An Introduction to Circular Economy

Foreword
Acknowledgement
Contents
Introduction and Overview
1 Background
2 Overview
2.1 The Role of Digital Technologies
2.2 Research and Development and Innovations
2.3 Business Opportunities
2.4 Business Model
2.5 Economic Instruments and Financing Mechanisms
2.6 Assessments and Regulations
2.7 Sustainability and SDGs
2.8 Policy Case Studies
3 Authors Analytics
Key Concepts and Terminology
1 Objectives
2 Overview
3 Story One: The Biological Cycles
4 Story Two: Creating Symbiosis
5 Story Three: Circular Business Transformation
5.1 Model 1. Circular Inputs
5.2 Model 2. Product Use Extension
5.3 Model 3. Product as a Service
5.4 Model 4. Sharing Platform
5.5 Model 5. Resource Recovery
6 The Way Forward
6.1 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
6.2 Standardization
6.3 Public Procurement
6.4 Science-Based Targets
7 Conclusion
8 Key Take-Away
9 Table of Useful Resources
Life Cycle Thinking in a Circular Economy
1 Introduction: Circularity in Nature
2 Shifting the Paradigm from End-of-Pipe Treatment to Cleaner Production
3 Beyond Cleaner Production to Life Cycle Thinking
4 Linear to Circular Economy
5 Life Cycle Assessment
6 Case Study I: Sugarcane Biorefinery
7 Case Study II: Packaging Wastes and Its Circulation
8 Questions
References
The Fabrics of a Circular City
1 Introduction
2 The Dichotomy of Cities as Circular Economy Hotspots
3 A Vision for Circular Cities
4 Actors in the Circular City Fabrics
5 Circular Cities Best Practice
6 Conclusion
References
Industrial Circular Manufacturing
1 Introduction
2 The Hierarchy and Circles of Industry
2.1 The Hierarchy of Industry
2.2 The Circles of Industry
2.3 Product Circle
2.4 Component Circle
2.5 Material Circle
2.6 Chemical Circle
3 Industrial Circular Transformation
3.1 Eco-Design at Product Scale
3.2 Cleaner Production at Enterprise Scale
3.3 Circular Transformation at Industrial Parks’ Scale
3.4 Sustainable Industrial Transition at Regional Scale
4 Industrial Metabolism Methods for Circular Economy
5 Extended producer’s Responsibility
6 Conclusion
References
Industrial Symbiosis for Circular Economy: A Possible Scenario in Norway
1 Introduction
2 Some Examples of IS
2.1 Weak Points of IS
3 A Possible Scenario in Norway
4 Contribution of the IS in the Sustainability of the Waste Management
5 Future Trends
6 Conclusions
References
Agriculture and Food Circularity in Malaysia
1 Introduction
2 Case Studies
2.1 Case Study 1: Food to Food Programme and Groundswell® Continuous Fermentation Process by VRM Biologik® (vrm.com.au)
2.2 Case Study 2: From Food Waste to Farm Produce: Circular Economy by Auto-City, Penang (https://www.autocity.com.my/)
2.3 Case Study 3: Green Hero—Social Enterprise Combatting Food Wastage (www.greenhero.net)
2.4 Case Study 4: Mutiara Food Bank—Saving Food, Feeding Lives (https://www.facebook.com/MutiarafoodBank/)
3 Summary
4 Exercises
References
Material Passports and Circular Economy
1 Introduction
2 Background
3 Material passports
3.1 Materials
3.2 Information
3.3 Stakeholders
4 Goals and Benefits of Material passports
5 Current Applications and Projects
5.1 A Material passport Case Study
6 Barriers and Solutions of a Circular Economy and Material passports
7 Advances to Be Made in Terms of Digital Technologies and Software to Fully Realize ‘Material passport’ in a Circular Economy
8 Conclusion
9 ANNEX: A Case Study
10 Questions and Answers
References
Plastics in Circular Economy: A Sustainable Progression
1 Introduction
2 Circular Economy of Plastics
3 Recycling Rates, Policies and Initiatives for Circularity of Plastics Undertaken in Various Countries
4 Challenges Faced in Embracing Circularity of Plastics
4.1 Finding Value
4.2 Redesigning
4.3 Increasing Availability
4.4 Respecting Manufacturing Processes
4.5 Sorting
4.6 Recycling
4.7 Collaboration
5 Case Studies of Circularity of Plastics
5.1 Plastic Wastes in Construction and Maintenance of Roads
5.2 Circularity of Plastic Bottles and Liners
5.3 Circularity of Plastics Used in Absorbent Hygiene Products
6 Conclusion
References
Circular Economy Enabled by Community Microgrids
1 Introduction
2 Power Grids
3 Distributed Energy Resources
3.1 Solar PV Systems
3.2 Batteries
4 Microgrids
5 Community Microgrids
5.1 Consumer
5.2 Producer
6 Case Studies: Community Microgrids
6.1 SOLshare—Community Microgrids in Bangladesh
6.2 Totally Renewable Yackandandah—Community Microgrids in Australia
7 Summary
References
Renewable Energy and Circular Economy: Application of Life Cycle Costing to Building Integrated Solar Energy Systems in Singapore
1 Renewable Energy and Circular Economy
1.1 Building-Integrated Solar Energy Systems in Singapore
2 Case Study: Applying LCC to Singapore’s BIPV Systems
2.1 LCC Parameters
2.2 Step-by-Step LCC Calculation for BIPV System
2.3 Decision Making Using LCC Analysis
3 Concluding Opinion
References
Circular Economy in a Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus Associate to an SDGs Framework: Understanding Complexities
