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Green solutions drive the economy but more can be done

Thursday, September 29, 2016
Environment
All Committees

Brussels, 29 September 2016 – The American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU) supports businesses adopting higher resource efficiency measures in response to the rapid economic and demographic growth which has strained the world’s limited resources. These green solutions drive the economy and maximise the use and value of raw materials, the actual products and associated waste. Companies know these measures make both environmental and business sense and have made great progress in adopting such schemes, but more can be achieved.

AmCham EU counts among its membership many companies who support the transition to a circular economy, which aims to make the most of resources at each stage of a product’s life. It launched yesterday a publication entitled The Circular Economy: 10 innovative business solutions and how to go further. The publication explores green solutions—ranging from recycling and reuse measures, to developing more sustainable materials—in a variety of sectors including IT, aviation, oil refining, packaging, healthcare, construction equipment and tyres, and how to ensure further progress.

Event keynote speaker, Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, European Commission, said ‘Developing business schemes favorable to the circular economy will help address the global challenges we are currently facing and will enable the EU economy to be competitive and resilient’.

AmCham EU looks forward to working with the EU institutions to explore how to further green solutions. ‘In a world of diminishing natural resources, we need to find innovative solutions because the “take, make and dispose” linear economy approach results in huge amounts of wasted resources. Close collaboration between business and government will be key to ensuring that functioning business models are not hampered by new regulation and that the EU supports sustainable business solutions’, said Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU.