5.8 Circular Economy and solid waste management

Summary

Dr. Ljiljana Rodic discusses the circular economy, contrasting it with the traditional linear model of 'take, make, use, discard.' She explains the importance of distinguishing between biological and technical materials for recycling and reuse. The circular economy aims to mimic nature's cycles, promoting sustainable practices through material recovery and innovation across various disciplines. Dr. Rodic emphasizes the role of solid waste management in completing the cycle and the need for new business models and consumer behavior to achieve a fully circular economy.

Takeaways

• 🌿 **Circular Economy Definition**: Circular economy is a model that aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, mimicking natural ecosystems where waste is minimized and materials are continuously recycled.
• 📚 **Educational Pioneer**: Dr. Ljiljana Rodic has been a pioneer in introducing university education on circular economy in the Netherlands.
• 🌍 **Global Legislation**: The concept of circular economy is recognized globally, with legislation like China's Circular Economy Promotion Law adopted in 2008.
• 🏭 **Linear vs. Circular**: Traditional economies follow a linear 'take-make-dispose' model, which is unsustainable due to finite resources and environmental impact.
• 🌱 **Biological Materials**: These are designed for safe return to the natural cycle, like food, soap, or clothes, and are part of the consumption products category.
• 🔩 **Technical Materials**: Used for service products like electronics and cars, these are kept in the industrial cycle to be reused in new products.
• ♻️ **Cascading Use**: Biological materials like wood and textiles can be used in a cascade of applications where quality degrades but can ultimately be returned to nature.
• 🔄 **Upcycling**: Recycling can improve material quality in each cycle, as seen in PET bottle recycling where harmful substances are removed.
• 🔄 **Closing Cycles**: It's efficient to close material cycles along with energy and water cycles to save resources and recover nutrients.
• 🛠️ **Innovation Needed**: A fully circular economy requires innovation in material sciences, design, and business models, focusing on ease of repair, refurbishment, and disassembly.
• 🏢 **Business Models**: New business models are crucial, emphasizing service provision over product ownership, which can change consumer relationships with products.
• 🌐 **Supply Chain Trust**: Trust is key in supply chains for sharing proprietary information about materials and parts to facilitate circular processes.
• 🏛️ **Government Role**: Governments play a significant role by providing supportive policies, legislation, and incentives to foster circular economy practices.
• 🔍 **Design Importance**: Design is pivotal in the circular economy as decisions about materials and assembly methods are made, affecting the product's end-of-life.
• 🗑️ **Waste Management Role**: Solid waste management is crucial for completing the cycle, ensuring materials return to production after use.

Q & A

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is a system that aims to minimize waste and make the most of resources by designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.

How does the circular economy differ from the traditional linear economy?

The traditional linear economy follows a 'take, make, use, discard' pattern, whereas the circular economy envisions a system where materials are recovered and reprocessed after the 'make' and 'use' stages into a new cycle of production and use.

What are the two types of materials defined in the circular economy?

In the circular economy, materials are defined as either biological materials or technical materials. Biological materials are used for consumable products like soap or food, while technical materials are used for service products like computers or cars.

What is the role of biological materials in the circular economy?

Biological materials are designed to be safe for human health and the environment, and they can safely return to the natural biological cycle. They can also be used in defined cascades where the quality deteriorates from one application to the next.

How are technical materials managed in the circular economy?

Technical materials are kept within the industrial technical cycle where they are used to make new products repeatedly. They are often non-renewable and hazardous, so their management is crucial to prevent harm to human health and the environment.

What is cascading use and how does it relate to biological materials?

Cascading use refers to the sequential use of a material for different purposes, with the quality deteriorating from one application to the next. Biological materials like wood and textiles are good examples of materials that lend themselves to cascading use.

How can recycling be upcycling in the context of the circular economy?

Upcycling in recycling means that the quality of materials improves in each cycle. An example given is the recycling of PET bottles where antimony is removed, resulting in a higher quality material than the original.

What is the significance of closing material cycles in conjunction with energy and water cycles?

Closing material cycles along with energy and water cycles can save significant amounts of energy, allow recovery of nutrients, and ensure that materials are used efficiently and sustainably.

What role does innovation play in achieving a fully circular economy?

Innovation across various disciplines is crucial for a fully circular economy. This includes material sciences for well-defined materials, design considerations for ease of repair and disassembly, and the development of new business models focused on service provision rather than product sales.

How does the design phase impact the circular economy?

The design phase is critical in the circular economy as it is when decisions about materials, assembly methods, and usage are made. These decisions determine how easily a product can be repaired, refurbished, disassembled, or remanufactured.

What is the role of solid waste management in the circular economy?

Solid waste management plays a prominent role in the circular economy by ensuring that materials after usage are returned to the next production cycle, completing the cycle and supporting the circular model.

