Ringmajanduslik

Ringmajanduslik is an Estonian term used to describe anything related to the circular economy, a model of economic activity that aims to close resource loops by reducing material use, reusing products, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, and recycling to extend product life and minimize waste.

The term combines "ring" meaning circle or cycle and "majandus" meaning economy; the suffix "-lik" forms adjectives indicating a characteristic. In Estonian policy, business, and academic writing, ringmajanduslik describes approaches, analyses, or design principles that align with circular economy concepts.

A ringmajanduslik approach emphasizes lifecycle thinking, design for durability and upgradability, resource efficiency, material recycling, and business models such as product-as-a-service. It also includes governance measures like extended producer responsibility, waste reduction targets, and indicators of circularity.

In practice, ringmajanduslik rhetoric appears in national strategies and EU-aligned plans promoting sustainable growth through resource decoupling. Challenges include upfront investment, coordinating actors across value chains, developing measurement tools, and shifting consumer behavior.