Building a Circular Future

Join us for an interactive day centered on community-driven circular economy solutions in the Duwamish Valley and across the region:

About this Event

Seattle is emerging as a global leader in circular innovation—supporting entrepreneurs, scaling zero-waste solutions, and activating communities through education, investment, and development. Join us as we explore the powerful potential of the circular economy as the next great Industrial Revolution, and discover how this transformative approach is reshaping industries, communities, and the future of our planet.

Are you curious about the circular economy and its potential to address today’s environmental and economic challenges? Join us for a full day of learning, collaboration, brainstorming, and visioneering at the Circular Economy Symposium, where we’ll explore how circular systems can power a regenerative, equitable, and climate-resilient future—starting in the Duwamish Valley, and across the region.

Join representatives from King County Re+, Seattle Public Utilities, and community leaders as they delve into regional circular economy initiatives, examining both the challenges and the progress being made in addressing our increasingly complex waste systems. This session will explore the next steps for King County and the City of Seattle in rethinking and redesigning our material world—shifting from a linear model of consumption and disposal to regenerative, circular solutions.

Discover how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies aim to shift the burden of waste management upstream—holding manufacturers accountable for the full lifecycle of their products. Learn about the growing movement for Right to Repair, which empowers consumers and extends product lifespans through access to tools, parts, and knowledge. And explore how Industrial Symbiosis—the strategic reuse of waste materials across industries—has the potential to transform recycling infrastructure and provide critical feedstock to reshore supply chains and strengthen local economies.

This conversation will highlight innovative policies, pilot programs, and cross-sector collaborations driving the region toward a more resilient and regenerative future.

To learn more about the Circular Economy and How Society Can Re-think Progress please watch the following video from leaders in the Circular Economy at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation:

'Re-Thinking Progress' explores how through a change in perspective we can re-design the way our economy works - designing products that can be 'made to be made again' and powering the system with renewable energy. It questions whether with creativity and innovation we can build a restorative economy.
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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a UK charity working on business, learning, insights & analysis, and communications to accelerate the transition towards a global circular economy.

Find out more about their work here: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

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Breakout Topics, Workshops & Guiding Questions:

1. Policy, Funding & Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

• What are the most impactful policies for advancing a circular economy?
• How can we enforce accountability for producers and incentivize sustainable practices?
• What local/state policies and funding mechanisms (government, philanthropic, private sector) should be prioritized to scale circular initiatives?

2. Recycling, Upcycling & Circular Materials

• What are the biggest gaps and bottlenecks in our recycling and material recovery infrastructure?
• How can businesses, consumers, and policymakers improve recycling, upcycling, and glass recovery systems?
• What viable alternatives exist for hard-to-recycle materials, and how can we scale their adoption?
• How can we upgrade our current recycling infrastructure to embrace Industrial Symbiosis?

3. Circular Built Environment

• How do we promote more circular infrastructure in the built environment?
• How can we invest in and scale more regenerative materials avaiable for commercial use in new buildings?
• What role does modular and adaptive reuse play for deconstruction?
• What policies and incentives could help scale circular construction?
• In what ways can integrating renewable energy installations and local food systems into community centers enhance resilience to climate and economic shocks?

4. Reuse & Repair Ecosystem

• How can we scale community-led reuse and repair programs?
• What policies or incentives could support repair initiatives?
• How can businesses integrate reuse into their models?

5. Textiles & Fashion

• What are the key issues in textile waste and fast fashion?
• How can local consumers and business shift toward a more sustainable textile system?
• What are emerging models for circular fashion?
• How can local makers in the textile industry drive the need for reshoring of supply-chains?

6. Food Systems & Organic Waste

• How can we strengthen local food systems, including urban agriculture, to support a more circular and resilient food economy?
• What strategies can reduce food waste at the consumer, business, and municipal levels, and how can composting infrastructure be improved?
• How can food recovery and redistribution programs be expanded to address both food insecurity and waste reduction?

7. Industrial Symbiosis & Reshoring Supply Chains

• How can industry transition to circular models?
• What financial incentives or partnerships could help?
• What challenges exist in shifting from linear to circular supply chains?
• How can reshoring supply chains that embrace Industrial Symbiosis strengthen regional resilience in the face of rapidly changing environmental and economic conditions?

8. Regeneration & Rewilding

• How can the strategic retreat of industrial sites and the cleanup of toxic soils lay the groundwork for long-term climate resilience in the Duwamish Valley?
• How can regenerative design principles guide future land use—restoring ecosystems while supporting healthy, climate-adapted communities?
• What green infrastructure solutions can transform former industrial zones into buffers against sea-level rise, king tides, and extreme weather events?
• How can rewilding efforts in Georgetown and South Park reduce the urban heat island effect and improve public health outcomes?
• What creative funding mechanisms can help build the financial ecosystem needed to support both affordable housing and workforce training as part of regenerating and rewilding former industrial landscapes?

