Ecosystem analysis: “Towards a Circular Life Sciences Sector in Basel”
In 2025, Go Circular in Life Science (GCiLS) published a comprehensive ecosystem analysis on circular economy opportunities in the life sciences sector in the Basel region. The study was commissioned by BaselCircular and carried out in close collaboration with stakeholders from industry, academia, and healthcare, as well as other key ecosystem actors.
The main goal of the analysis was to move beyond high-level sustainability ambitions and identify concrete and implementable circular-economy solutions across the life sciences value chain.
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Life Sciences value chain
To ensure a comprehensive perspective, the ecosystem analysis examined the entire life sciences value chain — from research and development to manufacturing, logistics, healthcare application, and end-of-life — through the lens of circular-economy principles.
The analysis explicitly applied the 10R strategies of circular economy, enabling a differentiated view that goes beyond recycling and includes prevention, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and the development of new circular business models.
Life Sciences value chain
To ensure a comprehensive perspective, the ecosystem analysis examined the entire life sciences value chain — from research and development to manufacturing, logistics, healthcare application, and end-of-life — through the lens of circular-economy principles.
The analysis explicitly applied the 10R strategies of circular economy, enabling a differentiated view that goes beyond recycling and includes prevention, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and the development of new circular business models.
Interplay of stakeholders along the life sciences value chain
Fields of action and project ideas
Based on desk research, expert interviews and stakeholder workshops, the ecosystem analysis identified a broad landscape of circular-economy opportunities across the life sciences value chain:
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Over 30 fields of action
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More than 100 concrete project ideas addressing circular-economy challenges
These fields of action were subsequently clustered to provide a structured overview of relevant circular-economy opportunities in the life sciences sector.
You can find the full list of project ideas corresponding to the identified fields of action in the study.
Action plan
Based on a structured prioritization process conducted together with industry and other key stakeholders, selected fields of action were shortlisted and translated into the GCiLS action plan, which guides the association’s activities and project development.
