Circularity in Selected EU Countries: The Case of Construction and Demolition Industry

Abstract The construction and demolition industry (CDI) became a priority area for the EU circular economy as the industry has the largest waste stream by volume. Most of the CDI waste, however, ends up in incinerators for energy production or as downcycled content for road surfaces despite its enormous potential for recycling and reuse. This study focuses on the application of circularity in the CDI. We recognize that the construction industry provides a prominent decision context for studying circularity since many scrap materials resulting from demolished buildings and houses could be recycled, reused and refurbished in newly constructed edifices from foundation to rooftops. Adopting the fundamental circularity concepts, the study intends to compare how selected countries as early adopters of circularity in the EU apply distinct concepts of the circular economy in the CDI. The study investigates the manner circularity in CDI is achieved in the selected countries using determinants for project success in integrating the three dimensions of sustainability to identify and determine best practices. These determinants are: 1) stage of circularity as described in the waste hierarchy and circularity ladder, 2) building design principles, 3) life cycle stages specific to construction, and 4) availability and extent of policy or strategy on circularity in the EU countries where the selected projects are located. The EU countries covered are: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Denmark who are among the top 10 waste generators in Western Europe. The projects chosen are: (i) Superlocal project in the Netherlands; (ii) the Circular Retrofit Lab (CRL) project in Belgium; (iii) Open Air Library in Germany; (iv) Rehafutur Engineer’s House project in France; and (v) Upcycle Studios in Denmark.

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How Far Away Are World Economies from Circularity: Assessing the Capacity of Circular Economy Policy Packages in the Operation of Raw Materials and Industrial Wastes

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084394 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4394

Author(s):

Margarita Ignatyeva ◽

Vera Yurak ◽

Alexey Dushin ◽

Vladimir Strovsky ◽

Sergey Zavyalov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Waste Management ◽

South Korea ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Industrial Wastes ◽

New Guidelines ◽

The 1960S ◽

Degree Level ◽

The Eu

Nowadays, circular economy (CE) is on the agenda, however, this concept of closed supply chains originated in the 1960s. The current growing quantity of studies in this area accounts for different discourses except the holistic one, which mixes both approaches—contextual and operating (contextual approach utilizes the thorough examination of the CE theory, stricture of the policy, etc.; the operating one uses any kind of statistical data)—to assess the capacity of circular economy regulatory policy packages (CERPP) in operating raw materials and industrial wastes. This article demonstrates new guidelines for assessing the degree level of capacity (DLC) of CERPPs in the operation of raw materials and industrial wastes by utilizing the apparatus of the fuzzy set theory. It scrupulously surveys current CERPPs in three regions: the EU overall, Finland and Russia; and assesses for eight regions—the EU overall, Finland, Russia, China, Greece, France, the Netherlands and South Korea—the DLC of CERPPs in operating raw materials and industrial wastes. The results show that EU is the best in CE policy and its CERPP is 3R. The following are South Korea and China with the same type of CERPP. Finland, France and the Netherlands have worse results than EU with the type of CERPP called “integrated waste management” because of the absence of a waste hierarchy (reduce, recover, recycle). Russia closes the list with the type of CERPP “basic waste management”.

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Waste from the agricultural sector in the European Union countries in the context of the bioeconomy development

Agronomy Science ◽

10.24326/as.2019.4.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 74 (4) ◽

pp. 47-59

Author(s):

AGNIESZKA KOMOR ◽

BARBARA BUJANOWICZ-HARAŚ

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Spatial Diversity ◽

Research Area ◽

Animal Waste ◽

The European Union ◽

High Position ◽

Eu Countries ◽

High Degree ◽

The Eu

The aim of the study was to identify and assess the spatial diversity of generating of animal and vegetal waste by entities from the agricultural sector in the EU countries along with the determination of the importance of this type of waste in total waste generated in individual countries. Statistical data used in the study were obtained from EUROSTAT. The research period was 2016, while the research area covered 25 EU countries. The data was subjected to quantitative analysis using descriptive and parametric statistics. It was found that animal and vegetal waste has the largest share in the structure of waste from the agricultural sector (accounting for 81.6% of all waste in the agricultural sector in the EU in 2016). It has been shown that generating of vegetal and animal waste in agricultural sector in the EU countries is characterized by spatial diversity. Most of this waste type was generated in Spain and the Netherlands. The dominant position of Spain resulted from significant share of this country in the EU volume of animal faeces, urine and manure generation. High position of the Netherlands was associated with a large share of vegetal waste. France, Germany, Slovakia and Sweden ranked next. Nearly 80% of all analyzed groups of waste came from these countries, which indicates a high degree of spatial concentration of the studied phenomenon. In this context, it can be stated that these countries are predestined to base their development on the concept of the bioeconomy. It is a challenge for the research and development sphere regarding development of innovative ways of managing agricultural vegetal and animal waste.