1 Introduction
2 Water-Energy-Food/Waste Nexus
3 Circular Economy and Water-Energy-Food/Waste Nexus: An Opportunity for Agriculture and Mining.
4 Final Remarks
5 Acknowledgments
References
Recycling of Waste Electric and Electronic Products in China
1 Introduction
2 Development Process of Waste Electric and Electronic Products in China
3 Status of Dismantling and Treatment of WEEE in China
4 Conclusion
References
Transforming e-Waste to Eco Art by Upcycling
1 Introduction
2 Upcycling: The New Wave of Sustainable Fashion
3 Case Study
4 Jewelry Created from e-Waste
5 Conclusion
References
Waste Management Practices: Innovation, Waste to Energy and e-EPR
1 Introduction
2 What Is My Waste?
3 What Are My Technical Options?
4 Case Study of Material Recovery Facility—Saahas Zero Waste, India
5 The Role of the Governments, General Public, Business and CSOs
6 Case Study of Resource Recycling System of Municipal Solid Waste
7 Conclusion
8 Exercises
References
Agricultural and Municipal Waste Management in Thailand
1 Introduction
2 Agricultural Wastes
2.1 Current Situation of Agricultural Waste Management
2.2 The Way Forward
3 Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
3.1 Current Municipal Waste Management
3.2 Government Policy on Waste Management
3.3 Master Plan of Sustainable Waste Management
4 Exercises
References
New Paradigm for R&D and Business Model of Textile Circularity
1 Introduction and the Problem
2 Partnership of HKRITA, H&M Foundation, and Novetex
2.1 About HKRITA
2.2 About H&M Foundation
2.3 About Novetex
3 Solving the Problem
4 Scaling the Research—Disrupting the Disruption
5 Integrating the Solutions and Making an Impact Through an Accelerated and Circular R&D Model
5.1 The Fateful Decision and the Long Hot Summer
6 Technology Innovation Enabling New Business Model for Circular Economy
7 Challenges Ahead
8 Conclusions
Appendix
About the Hydrothermal System
The Billie System
The Garment to Garment Retail Shop
Conventional Recycling Methods
Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy Digitization and Applied Data Analytics
1 Introduction
2 Industry 4.0
3 Technology Suite for Industry 4.0
4 A Circular Industry 4.0
5 Applied Data Analytics for Circular Economy
6 Systems Thinking and Systems Connectivity
7 Case Studies
7.1 Gogoro: Scooters Powered by Shared Batteries
8 Conclusions: Technology, an Aid to the Circular Transition
References
Innovation for Circular Economy
1 Introduction
2 Case Study: Lessons from Apple’s iPod Success
3 Understanding Innovation
4 State of Innovations Designed for Circular Economy
5 Examples of Innovations Designed for the Circular Economy
6 Introduction to Restorative Innovation
7 The Theory of the Latent Conscientious Consumer
8 How Restorative Innovation Works
9 The Principles of Restorative Innovation
10 Case Study: Closing the Loop with TRIA Bio24
11 Conclusion
References
The Business Opportunity of a Circular Economy
1 Introduction
2 The Circular Economy Is Increasingly Recognised as a Value Creation Opportunity and Solutions Framework to Address Global Challenges
3 A Circular Economy for Food in India: Scaling up Regenerative Practices
3.1 Six Circular Economy Opportunities to Reshape the Indian Food System
3.2 Benefits of a Circular Economy for Food in India
4 Circular Economy in the Built Environment in China’s Cities: Designing Out Waste and Increasing Asset Utilisation
4.1 Six Circular Opportunities for the Built Environment in China’s Cities
4.2 Benefits of a Circular Economy Approach to the Built Environment of China’s Cities
5 Circular Opportunity for the Mobility Sector in the EU: Keeping Products and Materials in Use
5.1 Five Circular Economy Opportunities in the EU Mobility Sector
5.2 Benefits of a Circular Economy Approach to the Mobility System in the EU
6 Accelerating the Transition
6.1 Enabling Conditions
6.2 Measuring Progress
7 Conclusion
References
Circular Supply Chain Management
1 Introduction
2 R Principles
3 Circular Supply Chain Models
