Circular KC launches amid opportunity for economic growth in material recovery

The Circular KC initiative, aimed at fostering a circular economy built on the recovery of local materials that would otherwise find their way to our regional landfills, met for the first time in official capacity last week. This initiative builds upon prior workshops led by the MARC Solid Waste Management District, and seeks to promote environmental stewardship and economic growth by mining value and opportunity from recovered materials.

The meeting sparked discussions on integrating circular economy principles, such as designing for repair and remanufacturing, as well as the reuse and repurposing of recovered materials into daily business practices. Participants stressed the need for corporate sponsorship to fulfill “producer responsibility” – the idea that businesses pitch in to develop systems of recovery, processing and manufacturing from their products. 

Hannah Zimmerman, an environmental consultant, shared insights on the local reuse ecosystem, pointing out that many thrift stores could improve material recovery and reduce landfill waste by developing downstream resources to redirect unsellable items toward salvage and recycling options. Darren Beck from the Foundation for Regeneration highlighted a material flow analysis that the organization recently completed with Metabolic, a sustainability consultancy. This metro area study, funded by the City of Kansas City, Missouri; Johnson County; and the MARC Solid Waste Management District, showed that the Kansas City region is landfilling $250 million worth of materials each year, which could lead to 5,000 new jobs if diverted back into the local economy. 

A takeaway from the event was tapping into the hundreds of remanufacturing, recycling and repair jobs that can be created for every single landfill job per 10,000 metric tons of waste materials. This approach not only supports economic growth but aligns with the regional goal of slowing landfill expansion.

The meeting also underscored the opportunities for the Kansas City region to lead in the burgeoning circular economy, much like it has led the nation in animal health and logistics. Beck emphasized that our geographic intermodal advantage allows materials to ship to and from the region within just two days to most of the continental United States. He also highlighted the work already being done by dozens of local organizations, which has our region poised to marshal in an age of local job opportunity while helping residents renew their broken and old belongings – or find new ways to transform them into something useful.

Circular KC plans to meet four times per year. 

The event was sponsored by the MARC Solid Waste Management District, Foundation for Regeneration, Re.Use.Full, and Ingenuity LLC.