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Eco-innovations for a circular economy: the EU countries rankings

SHS Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/shsconf/202111401012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 114 ◽

pp. 01012

Author(s):

Konstantin G. Gomonov

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Circular Economy ◽

The European Union ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Catching Up ◽

The Eu

This article reveals the importance of implementing eco-innovation for the circular economy and sustainable development. The author provides different approaches to measuring the level of development of eco-innovation in the countries of the European Union. The two main indices for measuring eco-innovation are revealed in more detail. Described the pillars of each of the indices. Clustering of EU countries was carried out using the k-means method and groups of countries were identified by the level of implementation of eco-innovation. The clear leaders are Denmark, Sweden. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland are catching-up countries.

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Vennootschappelijke medezeggenschap in de EU en Nederland

Tijdschrift voor Arbeidsvraagstukken ◽

10.5117/2016.032.002.008 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Robbert van het Kaar

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Employee Participation ◽

Special Focus ◽

Works Councils ◽

Eu Countries ◽

The Core ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Core Issue ◽

Board Level ◽

The Eu

Employee participation at board level in the EU and the Netherlands The core issue of this article is employee participation at board level, as distinguished from information and consultation through union representatives and works councils. The author gives an overview of recent developments at EU-level and several EU-countries, with a special focus on the Netherlands. The analysis takes account of changes in both legislation and practice.

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The Importance of Higher Education in the EU Countries in Achieving the Objectives of the Circular Economy in the Energy Sector

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13174407 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 4407

Author(s):

Tomasz Rokicki ◽

Aleksandra Perkowska ◽

Bogdan Klepacki ◽

Hubert Szczepaniuk ◽

Edyta Karolina Szczepaniuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

European Union ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Energy Sector ◽

The European Union ◽

High Concentration ◽

Eu Countries ◽

The Lorenz Curve ◽

Research Period ◽

The Eu

The main purpose of the article was to identify and present the current situation and changes in higher education in the field of electricity and energy studies in the European Union countries. The specific objectives include determining the degree of concentration of education in the fields of electricity and energy in the EU countries, showing the directions of their changes, types of dominant education in this field, establishing the correlation between education in the fields of electricity and energy and the parameters assessing the achievement of circular economy assumptions in the energy sector. All Member States of the European Union were deliberately selected for research. The research period covered the years 2013–2018. The source of the materials is a literature review on the subject and Eurostat data. For the analysis and presentation of materials, methods such as descriptive, tabular, graphical, dynamics indicators with a constant basis, Gini concentration coefficient, concentration analysis using the Lorenz curve, coefficient of variation, Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient were used. A high concentration of education in the fields of electricity and energy was found in several EU countries, the largest in countries with the highest energy consumption, i.e., in France and Poland. Changes in the level of concentration practically did not take place, only in the case of master’s studies, there was an increase in concentration. However, the EU countries did not differ significantly in terms of the structure of the number of students studying electricity and energy.

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Statistical Evaluation of the Level of Development of Circular Economy in European Union Member Countries

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13236401 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 6401

Author(s):

Barbara Fura ◽

Małgorzata Stec ◽

Teresa Miś

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Member States ◽

Low Level ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Eu Member States ◽

Production And Consumption ◽

High Level ◽

Level Medium ◽

The Eu

In this paper, we have analysed the level of advancement in circular economy (CE) in the EU-28 countries. First, we used a synthetic measure to examine CE advancement in EU countries in each of the Eurostat CE distinguished areas, i.e., production and consumption, waste management, secondary raw materials, and competitiveness and innovation. For the empirical analysis, we applied 17 Eurostat indicators to the CE areas. To find the synthetic measure in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016, we used multidimensional comparative analysis, i.e., a zero unitarisation method. Second, based on the synthetic measures of the CE areas, we created a general synthetic measure of the CE advancement of the EU-28 countries as well as the countries’ rankings. Third, we classified the countries into groups according to their level of advancement in CE, i.e., high level, medium–high level, medium–low level and low level groups. Finally, we applied a similarity measure to evaluate the correlation between obtained rankings in two most extreme moments in the period of analysis (2010, 2016). Our analysis covers all EU member states, as well as “old” and “new” EU countries separately. Our results confirm that highly developed Benelux countries, i.e., Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium, have the highest CE advancement level. Malta, Cyprus, Estonia and Greece are the least advanced in CE practice. Apart from that, on average, there is some progress in CE implementation, significant disproportions between the EU countries were observed, especially among the “new” member states.

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Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131911072 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 11072

Author(s):

Gilbert Silvius ◽

Aydan Ismayilova ◽

Vicente Sales-Vivó ◽

Micol Costi

Keyword(s):

Economic System ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Q Methodology ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Furniture Industry ◽

Potential Solution ◽

Potential Barriers ◽

Eu Countries ◽

The Difference ◽

The Eu

A circular economy is seen as a potential solution to the overburdening of Earth’s resources in our global economic system. However, implementation of circularity is still in its early stages, which is attributed to a variety of barriers that companies experience. Studies on these barriers identified a substantial number of potential barriers, however, these studies did not explore the variety of perceptions of these barriers by different companies. This study therefore explores the variety of barriers to the transition to circularity, as perceived by European furniture companies. Using Q-methodology, and with participation of 30 furniture companies from five EU countries, the study revealed four patterns of the perception of barriers. These four patterns of perception are distinct from each other, with high composite reliabilities and weak correlations between the patterns. Our analysis showed that especially the perception of market and resources categories of barriers make the difference between the identified patterns. The study demonstrated that barriers to circularity are not experienced in a single generalizable way, and provided valuable insight for the development of supporting or stimulation policies for circularity.

