scholarly journals Measuring circularity: an application of modified Material Circularity Indicator to agricultural systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Rocchi ◽  
L. Paolotti ◽  
C. Cortina ◽  
F. F. Fagioli ◽  
A. Boggia

AbstractThe transition from a linear to a circular economy is a research trend topic, as well as the possibility to measure the degree of circularity of products and systems. In a linear economy, raw materials are taken from nature and transformed into final products, which are subsequently used and become waste. On the contrary, a circular economy is an economic model that is restorative by intent and design. To measure the degree of circularity is fundamental for understanding processes and improving them. Moreover, this kind of measure could be useful for driving policies on the topic and achieving a higher level of sustainability. Until now, only few studies have been focusing on how to effectively measure the circularity level of a product, a supply chain, or a service. Moreover, in the circular economy paradigm, there are two types of cycles: the technical and biological ones. Biological cycles are mainly connected to the agricultural sector, and for this kind of cycle, the lack of measurement is even bigger. However, some agricultural productions, such as intensive meat production processes, have basically a linear structure. Intensive broiler production, for instance, uses a quite high rate of inputs, which is not entirely converted into edible products but instead results in a percentage of wasteful outputs. The aim of this work is to propose a modification of one of the few available tools for measuring the circularity, the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI), for adapting it to biological cycles. The modified MCI was applied to the poultry sector, integrating the results with the Life Cycle Assessment methodology.

2013 ◽  
Vol 649 ◽  
pp. 236-241
Author(s):  
Karel Struhala ◽  
Zuzana Stránská ◽  
Libor Matějka

This paper deals with the environmental assessment of production of structural elements made of secondary raw materials developed by the Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, with use of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology. Structural elements made of this material can be used in the building constructions as thermal insulating elements resisting high mechanical loads which could be used for minimizing the thermal bridges in structural details of buildings, such as the substructure below doors and windows, thermal insulation of the base of the wall, etc. This paper presents the identified environmental impacts of the prototype production of this structural element.


Author(s):  
Julia Nikolaevna Romantseva ◽  
Elena Viktorovna Khudyakova ◽  
Vasilij Vladimirovich Butyrin ◽  
Dinara Farhatovna Galyautdinova

The aim of the research is to study the dynamics of the size, structure and features of the formation of incomes of agricultural producers during the implementation of state programs for the development of agriculture. Based on the analysis of the main periods of income generation, from 2006, it was concluded that economic sanctions contributed to the strengthening of the industry’s position and the stable growth of gross value added for economic activity “Agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing and fish farming”. As a result of studying the formation of gross value added, a significant decrease in the efficiency of material costs in the agricultural sector was noted due to the persisting price disparity. The analysis of the composition and structure of gross value added made it possible to identify positive trends in wages and confirm the process of enlarging production in the agricultural sector. A study of the main commodity producers — agricultural organizations and peasant (farmer) households — showed that with a greater level of state support for the large-scale sector, the profitability of farmers is higher. In general, the development of the industry has a high rate, which gives rise to favorable forecasts for the achievement of key indicators of the State Program for the Development of Agriculture and the regulation of markets for agricultural products, raw materials and food.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V. Ratner

Subject. The article considers the concept of circular economy, which has originated relatively recently in the academic literature, and is now increasingly recognized in many countries at the national level. In the European Union, the transition to circular economy is viewed as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of the European Union, protect businesses from resource shortages and fluctuating prices for raw materials and supplies, and a way to increase employment and innovation. Objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the incentives developed by the European Commission for moving to circular economy, and to assess their effectiveness on the basis of statistical analysis. Methods. I employ general scientific methods of research. Results. The analysis of the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy enabled to conclude that the results of the recent research in circular economy barriers, eco-innovation, technology and infrastructure were successfully integrated into the framework of this document. Understanding the root causes holding back the circular economy development and the balanced combination of economic and administrative incentives strengthened the Action Plan, and it contributed to the circular economy development in the EU. Conclusions. The measures to stimulate the development of the circular economy proposed in the European Action Plan can be viewed as a prototype for designing similar strategies in other countries, including Russia. Meanwhile, a more detailed analysis of barriers to the circular economy at the level of individual countries and regions is needed.


