Linear Economy
Marcel Kooter
THE LINEAR ECONOMY
EXPLAINING

The linear economy is what manufac-
turers and other production facilities
have been using for many years. In a li-
near economy, products are designed
EXPLAINING THE LINEAR ECONOMY
to be replaced with new products in a
limited time period. Waste products
are thrown away and raw materials
are not recycled.

Take, Make, Dispose
‘Take, make, dispose’ refers to this linear me-
thod of manufacturing, which focuses on short-
term profit with little consideration for the
future. Resources are used indiscriminately,
and large amounts of unwanted waste goes
to landfill. New raw materials are sourced for
each new batch of product. A linear economy
therefore damages the natural environment in
both the short term and long term.
A Sustainable Future
To create a more sustainable future, many
manufacturers are now looking at new me-
thods of production that help to protect the
environment. This includes implementing sys-
tems such as recycling raw materials, building
products to last or be easily fixed and minimi-
sing or reusing waste products that occur as
a natural part of the production process. This
system is referred to as a circular economy.

You can learn more
about the circular
economy by visiting
the blog of Marcel
Kooter.
Marcel Kooter