| 1. |
- Böckin, Daniel, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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How product characteristics can guide measures for resource efficiency - A synthesis of assessment studies
- 2020
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Ingår i: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0921-3449 .- 1879-0658. ; 154C
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A circular economy aims at decoupling value creation from resource throughput. For circular economy to contribute to environmental and resource improvements, there is need for critical assessments regarding in what general situations, beyond individual cases, solutions may lead to improvements. On the product-level, there is need for synthesized knowledge accounting for a wide range of contexts and environmental impacts. We investigate what resource efficiency (RE) measures result in reduced physical flows and environmental impacts, depending on the characteristics of products and their life cycles. The study is limited to physical measures on a product system level, irrespective of manner of implementation. A library of comparative assessments (primarily life cycle assessments and material flow analyses) was built, covering a wide range of products and RE measures. A framework was formulated for analysing for which product characteristics a measure tends to improve RE, and under which contexts there are trade-offs to take into account. For example, sharing of products is best suited for durable and infrequently used products that tend not to reach their full technical lifetime. A trade-off is that sharing can increase transportation for accessing shared stock. The identified key product characteristics were: whether products are consumable or durable, active or passive, typically used for their full technical lifetimes or discarded before being worn out, the product’s frequency of use and whether function remains at a product’s end of use. Pace of development matters for suitability of measures for active, durable products, while complexity is relevant for restorative measures and recycling.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Tillman, Anne-Marie, 1958, et al.
(författare)
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What circular economy measures fit what kind of product?
- 2020
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Ingår i: The Handbook on the Circular Economy, M Brandão, D Lazaveric, G Finnveden (eds), Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd 2020. - 978 1 78897 271 0 ; , s. 327-242
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This chapter provides guidelines onmeasuresfor resource efficiency (RE) for products with different characteristics. The guidelines target product chain actors, producers and their designers, users and post use actors and are useful also to policy makers and business models developers.They are based on a life-cycle based typology for RE measures, distinguishing what measures may be undertaken in different life cycle phases, extraction and production, use and post use. Product characteristics is argued to be an appropriate basis for identification of RE strategies. For the use phase, it matters whether products are durable or consumable. Durable products are further divided into those using energy and/or auxiliary material during use and those that do not. Characteristics of importance for consumable products are whether they are disposable orused in a dissipative manner. Post use measures depend primarily on material properties while measures in the production phase are largely independent of product characteristics.
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| 4. |
- Willskytt, Siri, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Framework for analysing resource-efficient solutions
- 2016
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Ingår i: Presented at the 12th Biennial International Conference on EcoBalance, in Kyoto, Japan, 3-6th October 2016..
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In a resource-restrained world, the need for an alternative to the current linear flows of materials is more urgent than ever. The take-make-waste practices in modern society is unsustainable both for economic and environmental reasons. Circular economy is being presented as a strategy to decrease the use of natural resources, along with other means for resource efficiency (RE).However, knowledge is limited regarding when solutions aimed to be resource-efficient and effective really lead to the intended outcome.We present a pilot analytical framework which distinguishes different means for increased RE and enables analysis of under which conditions and for which type of products, sectors and value-chains they are effective. The framework consists of a typology of different means for RE and is intended to help systematise learnings from assessment studies in the field. It is based on the concepts of resource efficiency, circular economy and understanding of different assessment methods such as LCA, LCC and MFA. The typology is delimited to physical measures to increase RE, and does not include different business or administrative means to achieve it.The framework distinguishes three main means to RE; production efficiency (e.g. increase yields and valorise by-product streams); more efficient use of products (e.g. intensify use, prolong product life, and energy efficiency); closing the loops (e.g. reuse and recycling). Moreover, design was identified as a key-enabler for these measures, along with preconditions categorised into; physical product, product-chain, external, and user behaviour.To facilitate a systematic literature analysis, four supplementary categories were added to the framework; product characteristics; assessment study characteristics (method and vital assumptions and conditions); results from study; and own conclusions and reflections.The outcome is an analytical framework, assisting learning from assessment studies and identification of generic conclusions of which means for RE are effective for different products, sectors and value-chains.