Agrotek ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunto Wibowo

<em>The agricultural sector</em><em> is a strategic sector in Manokwari regency. The agricultural sector provides a major contribution in the regional economy, an economic base of rural people, dominate the life of most residents in this region and provider of food and raw materials for other sectors. The purpose of this study was to determine how big the contribution of different sub-sectors that exist in the agricultural sector, which analyzes sectors influential in changing the economic structure of agriculture in the area and know the potential commodities that can be developed in an effort to enhance the role of the agricultural sector. The research method used through literature study and analysis of secondary data sourced from the relevant authorities. To find out how big the factors that influence changes in economic structures of domination of the agricultural sector into non-agricultural sector estimates used Ordinary Least Square (OLS). For the determination of the potential commodities that can be seeded used method approach Location Quotient (LQ). The results showed the greatest contribution of the different sub-sectors within the agricultural sector contained in the food crops sub-sector. Based on the rate of growth per year, plantation crops sub-sector occupied the highest positions. The sectors that provide real impact on the agricultural sector's contribution to the regional gross domestic product �of the building sector and services sector. Potential commodities that can be developed in different areas in Manokwari regency include food crops and pulses, vegetables and fruits and livestock including cows, goats, pigs and chicken.</em>


Author(s):  
Olena Lyakhovska

Current trends in meat and meat products exports are considered. The dynamics and structural changes in meat exports by types and degree of processing (beef and veal, pork, poultry, finished meat products) are analyzed. The paper proves that in recent years, only meat and edible poultry by-products have taken a competitive position in the world market. Accordingly, the dynamics of exports of this type of meat is positive, and the share of these products in the structure of exported meat is the largest (86.09%). Possible threats to the growth of import dependence on certain types of meat products, in particular, chilled and frozen beef and veal, pork, are indicated. The rating of the largest countries-importers of meat and meat products (by types) from Ukraine is built, their share in the structure of meat exports is determined. Changes in the geographical structure of exports have been studied, which indicate a low level of diversification of the geography of exports of certain types of meat (pork, beef). At the same time, a positive development of the geographical structure of poultry meat exports (exported to more than 100 countries) was revealed. Problems of the export potential development in the meat industry of Ukraine are revealed. In particular, the problems of livestock development (outdated technologies and production techniques that reduce the efficiency and productivity; inefficiency of the organization of purchase and processing of meat, which leads to reduced breeding in small businesses and households; inefficiency of state incentives, etc.) and industrial meat production (lack of raw materials, obsolescence of fixed assets and production technologies, poorly developed logistics, etc.). The solution of these problems requires: a systematic approach, which will encourage the cooperation of agricultural and industrial production, cooperation with importers of meat products and protection of domestic producers in the domestic and international markets, creating a favorable investment and information environment that will promote the meat industry development.


This article presents the results of studying the impact of housing and feeding conditions on broiler chickens of Hubbard RedBro cross, as well as the quality of products obtained when using floor and cage content, in a farm. It established that when receiving a mixed feed of own production using feed raw materials grown on a farm without the use of pesticides, a statistically significant decrease in potentially dangerous substances for animal health is recorded. Compared with factory feed, it has reduced the content of pesticides by 14 times, and mercury and arsenic by 24 times, cadmium by five times, and lead by ten times. The results of the study of economic indicators of growing Hubbard RedBro cross broiler chickens, as well as the chemical composition and quality of carcasses, indicated that there was no significant difference between the floor and cell conditions of keeping. Still, the use of a diet based on eco-feeds contributed to a statistically significant decrease in the concentration of toxic metals in the muscles of the poultry of the experimental groups. As a result, it found that the use of the studied compound feed in the diets of broiler chickens increased the indicators of Biosafety and ensured the production of environmentally safe ("organic") poultry meat products.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1899
Author(s):  
Fabiana Gatto ◽  
Ilaria Re

