracted a growing number of innovators, from community to corporate scale, to tackle this thorny challenge, plus a slew of technologies to bolster existing food recovery efforts. Hear from companies that have navigated the financial, legal and supply-chain challenges to divert food from landfill and help a wide range of organizations reduce food waste and their carbon footprint.

From lighting fixtures to furniture to clothing and accessories, more companies are exploring models for providing products-as-a-service (PaaS) through such arrangements as rental or leasing, pay-per-use and subscriptions that redefine the concept of ownership. What does it take to design and manufacture products that can be “sold” in this manner? What’s the best pricing and financial models? How will this change expectations and create new opportunities for service and maintenance? Early adopters provide insights.