Developed by AFNOR and published in October 2018, the XP X30-901 standard is the first to focus on the circular economy.
The standard also aims to facilitate constructive dialogue in France, with a view to rethinking our current production and consumption patterns.
First emerging twenty years ago, at the turn of the 2000s, the circular economy has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. With the 2015 Energy Transition Act, it has become a national priority. The goal: to break away from the current economic model based on the «produce, consume, dispose» cycle and adopt a new circular model in which one person’s waste can become another’s resource.
In recent years, circular economy initiatives have been multiplying across all sectors. From food waste transformed into gourmet meals to recycled comforters and pillows, to the conversion of sewage sludge into biogas… The areas of experimentation in the circular economy are as numerous as the projects themselves!
But how can we know if an initiative truly complies with the principles of the circular economy? To answer this question, the French Standardization Agency (AFNOR) published, on October 25, 2018, the first standard dedicated to defining the circular economy: the XP X30-901 standard.
A Guide to the Circular Economy
It took two years of work and the input of 50 professionals in the field of ecological transition (nonprofits, manufacturers, local governments, etc.) to develop this standard. And the result is clear: a set of precise specifications that can be applied to any type of initiative or organization. The XP X30-901 standard thus defines an organizational method that anyone—from individuals to large companies—can use «to plan, implement, evaluate, and improve a circular economy project,» according to AFNOR.
To develop it, the association drew on the three dimensions of sustainable development (environmental, economic, and social) as well as the seven pillars of the circular economy. It’s a comprehensive guide to becoming an active participant in the circular economy! Bonus: it will even be possible to apply for certification attesting to a project’s circular credentials.
Promoting the Circular Economy
With this standard, AFNOR hopes to raise awareness of the drivers of the circular economy so that everyone can take action at their own pace and in their own way toward a more sustainable lifestyle. The goal is also to encourage a proliferation of initiatives and to facilitate constructive dialogue in France to rethink our current production and consumption patterns.
Internationally, the idea is also gaining ground. The’International Organization for Standardization (ISO)—which is responsible for facilitating the harmonization of international economic standards—also announced the launch of efforts to establish an international standard dedicated to the circular economy. In its work, the technical committee will draw on the new AFNOR standard and France has, in fact, been designated as the lead country to coordinate this strategic issue !
