Learning from the Nature: Enabling the Transition Towards Circular Economy Through Biomimicry

Abstract

The natural biosphere operates according to a system of nutrients and metabolisms, in which there is no such thing as waste. Forming an eternal cycle, which iteratively recycles its major nutrients. This objective is what many industrial organizations aim for by closing industrial material and product loops in the Technosphere. In doing so industrial organisations aim to drive sustainability, ensure supply resilience and explore new financial revenue streams. Unlike the biosphere, the technosphere is immature, often failing to prove financial vitality and hence scalability. This paper utilizes biomimicry to cross fertilize natural intelligence, which evolved over millions of years. Biological organism ensures vitality (surplus of calories) by foraging for food, a process, which contains continuous search and digestion processes, optimized to environmental conditions through evolution. This paper explores how biological search and digestion strategies can be exploited in industrial product takeback systems to make informed decisions for maximizing industrial vitality (surplus of financial income).