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Roadmap for a Circular Chile by 2040

Roadmap for a Circular Chile by 2040: Sets a national transition pathway through 2040

Maílis Carrilho
Written by Maílis Carrilho
Published Oct 19, 2026

Summary

Chile’s Roadmap for a Circular Chile by 2040 is the national policy instrument guiding the country’s transition toward a regenerative and resource-efficient circular economy. Development began in 2019, and the Roadmap was published in 2021 following extensive participation from government, businesses, academia, and civil society. It promotes waste prevention, reuse, recycling, efficient use of natural resources, circular innovation, green employment and more sustainable production and consumption. The Roadmap itself does not create direct company-level legal obligations or penalties. Binding requirements arise through separate measures such as Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law and other environmental regulations.

Details

Jurisdictions
  • Chile
Voluntary for

The Roadmap relies substantially on:

Public-private cooperation.
Government programs.
Innovation.
Investment.
Municipal action.
Private-sector circularity initiatives.

Deep dive

3 min read
Updated Oct 20, 2026

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What’s Required

The Roadmap itself is not a standalone regulatory obligation.

Instead, it establishes strategic priorities that can be implemented through legislation, public programs, investment, municipal initiatives, and private-sector action.

1. Reduce material consumption

Chile seeks to improve resource efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts associated with material extraction and consumption.

2. Reduce waste generation

Waste prevention is a core principle.

Companies and consumers are encouraged to move away from disposable and linear consumption models.

3. Increase reuse

The strategy supports:

  1. Repair.

  2. Reuse.

  3. Sharing.

  4. Product-life extension.

  5. Circular business models.

4. Increase recycling and recovery

Chile aims to improve:

  1. Collection.

  2. Sorting.

  3. Recycling infrastructure.

  4. Secondary materials.

  5. Material recovery.

5. Strengthen circular production

Businesses are encouraged to incorporate circularity into:

  • Product design.

  • Manufacturing.

  • Procurement.

  • Logistics.

  • End-of-life management.

6. Support circular innovation

The Roadmap seeks to create conditions for:

  1. New circular businesses.

  2. Technology.

  3. Sustainable materials.

  4. Industrial symbiosis.

  5. Resource-efficient production.

7. Create green employment

Chile’s 2040 vision links circularity with employment and economic development.

8. Develop circular cities and municipalities

The Roadmap has also been complemented by guidance designed to help municipalities develop local circular economy strategies.

9. Coordinate with EPR policy

Chile’s circular economy transition interacts with the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law, although the REP Law is a separate legally binding policy.

This distinction is important for NZC classification.

Important Deadlines

  1. 2019: Development process for the Roadmap began.

  2. 2021: Roadmap published.

  3. 2022: Participatory work began on municipal circular economy guidance.

  4. March 2023: Municipal transition guidance published.

  5. 2030: Intermediate policy milestones are embedded throughout the roadmap.

  6. 2040: Long-term national circular economy vision.

Current Status

Active national policy framework.

The Roadmap remains Chile’s central strategic instrument for the transition toward a circular economy.

It operates alongside binding measures such as:

  • Extended Producer Responsibility legislation.

  • Waste-management rules.

  • Packaging requirements.

  • Sector-specific environmental regulations.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

None directly under the Roadmap.

Penalties can arise only where roadmap objectives are implemented through enforceable legislation.

For example, companies subject to Chile’s EPR system face separate legal requirements and sanctions.

Examples of Known Violations / Failure Modes

Formal Roadmap violations do not apply.

Implementation failure modes include:

  1. Insufficient waste prevention.

  2. Low reuse rates.

  3. Recycling capacity gaps.

  4. Weak secondary-material markets.

  5. Insufficient investment.

  6. Poor municipal coordination.

  7. Lack of product redesign.

  8. Limited circular procurement.

  9. Failure to scale pilot projects.

  10. Weak integration between circular economy policy and business strategy.

Resources

Maílis Carrilho
Added by:
Maílis Carrilho
Sustainability Research Analyst
Maílis Carrilho is a Sustainability Research Analyst (Intern) at Net Zero Compare, contributing research and analysis on climate tech, carbon policies, and sustainable solutions. She supports the team in developing fact-based content and insights to help companies and readers navigate the evolving sustainability landscape.
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Added on Oct 19, 2026 by Maílis Carrilho · Updated on Oct 20, 2026
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