Circular Economy

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a leading nonprofit organization working to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. StopWaste is a Ellen MacArthur Foundation Circular Economy 100 USA member.

In this capacity, we've partnered with Arup to explore how local governments can use circular economy principles to improve buildings and communities.

Read our one-page topic brief: The Circular Economy

Download our primer: Circular Economy in the Built Environment: Opportunities for Local Government Leadership

Construction & Demolition Materials

When wood, cardboard and other organic C&D debris are landfilled instead of recycled, they break down and produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Our C&D Debris section provides information about C&D waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Model Policy for Reducing the Embodied Emissions of Concrete

StopWaste is partnering with the County of Marin and other Bay Area local governments to seek funding for a proposed project that would increase demand for low-carbon concrete. The project would drive demand through policy by developing template building codes and technical performance specifications for low embodied carbon concrete. 

Of all building materials, Portland cement - one of the primary components of concrete - has a particularly intense impact on the climate. Carbon dioxide emitted from cement production is the second largest source of industrial CO2 emissions in the United States. There is technology now available that can easily reduce the embodied carbon of concrete by more than half. The technology is established but demand has not scaled.