Outlines

00:00

🔁 Introduction to Circular Economy

Dr. Ljiljana Rodic introduces the concept of the circular economy and its connection to solid waste management. She explains that the term has gained prominence in recent years, with legislation such as China's Circular Economy Promotion Law and reports from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The traditional linear economy, characterized by 'take, make, use, discard,' is unsustainable due to finite resources and environmental impacts. In contrast, circular economy mimics nature's circular use of resources, aiming to recover and reprocess materials after use. Materials are categorized as biological, suitable for consumption and safe return to nature, or technical, intended for continuous industrial use. The lecture also touches on the potential for materials to be upcycled, improving in quality through recycling, and the importance of closing material cycles alongside energy and water cycles.

05:06

🌿 Advancing Circular Economy Practices

This section delves into the practical aspects of implementing a circular economy, emphasizing the need for innovation across various fields. It highlights the importance of material sciences in defining materials that can be easily recovered and reused. The design phase is crucial, as it determines the material choices, assembly methods, and end-of-life options like repairability and disassembly. New business models that focus on selling services rather than products are discussed, challenging traditional notions of ownership. The role of citizens is also highlighted, as they are responsible for ensuring materials are returned to the production cycle. Governments have a part to play by providing supportive policies and incentives. The summary concludes by reiterating the significance of solid waste management in completing the circular economy cycle and encourages engagement from all stakeholders, including consumers, to contribute to its success.

Keywords

💡Circular Economy

Circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources. It is characterized by regenerative feedback loops that mimic natural ecosystems. In the video, it is presented as an alternative to the traditional linear economy, where resources are used in a 'take, make, use, discard' pattern. The circular economy seeks to redefine growth, aiming to restore and regenerate natural systems rather than deplete them.

💡Solid Waste Management

Solid waste management refers to the collection, transport, processing, recycling, and disposal of waste materials. In the context of the video, it is crucial for the circular economy as it ensures that materials are recovered and reintegrated into the production cycle, completing the loop and preventing waste from ending up in landfills or the environment.

💡Biological Materials

Biological materials are those that are derived from living organisms and can safely return to the natural environment without causing harm. In the video, examples such as soap, shampoo, clothes, and shoes are mentioned. These materials are designed to be safe for human health and the environment and can be part of a natural cycle, such as composting.

💡Technical Materials

Technical materials are non-renewable and often hazardous materials used in the production of long-lasting goods like computers, telephones, washing machines, and cars. The video emphasizes that these materials should be kept within an industrial technical cycle, being reused and repurposed to minimize their environmental impact.

💡Cascading Use

Cascading use refers to the process of using a material in a series of applications where its quality may deteriorate but it can still be fully returned to the biological cycle without harm. The video gives wood and textiles as examples, where the material can be used in multiple ways before being safely reintegrated into the environment.

💡Upcycling

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. The video contrasts this with downcycling, where materials lose quality over cycles. An example given is the recycling of PET bottles where antimony is removed, improving the material's quality.

💡Downcycling

Downcycling is the process of converting materials into new products of lesser quality or value than the original. This is typically the case with traditional recycling methods. The video mentions that upcycling can be an alternative, where the quality of materials improves with each cycle.

💡Remanufacturing

Remanufacturing involves disassembling used products into parts and materials, which are then used to create new products. The video provides an example of complete disassembly, highlighting the importance of design in making products easy to repair, refurbish, and remanufacture.

💡Innovation

Innovation in the context of the circular economy refers to the development of new methods, materials, and business models that support the circular use of resources. The video stresses the need for innovation across various disciplines, including material sciences, design, and business practices, to facilitate the transition to a circular economy.

💡Business Models

The video discusses the importance of new business models that focus on selling services rather than products. This shift can lead to a more sustainable economy where products are designed to be durable and easily repairable, and materials are kept in use for as long as possible.

💡Ownership

Ownership is redefined in the circular economy, where the focus is on accessing the service a product provides rather than owning the product itself. This concept challenges traditional consumer behavior and encourages a shift towards sharing and leasing models that support circularity.

💡Supply Chain

Supply chain in the context of the circular economy involves new types of relationships among partners, with trust playing a key role in sharing proprietary information about materials and parts. The video highlights the importance of collaboration and transparency for the successful implementation of circular economy principles.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of circular economy and its importance in solid waste management.

Dr. Ljiljana Rodic's pioneering work in university education on circular economy in the Netherlands.

The circular economy as a national strategy for sustainable development in China since 2008.

Reports from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation towards a circular economy.

The linear pattern of natural resource use post-industrial revolution and its unsustainability.

The finite nature of material sources and the limits of Earth's ecosystems.

Nature's circular pattern of resource use as a model for the circular economy.

Definition of materials in a circular economy: biological and technical materials.

The role of biological materials in consumption products and their safe return to the natural cycle.

Technical materials and their role in service products within the industrial technical cycle.

The concept of cascading use with examples of biological materials like wood and textiles.

The potential for recycling to be upcycling, improving material quality with each cycle.

The importance of closing material cycles in conjunction with energy and water cycles.

Innovation needed in various disciplines for a fully circular economy.

The significance of design in the circular economy, considering end-of-use stages.

The emergence of new business models focused on selling services rather than products.

The role of citizens in ensuring materials return to the next production cycle.

The government's role in providing supportive policies and incentives for circular economy.

Solid waste management's critical role in completing the circular economy cycle.

The increasing focus on circular economy in political and public debate.