3.1 Circular Value Creation
3.2 Energy Cycle and Bio-Base Materials
3.3 Post-consumption Collection Schemes
4 Circular Economy Building Blocks and Measures
5 Circular Supply Chain Implementation Strategies
6 Conclusion
References
Circular Economy Business Models and Practices
1 Introduction
1.1 Introduction to a Business Model
1.2 Value Creation Through a Business Model
1.3 Expanded Schools of Thought
1.4 Overview of Circular Business Models
References
Economic Instruments and Financial Mechanisms for the Adoption of a Circular Economy
1 Introduction
2 Environmental Policy Instruments for Circular Economy
2.1 Phasing Out Subsidies
2.2 Circular Economy and Environmental Policy Instruments
2.3 Liability Legislation
3 Maximizing Finance for Circular Economy
4 Conclusions
References
Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Circular Economy
1 Introduction: Circular Economy and GHG Emissions
2 GHG Emissions from Human Activities—Based on IPCC Guidelines
2.1 Energy
2.2 Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU)
2.3 Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU)
2.4 Waste
3 Life Cycle GHG Emissions of the Circular Economy Activities
4 Calculation of GHG Emissions Reduction from Circular Economy Activities
5 Case Study I: Opt Out of Plastic Cutlery—Company A
6 Case Study II: Upcycled Fashion Footwear
References
Life Cycle Costing: Methodology and Applications in a Circular Economy
1 Introduction
2 Life Cycle Costing Methodology
2.1 Definitions
2.2 Types of Cash Flows
2.3 Costs and Revenue in a Circular Economy
2.4 Time Dimension
2.5 Internal and External Costs
2.6 Calculation
3 LCC Case Studies
3.1 Electric Versus Gasoline Motorcycles
3.2 Owning Versus Renting a Pram
4 Relationship Between LCC and LCA
5 LCA Case Studies
5.1 Electric Versus Gasoline Motorcycles
5.2 Owning Versus Renting a Pram
6 Conclusion
7 Take-Home Messages
References
Towards Sustainable Business Strategies for a Circular Economy: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Performance and Evaluation
1 Circularity Assessment and the ESG Context
2 Understanding ESG
2.1 ESG Over the Years
3 Circular Economy Enhances ESG Performance
4 ESG Performance and Evaluation
4.1 ESG Scoring Procedure
5 Case Studies
5.1 Case Study 1: The Coca-Cola Company’s ESG Performance
5.2 Case Study 2: Intel Corporation’s ESG Performance
5.3 Case Study 3: Apple’s ESG Performance
6 Current Outlook
References
Circular Economy Practices in India
1 Introduction
2 About Circular Economy
3 International Scenario
4 Understanding the 6Rs of Circular Economy
5 Business Models in Circular Economy
6 Role of Digital Technologies
7 Strategies and Challenges to Adopt Circular Economy
8 Case Studies from India
9 Need to Move to Regional Circular Economy
10 Summing up
References
Circular Economy in Taiwan-Transition Roadmap and the Food, Textile, and Construction Industries
1 Introduction
1.1 A Densely Populated Nation with Insufficient Resources
1.2 From Trash Nation to Waste Management Genius
2 Policy Development of the Circular Economy
2.1 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): From Waste Management to Resource Management
2.2 Ministry of Economic Affairs: Circular Economy Promotion Plan
3 Circular Economy Transition Roadmap for Enterprises
3.1 Taiwan Is Uniquely Positioned
4 What Is a Circular Economy?
4.1 Product as a Service
4.2 High-Value Utilization of Resources
4.3 Systems Partnership
5 How to Put the Circular Economy into Practice? Cases of the Biological Cycle
5.1 Examples of a Biological Cycle in Taiwan
6 How to Put the Circular Economy into Practice? Cases of the Technical Cycle
6.1 Examples of a Technical Cycle in the Textile Industry in Taiwan
7 Case study: Circular Construction
8 Conclusion
Appendix
References
Youth Leadership in a Circular Economy: Education Enabled by STEAM Platform
1 Suggested Improvements in GEN352:
2 Conclusions
3 Future Outlook
4 Questions
5 Answers
References
Future Outlook