On September 23rd Andrea Bortolotti (LoUIsE/Metrolab PhD candidate) presented the advancement of his research on urban waste and recycling in the framework of LAN 2016 Conference, held at the USC School of Architecture of Los Angeles http://landscapeasnecessity.uscarch.com/
Waste management is high on the urban agenda. The current challenges of mass incineration and landfilling signal a fundamental transition in resource and waste management strategies in cities. European common and national policy is moving toward the idea of a ‘recycling society’. Within this framework, the concept of circular economy has gained traction in public debate, and is now under discussion at the administrative level in many cities (e.g. Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris). Even though expectations are high, there is a considerable gap between policy and practice concerning how to initiate, steer and support the transition toward circular economies. Using Brussels as case study, this paper aims to engage debate on whether and how urban design and planning could enhance the potential for achieving a circular economy.