Reducing the environmental pressure along the products life cycle, increasing efficiency in the consumption of resources and use of renewable raw materials, and shifting the economic system toward a circular and a climate-neutral model represent the heart of the current macro-trends of the European Union (EU) policy agendas. The circular economy and bioeconomy concepts introduced in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the Bioeconomy Strategy support innovation in rethinking economic systems focusing on market uptaking of greener solutions based on less-intensive resource consumption. In recent decades, industrial research has devoted enormous investments to demonstrate sustainable circular bio-based business models capable of overcoming the “Valley of Death” through alternative strategic orientations of “technological-push” and “market-pull”. The study highlights industrial research’s evolution on bio-based circular business model validation, trends, and topics with particular attention to the empowering capacity of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to close the loops in renewable biological use and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The research methodology involves a bibliographic search based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Data Hub investigation to understand SMEs’ key success factors and start-ups of the circular bioeconomy sector. Eco and bio-based materials, nutraceuticals, and microalgae represent the most sustainable industry applications, leading to circular bioeconomy business models’ future perspective.


Author(s):  
Paola Sangiorgio ◽  
Alessandra Verardi ◽  
Salvatore Dimatteo ◽  
Anna Spagnoletta ◽  
Stefania Moliterni ◽  
...  

AbstractThe increase in the world population leads to rising demand and consumption of plastic raw materials; only a small percentage of plastics is recovered and recycled, increasing the quantity of waste released into the environment and losing its economic value. The plastics represent a great opportunity in the circular perspective of their reuse and recycling. Research is moving, on the one hand, to implement sustainable systems for plastic waste management and on the other to find new non-fossil-based plastics such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In this review, we focus our attention on Tenebrio molitor (TM) as a valuable solution for plastic biodegradation and biological recovery of new biopolymers (e.g. PHA) from plastic-producing microorganisms, exploiting its highly diversified gut microbiota. TM’s use for plastic pollution management is controversial. However, TM microbiota is recognised as a source of plastic-degrading microorganisms. TM-based plastic degradation is improved by co-feeding with food loss and waste as a dietary energy source, thus valorising these low-value substrates in a circular economy perspective. TM as a bioreactor is a valid alternative to traditional PHA recovery systems with the advantage of obtaining, in addition to highly pure PHA, protein biomass and rearing waste from which to produce fertilisers, chitin/chitosan, biochar and biodiesel. Finally, we describe the critical aspects of these TM-based approaches, mainly related to TM mass production, eventual food safety problems, possible release of microplastics and lack of dedicated legislation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4394
Author(s):  
Margarita Ignatyeva ◽  
Vera Yurak ◽  
Alexey Dushin ◽  
Vladimir Strovsky ◽  
Sergey Zavyalov ◽  
...  

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”.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4312
Author(s):  
Marzena Smol

Circular economy (CE) is an economic model, in which raw materials remain in circulation as long as possible and the generation of waste is minimized. In the fertilizer sector, waste rich in nutrients should be directed to agriculture purposes. This paper presents an analysis of recommended directions for the use of nutrient-rich waste in fertilizer sector and an evaluation of possible interest in this kind of fertilizer by a selected group of end-users (nurseries). The scope of research includes the state-of-the-art analysis on circular aspects and recommended directions in the CE implementation in the fertilizer sector (with focus on sewage-based waste), and survey analysis on the potential interest of nurseries in the use of waste-based fertilizers in Poland. There are more and more recommendations for the use of waste for agriculture purposes at European and national levels. The waste-based products have to meet certain requirements in order to put such products on the marker. Nurserymen are interested in contributing to the process of transformation towards the CE model in Poland; however, they are not fully convinced due to a lack of experience in the use of waste-based products and a lack of social acceptance and health risk in this regard. Further actions to build the social acceptance of waste-based fertilizers, and the education of end-users themselves in their application is required.


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