Grassroots circularity in Bologna: rethinking circular economy pathways for socio-ecological transition

Abstract

The circular economy (CE) has emerged as a prominent framework for addressing environmental challenges while promoting collective well-being. By aiming to “close the loop” of product life cycles through reuse and recycling, the CE encourages entrepreneurial and economic activities oriented toward ecological transition and sustainable urban development. However, CE implementation remains predominantly technology-centric and industry-driven, privileging innovation and system optimization - approaches increasingly seen as insufficient to support transformative socio-ecological change. Consequently, CE policies often remain confined to waste management, overlooking preventive strategies and the potential of social innovation. This study investigates the contribution of grassroots initiatives to circular transitions in the metropolitan city of Bologna (Italy) and examines whether gaps in the supporting ecosystem and infrastructure hinder their implementation. The analysis focuses on the participatory project R-innovare l’Economia Circolare, developed within the NRRP ECOSISTER program and involving 17 organizations engaged in reuse, repair, sharing, and regeneration practices. Using participatory methodologies - including contextual mapping and facilitated co-design workshops - the study identifies actors, circular practices, and business models, as well as implementation barriers emerging at the organizational, community and institutional levels. Rather than focusing on technological optimization or recycling, findings reveal a heterogeneous set of circular practices centered on waste prevention, community engagement, and social equity, which diverge from mainstream CE models. These practices point to emerging forms of collaboration and service-based approaches that generate socio-environmental value by integrating ecological care with community well-being. At the same time, identified challenges include limited access to spaces and resources, insufficient incentives for non-technological innovation and widespread reuse practices, and a fragmented governance landscape marked by conflicting policy domains. Drawing on the Bologna case, the study shows how grassroots actors reinterpret circularity and broaden the transformative potential of the CE beyond recycling and the economic sphere, reframing it as a process rooted in care, solidarity, and territorial well-being. The analysis also highlights gaps within policy and research infrastructures that must be addressed to advance a more just and place-based socio-ecological transition.