scholarly journals A New Mindset for Circular Economy Strategies: Case Studies of Circularity in the Use of Water

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9781
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Viles ◽  
Javier Santos ◽  
Tamara Fernández Arévalo ◽  
Martín Tanco ◽  
Florencia Kalemkerian
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Production Processes ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Holistic Vision

In a circular economy (CE) environment, it is important to make good and efficient use of resources and consider that the waste generated in production processes can be a valuable resource. However, the tools and methodologies conventionally used to analyze and evaluate production systems are based on techniques focused on linear production management models, where the primary purpose is to reduce the treatment and management of waste as much as possible and where productive and environmental efficiency are not evaluated simultaneously. Changing the paradigm from a linear to a circular economy requires that a new strategy for production systems be defined, one that makes production processes simultaneously circular and efficient (in terms of quality and productivity). In this context, a holistic vision is needed when implementing CE strategies. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to provide evidence, through two real case studies in the use of water, that the management of this resource without considering systemic thinking may not be the most circular solution. Main results showed that improvements based on the traditional approach of reducing resource use cannot provide the best results if they are supported only by current process consumption without considering the circularity of resources.

scholarly journals Circular Economy Practices among Industrial EMAS-Registered SMEs in Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9011
Author(s):  
Alexandra Barón ◽  
Rudi de Castro ◽  
Gerusa Giménez
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
European Union ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Environmental Management System ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Production Processes ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Internal Production

The Eurobarometer report from December 2019 revealed that 80% of European Union (EU) citizens believe that industry is doing too little to protect the environment and that more work needs to be done to help companies transition to a more sustainable economic model. In recent years, the EU has made the Circular Economy (CE) a priority, and an environmental management system based on the EMAS Regulation can help companies achieve this goal by assisting them in analysing and measuring an efficient and sustainable use of resources. Thus, this study analyses EMAS companies’ environmental statements in order to identify and quantify the CE practices they have implemented. Findings identify 23 circular practices and show that the majority of companies focus their efforts on reducing emissions by optimizing the materials cycle and improving internal production processes. Eco-design stands out as the main driver amongst the circular transformation practices. This study has also detected a lack of uniformity in the way companies quantify the various circular practices currently operating, or how they communicate this information. These results may be useful to companies, professionals and administrations responsible for promoting the CE, and it can also provide guidance on what information to include in future environmental statements.

Policies for Promoting the Circular Economy in India

2021 ◽  
pp. 68-82
Author(s):  
Namita Kapoor ◽  
Sangeeta Jauhari ◽  
Deepti Maheshwari
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Economic Instruments ◽  
Indian Economy ◽  
Use Of Resources

The demand for resources is increasing in India because of growth, changing lifestyles, and aspirations of people for improving lifestyles, but the major challenge for the economy is to provide these economically without hampering the ecology and society negatively. The negation of externalities resulting from the use of resources is the major challenge for the policymakers along with providing balanced developmental avenues to the society. The framework to achieve efficiency in resource use can be appropriately designed through innovative ways and policies. The Indian economy over the last few years has clearly moved to controlled regulation from command through the practice of economic instruments for regulations. The policy adopted by India to achieve circularity includes the financial support and guidance for research and development, formulation of standards like ECOMARKS, public procurements, and certification and self-regulation, which are discussed in the chapter.

The superiority of circular economy solutions in the main sectors of an innovative and prospering economy – a case study from Iceland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Finger ◽  
Halldór G. Svavarsson ◽  
Bryndís Björnsdóttir ◽  
Guðrún A. Sævarsdóttir ◽  
Lea Lea Böhme
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Economic Output ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Industrial Sectors

<p>Circular economy solutions reuse and upcycle waste streams in order to minimize the use of resources and mitigate the creation of waste and emissions. Accordingly, circular economy solutions are an essential tool to tackle the imminent challenges of depleting resources and the emerging environmental crisis. In this presentation, we explore the circular solutions for resource recovery in waste streams in a country with one of the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Human Development Index (HDI) in Europe, Iceland. The economy of Iceland is mainly based on renewable energy, fishery, farming, metallurgy, and tourism. To assess the benefits of circular economy solutions we examine four relevant case studies from the following industrial sectors in Iceland: i) a geothermal energy plant, ii) fisheries, iii) domestic waste processing and iv) aluminium production. By describing the processes, the opportunities and the market potential of the circular economy solutions in the four case studies we identify the superiority of circular recovery of resources in a modern society. The results reveal that the recovery of resources reduces the environmental impacts, increases the economic output and enhances the resilience of the local economy. While our results are based on the examples in Iceland the described processes of resource recovery can be applied in any other country with similar resources. We conclude that the presented circular solutions could lead to a more sustainable world while preserving vital resources for the next generations.</p>

scholarly journals Towards a Sustainable Circular Economy – Remarks on plastics and wood-waste sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 149-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Will
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Market Economy ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Wood Waste ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Capitalist Economy ◽  
Waste Sector

Aim: As the traditional approach towards entering a path of sustainabe development based on a „efficiency, consistency, sufficiency aproach“ is questionable, This article discusses opportunities and challenges for the circular economy to become a „last chance“ fort he current capitaist system to become more sustainable.Design / Research methods: Two case studies of material (waste) streams of plastics and wood-waste are presented in order to identify challenges in the development and functioning of the circular economy. Conclusions / findings: While the circular economy can deal with threats to sustainability embraced in an efficiency and sufficiency approach, it refers to a technology-driven consistency approach, not questioning the consumption and production patterns in the capitalist economy, and the functioning of the market economy as such.

scholarly journals Opportunities for Industry 4.0 to Support Remanufacturing

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Yang ◽  
Aravind M. R. ◽  
Jacek Kaminski ◽  
Helene Pepin
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Increase Efficiency

Remanufacturing is the process of bringing end-of-life products back to good-as-new. It plays a critical role in decoupling economic growth from growth in resource use, and in accelerating the circular economy. However, the uptake of remanufacturing activities faces obstacles. This paper reviews the challenges encountered by the remanufacturing sector and discusses how the Industry 4.0 revolution could help to effectively address these issues and unlock the potential of remanufacturing. Two case studies are included in this paper to exemplify how technology enablers from Industry 4.0 can increase efficiency, reliability, and digitization of the remanufacturing process.

