“We don’t have the capacity or the budget for circular pilot projects right now. So we’ve put it on hold.”
I hear this a lot.
And I understand the instinct.
But here’s the uncomfortable part:
You’re already paying for the linear end-of-life of your product. You just don’t see it as one line on the P&L.
So before putting circularity on hold, it’s worth actually adding up what the current model costs you.
1. What do you already pay to make the product “go away”?
→ EPR fees
How much, really? Packaging, electronics, batteries…
→ Waste and disposal costs
Collection, sorting, treatment, landfill or gate fees.
→ Compliance and reporting costs
The capacity and fees tied to take-back and reporting requirements.
2. What value could still be captured before it becomes waste?
→ Product value
Could the whole product be reused or resold?
→ Component value
Are there parts worth recovering or remanufacturing?
→ Material value
What are the recoverable materials actually worth?
→ Customer value
Could a return bring the customer back into a relationship?
→ Service value
Is there revenue in repair, refurbishment or maintenance?
3. Put the two side by side.
| What you already pay | What you could capture |
|---|---|
| EPR fees | Product value |
| Waste & disposal | Component value |
| Compliance costs | Material value |
| End-of-life handling | Customer value |
| — | Service value |
The comparison is simple:
What does the linear end-of-life cost you?
vs.
What value could you capture by keeping the product, components or materials in use?
That’s the comparison that matters.
And it’s surprisingly rare to see it done properly.
“Doing nothing” was never free.
It means you’ve chosen the current cost structure — and potentially given up the value that could sit behind a different one.
Not just environmentally.
Economically.
So here’s the question: