RIVM improves the quality of circular solutions. We help the business community and government bodies in making choices and facing dilemmas. The figure below illustrates how we work to help realise a safe, healthy, and sustainable circular economy in the policy cycle (outer circle) as well as in the raw materials cycle (inner circle).

Circular economy: what does RIVM do?

Figuur transitie circulaire Economie
  1.  Sustainable and safe deployment of renewable (bio-based) raw materials and biotechnology.
  2. Providing insight into the quality and quantity of our natural capital in the Netherlands (maps).
  3. Helping to make choices for a safe and sustainable circular design through insight into the entire chain and replacement of hazardous substances.
  4. Determining standards and limits for the safe and sustainable use of substances and materials with an eye to reuse and recycling.
  5. Effect of changes in purchasing behaviour by government and the public on safety, health, and sustainability. Practice what you preach: in-house implementation of a socially responsible purchasing policy.
  6. Society’s perception of risks in relation to health and sustainability.
  7. Safe and sustainable processing of waste into raw materials.
  8. Exploration of practical policy options for a safe, healthy, and sustainable Circular Economy.
  9. Analysing and identifying potential consequences of policy options. Determining standards and limits with an eye to reuse and recycling.
  10. Providing help in making choices for a safe and sustainable (circular) utilisation of material flows.
  11. Monitoring the transition to a Circular Economy in order to reflect on the effectiveness of relevant activities.
  12. Identifying obstacles to a circular economy imposed by laws and legislation.