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RESOURCE USE BY MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
S. S. BUDARIN ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Quality Of Medical Care ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Performance Audit ◽  
Available Resources

The article reveals methodological approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of the use of resources of medi-cal organizations in order to improve the availability and quality of medical care based on the application of the methodology of performance audit; a methodological approach to the use of individual elements of the efficiency audit methodology for evaluating the performance of medical organizations and the effectiveness of the use of available resources is proposed.

Emerging Industrial Revolution: Symbiosis of Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy: The Role of Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seeram Ramakrishna ◽  
Alfred Ngowi ◽  
Henk De Jager ◽  
Bankole O. Awuzie
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
New Jobs

Growing consumerism and population worldwide raises concerns about society’s sustainability aspirations. This has led to calls for concerted efforts to shift from the linear economy to a circular economy (CE), which are gaining momentum globally. CE approaches lead to a zero-waste scenario of economic growth and sustainable development. These approaches are based on semi-scientific and empirical concepts with technologies enabling 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and 6Rs (reuse, recycle, redesign, remanufacture, reduce, recover). Studies estimate that the transition to a CE would save the world in excess of a trillion dollars annually while creating new jobs, business opportunities and economic growth. The emerging industrial revolution will enhance the symbiotic pursuit of new technologies and CE to transform extant production systems and business models for sustainability. This article examines the trends, availability and readiness of fourth industrial revolution (4IR or industry 4.0) technologies (for example, Internet of Things [IoT], artificial intelligence [AI] and nanotechnology) to support and promote CE transitions within the higher education institutional context. Furthermore, it elucidates the role of universities as living laboratories for experimenting the utility of industry 4.0 technologies in driving the shift towards CE futures. The article concludes that universities should play a pivotal role in engendering CE transitions.

scholarly journals A Modelling Framework for the Conceptual Design of Low-Emission Eco-Industrial Parks in the Circular Economy: A Case for Algae-Centered Business Consortia

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Aldric S. Tumilar ◽  
Dia Milani ◽  
Zachary Cohn ◽  
Nick Florin ◽  
Ali Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Industrial Symbiosis ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Low Emission ◽  
Energy Exchanges

This article describes a unique industrial symbiosis employing an algae cultivation unit (ACU) at the core of a novel eco-industrial park (EIP) integrating fossil-fuel fired power generation, carbon capture, biofuel production, aquaculture, and wastewater treatment. A new modelling framework capable of designing and evaluating materials and energy exchanges within an industrial eco-system is introduced. In this scalable model, an algorithm was developed to balance the material and energy exchanges and determine the optimal inputs and outputs based on the industrial symbiosis objectives and participating industries. Optimizing the functionality of the ACU not only achieved a substantial emission reduction, but also boosted aquaculture, biofuel, and other chemical productions. In a power-boosting scenario (PBS), by matching a 660 MW fossil fuel-fired power plant with an equivalent solar field in the presence of ACU, fish-producing aquaculture and biofuel industries, the net CO2 emissions were cut by 60% with the added benefit of producing 39 m3 biodiesel, 6.7 m3 bioethanol, 0.14 m3 methanol, and 19.55 tons of fish products annually. Significantly, this article shows the potential of this new flexible modelling framework for integrated materials and energy flow analysis. This integration is an important pathway for evaluating energy technology transitions towards future low-emission production systems, as required for a circular economy.

scholarly journals Introducing a Degrowth Approach to the Circular Economy Policies of Food Production, and Food Loss and Waste Management: Towards a Circular Bioeconomy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hoehn ◽  
Jara Laso ◽  
María Margallo ◽  
Israel Ruiz-Salmón ◽  
Francisco José Amo-Setién ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Food Production ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Food Loss ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
New Policies

There is a growing debate surrounding the contradiction between an unremitting increase in the use of resources and the search for environmental sustainability. Therefore, the concept of sustainable degrowth is emerging aiming to introduce in our societies new social values and new policies, capable of satisfying human requirements whilst reducing environmental impacts and consumption of resources. In this framework, circular economy strategies for food production and food loss and waste management systems, following the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, are being developed based on a search for circularity, but without setting limits to the continual increase in environmental impacts and resource use. This work presents a methodology for determining the percentage of degrowth needed in any food supply chain, by analyzing four scenarios in a life cycle assessment approach over time between 2020 and 2040. Results for the Spanish case study suggested a degrowth need of 26.8% in 2015 and 58.9% in 2040 in order to achieve compliance with the Paris Agreement targets, highlighting the reduction of meat and fish and seafood consumption as the most useful path.

scholarly journals Sustainability: Recovery and Reuse of Brewing-Derived By-Products

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2355
Author(s):  
Tiziana Amoriello ◽  
Roberto Ciccoritti
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Inclusive Growth ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
By Products ◽  
Recovery And Reuse

The great global challenge in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth over the coming decades is the promotion of the efficient use of resources, favoring a transition to a cleaner and circular economy [...]

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