Ireland has extended the Circuléire initiative through which it promotes circular practices across sectors like textiles, construction and healthcare.
The project, which was to come to an end this year, will now receive an additional funding of €1.5million.
The Initiative: 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.
The Announcement: The decision to extend the initiative was announced by the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth, in his keynote address delivered at Circuléire’s 2022 Annual Conference on 23 November 2022.
- Smyth, who holds responsibility for the Circular Economy and Communications, announced his commitment to provide €1.5million funding to Circuléire to continue its activities in 2023 to “foster and enhance circular economy knowledge, capacity building and implementation by Irish Industry”.
The Activities: Circuléire's activities are aligned with and contribute to the realisation of the objectives and actions of the Ireland government’s Circular Economy Strategy and the Climate Action Plan.
- For the last three years, Circuléire has been dedicated to assisting manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models.
- That has been possible by supporting ten circular innovation demonstration projects, conducting baseline surveys, in-depth circularity assessments, annual thematic working groups, running Ireland’s first dedicated circular venture accelerator and fostering meaningful dialogue between policymakers and industry while supporting our members to reduce waste and associated CO2 emissions.
- This year, coming to the end of its first three-years-funding cycle, Circuléire has shown significant progress in creating circular momentum across the Irish industry.
What They Said:
Since its inception in 2020, Circuléire and its members have been leading the way in circular innovation, supporting manufacturers and their supply chains to embrace circular economy principles. The transition to a circular economy, supported by Circuléire, will contribute to Ireland achieving its targets in greenhouse gas reductions by 2030.
— Ossian Smyth
Minister of State (Environment, Climate and Communications)
Government of Ireland
Since Circuléire started its activities in 2020, we have grown from 25 Founding Industry members and we are now supporting over 50 organisations on their circular economy journey. IMR are extremely proud to receive DECC’s funding in 2023, which recognizes the valuable momentum Circuléire has generated and the importance of continuing to foster and grow circular economy innovation and implementation.
— Geraldine Brennan
Head of Circular Economy / Lead
IMR / Circuléire