9. WILD CARD: Bioregional Finance

• In a regenerative economy, investment decisions are grounded in place, ecology, and community. Rather than relying on extractive growth models—like the linear economy, which prioritizes short-term gains—circular finance seeks to nourish the living systems we depend on: land, labor, and legacy. By aligning capital with local resilience and long-term ecological health, bioregional finance redefines wealth as something shared, sustained, and rooted in the wellbeing of people and planet.

Mapping the Duwamish Valley Ecosystem

Join us for a hands-on, community-powered session to map the circular economy in the Duwamish Valley! Together, we’ll identify local needs, surface existing assets, uncover barriers, and co-create a regenerative vision for the future. Help build a living map that connects people, places, and possibilities for a more just, resilient, and circular region.

A key outcome of this symposium and mapping will be the development of the Circular Economy Learning Zone—a collaborative exhibit at the Second Annual Georgetown Steam Plant Science Fair, September 20–21, 2025. As a group exhibit, we’ll work together to highlight regional initiatives and amplify the voices of the Duwamish River community.

If you have any questions about this years Science Fair or how to particiapte, please email: c2NpZW5jZWZhaXIgfCBnZW9yZ2V0b3duc3RlYW1wbGFudCAhIG9yZw==

Project Submission Deadline: August 15, 2025

Agenda


🕑: 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
Check-in: Meet & Greet

Info: Attendee check-in, meet and greet.

Coffee, tea and light refreshments provided.

🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Keynote: Overview of the Circular Economy in Our Region

Info: Representatives from King County Re+, Seattle Public Utilities, and Community Organizations

🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:00 PM
Panel Discussion: Circular Economy in Action

Info: This session will feature leaders from local circular economy initiatives who are putting theory into practice across sectors such as reuse, repair, food systems, construction, and community wealth building. Each panelist will begin by giving a brief presentation on their organization’s work, highlighting how they are implementing circular strategies to address environmental challenges, generate local economic opportunity, and promote social equity. Following the presentations, panelists will take part in a moderated discussion exploring the opportunities and barriers they’ve encountered, the partnerships that have enabled their progress, and the policy and investment shifts needed to support broader systems change. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how circular models are taking root in the region and discover actionable strategies for scaling impact through collaboration and community engagement.

🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Lunch Break — Food Truck: Yummy Gyro's

Info: Yummy Gyro's Greek Food Truck will be onsite for lunch service. As this is a zero-waste event, our sponsors Reuse Seattle will be coordinating with Yummy Gyro's, providing them with reusable service-ware. Yummy!! And, more time to network and ideate ideas.

🕑: 02:30 PM - 02:45 PM
Workshop Introduction & Instructions

Info: Overview of workshop objectives, structure, and expectations.

Introduction from each table

Explanation of table roles and discussion format.

🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:00 PM
Overview of Workshops / Table Discussion

🕑: 03:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Workshops: Scaling Up Circular Systems

Info: This interactive workshop is designed to accelerate circular economy initiatives across the Duwamish Valley and Seattle. Participants will engage in two rounds of ideation at themed tables focused on eight key topics: Recycling & Circular Materials; Reuse & Repair; Food Systems & Organic Waste; Textiles; Circular Built Environment; Industrial Symbiosis; Policy & Funding; and Regeneration. The session will explore how circular strategies can address community needs like environmental justice, job creation, and pollution reduction. Participants will identify existing assets, barriers to scaling, and future goals aligned with a regenerative, community-centered vision.

🕑: 02:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Mapping the Duwamish Valley Ecosystem

Info: This self-directed, interactive project invites participants to co-create a living map of circular economy activity in the Duwamish Valley Industrial District.


Participants are encouraged to contribute place-based insights—documenting local businesses, community groups, infrastructure, and initiatives—using categories aligned with the workshop breakout sessions. Through collaborative dialogue and place-based systems thinking, we’ll work together to identify:


—Community needs circular strategies can help address, such as environmental justice, local job creation, waste reduction, and healthier neighborhoods.

—Existing assets and opportunities like reuse networks, makerspaces, food systems, and repair economies

—Barriers to scale including policy gaps, funding challenges, and infrastructure limitations

—Future goals aligned with a regenerative, bioregional vision centered on rewilding, climate change adaptation and mitigation, equity, sustainability, and resilience.

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