Present Potentials and Limitations of a Circular Economy with Respect to Primary Raw Material Demand

Fellner, Johann; Lederer, Jakob; Scharff, Christoph; Laner, David

doi:10.1111/jiec.12582

Cited by 81 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…This contribution serves as a case study for the limitations of the CE and points out that certain elements do not lend themselves to circularity. These targeted contributions echo the concerns of Fellner and colleagues () and Cullen (), all together highlighting the potential limitations for significant material circularity.…”

Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitysupporting

confidence: 56%

“…Much of the discussion of the CE is couched in terms of material flows. In their commentary, Fellner and colleagues () take a complementary perspective, one that is increasingly studied in IE—quantification of stocks of materials. They look at a theoretical economy where all waste is turned into secondary materials and show that, because a significant share of commodities is still used to build up our infrastructure and thus accumulates in societies´ material stock, the overall potential for reducing primary raw material consumption and accompanying impacts is limited.…”

Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even more important, cycling resources only makes sense when environmental impacts from energy use are integrated into the assessment of value. The discussions put forward by Fellner and colleagues () and Cullen () both point to the continued need for primary materials (i.e., extracted from mines, forests, and agricultural land). There is a need therefore to consider the circularity of a conventional mine—a concept that may seem in direct contradiction to the premise of a CE.…”

Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy

Bocken

Olivetti

Cullen

et al. 2017

J of Industrial Ecology

284

161

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Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitysupporting

confidence: 56%

Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Taking Steps Toward Materials Circularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy

Bocken

Olivetti

Cullen

et al. 2017

J of Industrial Ecology

284

161

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…However, at a European scale, steady‐state polymer markets are far from reality. Fellner and colleagues () estimated that—theoretically—only around half of the European plastic demand can be covered by recycling of plastic waste generated in Europe (assuming no plastic losses in the recycling system). As illustrated by figure a, considerable losses are related to current recycling of plastic from HHW, and thus most likely significantly less than half of the demand can be covered by recycled plastic.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality Assessment and Circularity Potential of Recovery Systems for Household Plastic Waste

Eriksen

Damgaard

Boldrin

et al. 2018

J of Industrial Ecology

154

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Summary Plastic recycling is promoted in the transition toward a circular economy and a closed plastic loop, typically using mass‐based recycling targets. Plastic from household waste (HHW) is contaminated and heterogeneous, and recycled plastic from HHW often has a limited application range, due to reduced quality. To correctly assess the ability to close plastic loops via recycling, both plastic quantities and qualities need to be evaluated. This study defines a circularity potential representing the ability of a recovery system to close material loops assuming steady‐state market conditions. Based on an average plastic waste composition including impurities, 84 recovery scenarios representing a wide range of sorting schemes, source‐separation efficiencies, and material recovery facility (MRF) configurations and performances were assessed. The qualities of the recovered fractions were assessed based on contamination and the circularity potential calculated for each scenario in a European context. Across all scenarios, 17% to 100% of the generated plastic mass could be recovered, with higher source‐separation and MRF efficiencies leading to higher recovery. Including quality, however, at best 55% of the generated plastic was suitable for recycling due to contamination. Source‐separation, a high number of target fractions, and efficient MRF recovery were found to be critical. The circularity potential illustrated that less than 42% of the plastic loop can be closed with current technology and raw material demands. Hence, Europe is still far from able to close the plastic loop. When transitioning toward a circular economy, the focus should be on limiting impurities and losses through product design, technology improvement, and more targeted plastic waste management.

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“…Overall, it is hoped the CE generates more flows and stocks of consumer products and fewer emissions and wastes without increasing natural resource extraction. Because of economic considerations, the second law of thermodynamics, and still ongoing buildup of material stocks even in highly developed economies (Fellner et al 2017), however, waste and pollution cannot be fully recycled or mitigated.…”

Section: A Conceptual Framework Of the Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Efforts for a Circular Economy in China: A Comprehensive Review of Policies

Zhu

Fan

Shi

et al. 2018

J of Industrial Ecology

164

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Summary Circular economy concepts, practices, and policies are increasingly drawing attention as important means for the pursuit of sustainable development. This article uses a conceptual framework to catalogue and investigate policy efforts for the circular economy in China. Based on the framework, policy prototypes and specific examples are identified: resource‐oriented, production‐oriented, waste, and use‐oriented and life cycle policies. A comprehensive review of 280 related policies shows that China has a long history of resource‐oriented policies and implemented production‐oriented policies very quickly after the year 2000. China's policies toward the circular economy became more comprehensive through time, with a broad engagement of government agencies, an extensive and progressive coverage of recycling opportunities, production initiatives across multiple scales, and use of different policy instruments. The continuous progress has been driven by proactive state actors and their learning from the international society. The current policy framework, however, is concerned more with the means rather than the ends of the circular economy, and relies too much on direct subsidies and other financial incentives. Policy making can be improved by more explicit consideration of the whole production life cycle and use of market‐based policy design.

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Present Potentials and Limitations of a Circular Economy with Respect to Primary Raw Material Demand

Cited by 81 publications

References 3 publications

Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy

Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy

Quality Assessment and Circularity Potential of Recovery Systems for Household Plastic Waste

Efforts for a Circular Economy in China: A Comprehensive Review of Policies

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