The collective responsibility in contributing to the circular economy, including consumers.

Transcripts

Hi and welcome again! In this module we will introduce the hot topic of circular

economy and its relation to solid waste management. Dr. Ljiljana Rodic is with us again.

She has pioneered university education on this topic in the

Netherlands.

Ljiljana, welcome again! The floor is yours.

Thank you very much Imanol. It is a pleasure to be here again.

Nowadays, we often hear or read in the media about circular economy. In this

lecture I will introduce this term,

explain briefly different meanings in which it is used and discuss potential

place of solid waste management in circular economy. How did you hear the

term circular economy? You may have heard about the circular economy promotion law,

the milestone legislation of the People's Republic of China adopted in

2008 to promote the circular economy as a national strategy for sustainable

development. Or you may have come across reports towards a circular economy

prepared for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. But what is it all about?

Since the industrial revolution our economies have grown following a linear

pattern of use of natural resources

consisting basically of take, make, use, discard steps. This was based on a

false premise that the resources are infinitely available and accessible at

an affordable cost, both in terms of money and in terms of environmental

impacts. However, such a pattern simply cannot be sustained by the earth system. On the

one hand the sources of materials are finite and on the other hand, there are

limits to the ability of Earth's ecosystems to recover from habitat

degradation and pollution by various hazardous and other chemicals. But if you

look at nature and natural ecosystems, how they use natural resources around them,

we see that nature functions

in a circular pattern. Starting from plants as producers, including several

levels of consumers and when they die

decomposers get to work to convert them into soil nutrients, which in turn serve

as food for the producers again.

Circular economy envisages a similar system, where after make and use stages,

materials are recovered and processed into a new cycle of production and use.

For materials to be recovered and returned to the next cycle of production, they

need to be clearly defined in circular economy. Materials can be defined either

as biological materials or technical materials. Biological materials are used

to make the so-called consumption products, which get consumed during use,

such as a soap or shampoo or wear off during use, such as clothes or shoes.

These are designed to be safe for human health and the environment and as such

they can safely return to the natural biological cycle. Here, we have an example

of biological material: food. Technical materials are used to make service

products, such as computer, telephone, washing machine, a car. As they are

non-renewable and often hazardous to human health and the environment,

these are kept within the industrial technical cycle, where they will be used

to make new products,

time and again. At that some materials lend themselves perfectly for cascading use.

This is usually the case with biological materials, wood and textiles are very

good examples. Biological materials can be used in defined cascades where the

quality deteriorates from one application to the next, but both, along

the way and at the end, the material can be fully returned to the biological

cycle with no harm to human health or the environment. In the end, they can be 51 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:30,490 processed,

by for example, aerobic composting or anaerobic digestion to recover resources

such as organic matter nutrients and energy. Of course, products user stages can

be extended through reuse and repair. Also, after this assembly parts can be

used for refurbishment and manufacture of the products. Here, you see an example

of complete disassembly into the part and their corresponding materials.

As you know, recycling is usually downcycling, whereby materials loose their quality in

each cycle. However, it is possible for recycling to actually be upcycling,

whereby quality improves in each cycle. Here, we have an example of a packaging

that is made out of 100% PET bottles, and from the PET material

during recycling antimony is removed, which was there originally.

So, this material is now better quality than it used to be.

It often makes sense to explore possibilities of closing material cycles

together with energy and water cycles. For example, closing metal cycles saves a

lot of energy, if we close water cycles. It allows recovery of nutrients.

Also, for renewable energy it is important to consider materials used for such

technologies, as they often contain rare and hazardous materials. For a fully

circular economy a lot of innovation will be needed in various disciplines in

various fields. For example, in material sciences, well-defined materials are

particularly important. Also, for the design, end of use stage need to be taken

into consideration: How easy the product is to be repaired, to be refurbished, to

be disassembled, to be remanufactured.

Also of particular importance are the new business models, where a lot of

innovation is needed, so that services are sold and not necessarily the

products. This also includes our relationship to ownership. Do we actually

need to possess and own a product or are we perfectly happy with the service it

provides us? This also means that new relationships or new types of

relationships are needed along the supply chain, where trust among partners

has a prominent role, because it is about sharing proprietary information about

materials and parts. This also means that citizens have a new role and that is

that they have to make sure that these materials indeed do return into the next

production cycle. And government has also a role because it can provide supportive

policies, legislation and incentives to enable support such developments in

society. You may have seen in literature that the role of the design is very

important for circular economy. It is indeed, because it is the design stage

when all the decisions are made about the material, about assembly methods,

about the usage. However, solid waste management has an equally important role in

circular economy, because it makes the other half of the cycle complete. It makes

sure that the materials after usage will indeed return to the next

production cycles. Circular economy is currently in the focus of political and

public debate and its importance is only going to increase. While it begins with

the design of products,

everybody has a role to play and everybody can contribute. Not the least,

us citizens, as consumers to choose

buy and discard the products.However, solid waste management has a very

prominent role as it makes sure that the materials actually return into the

next production cycle. Should you have any questions or comments, do not

hesitate to contact me at the email address given here.