Circular economy and 2030 agenda, an essential need for the health sector, a proposal for action

Abstract

Introduction: The circular economy aims to generate economic prosperity, protect the environment and prevent pollution, an element aligned with the sustainable development goals. In this scenario, health services play an essential role, including among their functions the promotion of health, disease prevention, and rehabilitation.
Objective: To assess the essential contribution of the circular economy and the 2030 agenda to the health sector, and to make a proposal for action.
Methods: A two-stage technological development research was carried out. In the first stage, a systematic literature review was carried out based on the guidelines of the PRISMA declaration and the InOrdinatio method, which were used as support to describe the main results. Only research and review articles published from 2019 to 2024 were used, without language restrictions, in the specialized databases SCOPUS, SciELO, and Sciencedirect. Based on the review, the second stage was deployed, in which a proposal for action was made on how to implement the circular economy in the health sector, which has generalities, prioritization, action plan and indicators for monitoring with the main activities to be executed, the technical and technological requirements, the expected financial and social impacts, as well as the key actors that facilitate the implementation of the opportunity and its indicators.
Results: In the business world, the circular economy is considered a competitive and sustainable development strategy. Without a doubt, in recent times, phenomena have emerged in the health sector that reaffirm the need for a circular model that promotes new forms of business and jobs, at all levels of the same.
Conclusions: The circular economy is an essential tool in the achievement of an eco-efficient, rational, and sustainable economy in the health sector in particular.
DeCS: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; PUBLIC HEALTH; ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.