What does it take to move circular economy from concept to commercial reality?

In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, host Michael Hanf sits down with Kalle Saarimaa, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at NG Nordic, to explore how circularity is being scaled across industrial and municipal systems. With decades of experience across the Nordic waste, recycling, and circular solutions space, including senior roles at Fortum and Ekokem, Kalle offers one of the most grounded, strategic perspectives on how to operationalize circularity at scale.

As COO of one of the largest waste and recycling companies in the Nordic region, Kalle oversees NG Nordic’s Industrial Waste Services Division, Group Procurement, Innovation, and Operational Excellence. He is also a board member at several recycling and technology companies and an active voice in shaping Europe’s circular policy and business landscape.

🎧 What we cover in this episode:

🔹 How Kalle’s thinking on circular economy has evolved over time

🔹 Why recycling alone won’t solve the circularity challenge

🔹 The five-stage framework for bringing innovation to scale

🔹 The barriers to, and opportunities in urban reuse and circular construction

🔹 NG Nordic’s role as an enabler across value chains and sectors

🔹 How regulation can either accelerate or stall circular business models

🔹 The critical role of depollution and chemical safety in circular systems

🔹 The future of secondary materials and why we must price in environmental externalities

🔹 Geopolitical risks, resource scarcity, and the case for resilient circular supply chains

🔹 What gives Kalle optimism and what keeps him up at night

This episode dives deep into the operational, technological, and systemic realities of circularity. From scaling innovation and managing hazardous materials to enabling policy and cross-sector collaboration, Kalle presents a compelling case for infrastructure-level transformation.

Circularity is not just about technology or recycling, it’s about rethinking systems, shifting regulation, and rebuilding trust in the material loops that sustain modern life. And companies like NG Nordic are at the heart of that shift.

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