From nuisance to resource
Circular Economy
About
A circular economy is an approach that strives to prevent waste by maximizing the utilization of materials. The study aims to develop circular economy at the local level in Arab sector localities, where waste treatment is a major environmental challenge. The study promotes circular economy between business firms, so that byproducts of one industry will serve as a resource in another industry.
The study is funded by the Ministry of Environmental Protection; Research Advisor: Open Landscape Institute, Tel Aviv University. The research team include Dr. Liron Amdur, Omar Asi and Alaa Haj Yehia.
The business sector in Arab localities is characterized by many small family businesses located at residential neighborhoods, a situation that creates environmental nuisances and makes it difficult to enforce environmental regulations. Circular economy tools will reduce the amount of waste, the need to collect, transport and operate large recycling facilities, which many Arab authorities do not have the means to realize; in addition, the income of small businesses will increase, since their byproducts will be transformed into resources that can be sold.
The research stages: 1. Mapping the existing businesses; 2. Studying the existing experience in circular economy in the business sector, in Israel and abroad; 3. Surveying existing businesses in 3 towns in Wadi Ara, their byproducts and inputs, and identifying existing circular economy solutions, which can be implemented in other businesses; 4. Identifying additional solutions, and tools for promoting them such as information, economic incentives etc. 5. developing an action plan for promoting circular economy in Arab society in Israel.
The innovation of the study derives from its emphasis on local solutions, waste recycling as close as possible to the place of waste generation. This is an innovative approach that has not yet been implemented in waste treatment policy in Israel.
Public Participation
On May 29th 2024, the Triangle Research Center organized a roundtable discussion of the crisis of commercial and industrial waste in the Wadi Ara towns and the possibilities of developing a circular economy in the region.
The meeting was attended by representatives of local authorities from the Wadi Ara towns um Al-Fahm, Baqa Al-Gharbia and Kafr Qara, a representative of the Ministry of Economy, a number of researchers in the field of circular economy and waste management, as well as the management of the Triangle Research Center.
The meeting focused on the challenges faced by municipalities in the field of commercial and industrial waste, the ways in which municipalities deal with this challenge, and how circular economy tools can contribute to shaping an economic lever for the region and at the same time, mitigating environmental damage resulting from certain industries.
The preliminary results reached by the research team so far were presented: Dr. Liron Amdur presented some practices that have been monitored in some towns of Wadi Ara and can be studied, developed and generalized. Alaa Haj Yahya presented models of the circular economy from Middle East and North Africa countries that have some similarities to Arab society in Israel. Omar Asi presented a map of waste disposal and recycling industries located in Wadi Ara and a model of the geographical distribution of businesses that can participate in circular economy.
The Triangle Research Center in Kafr Qara welcomes cooperation with any party wishing to learn more about this field or develop it in the Arab community in general, to obtain the materials that were presented as well as the summary of the session, you can contact the center.
Achievements
In the first year of study (2024) an in-depth survey of the state of the circular economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries was conducted. Approximately 50 academic publications and dozens of "gray literature" publications, news clippings, and videos on social media were analyzed. It was found that the discourse on circular economy in the Middle East and North Africa is lively, especially in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, as well as in the Gaza Strip, Syria, and Kuwait.
However, major by-products in the business sector of many Arab society towns in Israel, such as oil (machinery or cooking) and butcher shops' waste, received little attention, and other major industries – car repair, metal, and wood – received no academic or news attention at all.
A survey is currently conducted among 200 business owners in three major cities in Wadi Ara. The purpose of the survey is to learn about the by-products of businesses, their inputs, and the possibilities for creating a circular economy at the local level between different businesses. Among other things, the interviewees were asked whether they transfer by-products to other businesses or receive by-products from other businesses. A surprisingly high percentage of businesses reported engaging in a circular economy, especially the delivery of by-products to other businesses.
During the second research year (2025), a model for strengthening the circular economy in Arab communities will be developed and will be examined in several public participation meetings with local business owners.
