Reframing Circular Economy Targets: A Strategic Approach to Advancing beyond Recovery and Recycling

The traditional focus on circular economy (CE) goals has primarily emphasized recovery and recycling. However, such techniques, while prevalent, only partially address the systemic adjustments needed for a truly circular shift. This study critically reframes the function of CE targets by taking a broader and more strategic approach that goes beyond the traditional focus on end-of-life waste management. This study, which is based on ten circular methods (recover, recycle, repurpose, remanufacture, refurbish, repair, reuse, reduce, rethink, and discard), evaluates both existing and newly proposed CE targets in a methodical manner. The findings show that an overreliance on recovery and recycling may harm rather than support circular objectives because of their limited ability to maintain resource value and close production cycles. The study calls for the incorporation of upstream and design-oriented solutions such as reuse, repair, and rethink, which are more effective in promoting resource efficiency and economic value preservation. By proposing an expanded and strategic set of CE targets, this paper offers fresh insights to scholars and decision-makers aiming to steer governance and policy frameworks toward a more impactful and holistic circular economy transition.