Comparative analysis of circular economy implementation in Poland and other european union countries

Abstract

Economic development is the factor determining the volumes of generated waste, the intensity of production, the level of individual consumption as well as consumption patterns. It results in environmental threats, which are addressed through practical application of the circular economy concept. The key goal of the latter is to manufacture and use products in the most efficient way and also to manage the resulting waste in an economically and environmentally appropriate manner. In relation to the above, the purpose of the article is to conduct a multivariate comparative analysis covering the European Union countries in terms of their levels of circular economy implementation, with special attention being paid to Poland. The article discusses the concept of circular economy, its principles and major activities. The EU and national-level documents which describe the basics of circular economy are briefly overviewed. The empirical research was carried out using multivariate comparative analysis based on the indicators describing circular economy implementation in all European Union countries. The final part of the article assesses the level of circular economy implementation in Poland specifically.