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Transition to a Sustainable Circular Plastics Economy in The Netherlands: Discourse and Policy Analysis

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su14010190 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 190

Author(s):

Martin Calisto Friant ◽

Dirkjan Lakerveld ◽

Walter J. V. Vermeulen ◽

Roberta Salomone

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Policy Analysis ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Q Methodology ◽

Action Plan ◽

Media Analysis ◽

Ecological Implication ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Governance Processes ◽

The Eu

The circular economy (CE) has become a key sustainability discourse in the last decade. The Netherlands seeks to become fully circular by 2050 and the EU has set ambitious circularity targets in its CE Action Plan of 2015. The plastics sector, in particular, has gained a lot of attention as it is a priority area of both the EU and Dutch CE policies. However, there has been little research on the different and often contested discourses, governance processes and policy mechanisms guiding the transition to a circular economy and society. This paper aims to fill these gaps by asking what circular discourses and policies are being promoted in the Netherlands and what sustainability implications and recommendations can be drawn from it. It does so through a mix of media analysis, policy analysis, semi-structured interviews, and surveys using Q-methodology. Results indicate a dominance of technocentric imaginaries, and a general lack of discussion on holistic, and transformative visions, which integrate the full social, political, and ecological implication of a circular future. To address those challenges, this research brings key policy insights and recommendations which can help both academics and practitioners better understand and implement the transition towards a sustainable circular plastics economy.

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Konwergencja typu sigma cen gruntów rolnych w państwach Unii Europejskiej

Zeszyty Naukowe SGGW w Warszawie - Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego ◽

10.22630/prs.2019.19.1.12 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19(34) (1) ◽

pp. 133-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anna Twardowska

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

The European Union ◽

Land Prices ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Price Differentiation ◽

Sigma Convergence ◽

Agricultural Land Prices ◽

The Eu

The article raises the issue of dependence between agricultural land prices in the European Union countries. The aim of the article is to provide an answer to the following question: if the level of agricultural land price differentiation in the European Union is diminishing. The analysis covered prices of agricultural land in selected the EU countries in the period 2006 - 2016. The study was based on the occurrence of convergence in three dimensions: throughout the European Union, between the so-called old EU and between the so-called new EU countries. As a result of the conducted analyses, the phenomenon of sigma-convergence of agricultural land prices across the EU was confirmed. It was also found that in the so-called new EU countries and in so-called old EU countries there is no sigma convergence of agricultural land prices.

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Economic and Environmental Aspects of Agriculture in the EU Countries

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14227826 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (22) ◽

pp. 7826

Author(s):

Joanna Domagała

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽

Environmental Aspects ◽

Member States ◽

Dea Model ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Emission Efficiency ◽

European Environmental Agency ◽

The Eu

The analysis of the economic efficiency of agriculture has been the subject of numerous studies. An economically efficient agricultural sector is not always environmentally efficient. Agriculture is a large emitter of greenhouse gases. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that food production and agriculture are responsible for 21–37% of total global CO2 emissions. Due to the comprehensive assessment of the agricultural efficiency, it is worthwhile to apply to its measurement an integrated approach based on economic, energy and environmental aspects. These aspects were the main reasons for undertaking this research. The purpose of the study was to determine the economic, energy and environmental efficiency of agriculture in the EU Member States in 2019. The environmental analyses relate to the period 1990–2019. A total of 26 member states of the European Union (excluding Malta and Luxembourg) were selected for research. The sources of materials were Eurostat and the European Environmental Agency. This study was based on the Data Envelopment Analysis method, and used the DEA model focused on minimizing inputs. The research also adopts energy productivity and greenhouse gas emission efficiency indicators. The DEA model features the following variables: one effect (value of agricultural production) and four inputs (land, labour, use of fertilizers and use of energy). It was found that seven out of the 26 studied EU countries have efficient agriculture. The efficient agriculture group included the Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Italy and Ireland. Based on the DEA method, benchmarks have been defined for countries with inefficient agriculture. On the basis of these benchmarks for inefficient agricultural sectors, it was possible to determine how they could improve efficiency to achieve the same results with fewer inputs. This issue is particularly important in the context of sustainable agricultural development. In the next stage of the research, the analysis of economic and energy efficiency was combined with the analysis of GHG emission efficiency in agriculture. Four groups of countries have been distinguished: eco-efficiency leaders, eco-efficiency followers, environmental slackers, eco-efficiency laggards. The leaders of the classification were the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal.

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