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| 5. |
- André, Hampus, 1989
(författare)
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Assessing Mineral Resource Scarcity in a Circular Economy Context
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Due to humanity’s dependence on metal resources there are growing concerns regarding impacts related to their potential scarcity, both for current and future generations. The vision of a more circular economy suggests that extending the functional use of metals through measures aiming for resource-efficiency (RE) such as increasing technical lifetime, repairing and recycling could reduce mineral resource scarcity. However, evidence of this is limited. In addition, there is limited understanding regarding on what principles metals can be prioritized when assessing mineral resource scarcity. The aim of this thesis is to provide knowledge on mineral resource scarcity impacts of RE measures applied to metal-diverse products and on which conditions they depend. This is achieved by: 1) studying RE measures from a life cycle perspective; 2) comparing principles of prioritization between metals on which mineral resource scarcity impacts are assessed and 3) analysing how such principles (of prioritization) can affect conclusions regarding RE measures applied to metal-diverse products. The research is conducted through case studies, syntheses of literature and method development within the methodologies of life cycle assessment, material flow analysis and criticality assessment. Results indicate that effects of RE measures depend on a number of product characteristics and real-world conditions. RE measures can both increase and decrease mineral resource scarcity impacts compared to business as usual and effects vary greatly between metals. RE measures based on use extension e.g. reuse of laptops, repair of smartphones, and increasing technical lifetimes of LED lighting, have been indicated to reduce impacts through two principal features: use extension, and, increased functional recycling. However, there are risks of increasing mineral resource scarcity impacts if RE measures require additional metal use, product use extensions are short and if functional recycling is lacking. For example, repair of smartphones risks to increase the use of metals in commonly replaced components such as screens. Because of the varying effects on different metals, implementation of RE measures requires prioritizing some metals over others. The principles of prioritization give diverging results, and, are sometimes unclear and methodologically inconsistent. The thesis clarifies how they relate to concepts such as depletion, criticality, rarity and scarcity. Further it suggests that, although mineral resources are fundamentally stock resources, they can pose stock, fund and flow problems. Distinguishing between these different problems in distinct methodologies is conducive to purposive and complementary assessment by resolving methodological inconsistencies and providing accurate terminology. In the long term, scarcity is most purposively addressed by focusing on depletion of ecospheric stocks. Accordingly, the Crustal Scarcity Indicator is proposed to assess potential long term scarcity in life cycle assessment, alongside other environmental impacts. In the near term, potential scarcity for nations, industries and companies, as commonly assessed in criticality assessment, is most purposively addressed by focusing on technospheric circumstances, such as geopolitics, which can disrupt technospheric resource flows. In medium term, secondary resources in technospheric funds could be relevant, especially, with the advent of a more circular economy. Altogether, it is recommended that implementation of RE measures to metal-diverse products are based on analysis of product characteristics and real-world conditions and that effects of RE measures are assessed by methodologies which distinguish between mineral resource flows, funds and stocks so that well-informed prioritizations between metals can be made.
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| 6. |
- André, Hampus, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Circular Economy as a Means to Efficient Use of Scarce Metals
- 2016
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Ingår i: 2016 Electronics Goes Green 2016+, EGG 2016. - 9781509052080
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Scarce metals are increasingly used in modern technology, but significant quantities are lost for further functionaluse in recycling. This study investigates if other measures for a more resource-efficient and “circular economy”(CE) can increase efficiency of scarce metal use. Three CE alternatives, inspired by real business solutions forproviding lighting, notebooks and smartphones are compared with respective conventional alternatives, using materialflow analysis. Scarce metal efficiency gains are primarily realized by extending the use phase of products orcomponents. However, the extension must be sufficient in order not to be cancelled out by any additional scarcemetals that enable the extension. Furthermore, losses of scarce metals occur whenever components are replaced.Therefore, CE alternatives may not necessarily improve efficiency of scarce metals use. Advances to functionallyrecycle scarce metals and designs that enable components and products to be kept in functional use for longer areneeded.
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| 7. |
- André, Hampus, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Det krävs ett ekonomiskt paradigmskifte för att tackla klimatkrisen
- 2015
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Ingår i: ETC. - 1652-8980.
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- I dagens ekonomiska beräkningar överskattas kostnaderna för klimatåtgärder, vilket skapar en klimatpolitisk bromskloss. Det bristfälliga fokuset på kortsiktigt kostnadseffektiva utsläppsminskningar gör att den nationella omställningen sannolikt både fördyras och fördröjs, skriver Max Jonsson och Hampus André.
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| 8. |
- André, Hampus, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Effects on metal resource use from reusing laptops - A comparison of impact assessment methods
- 2018
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Proposed measures of the circular economy are assumed to be environmentally favourable but there is limited empirical evidence on how this actually works in practice or if it is true. A life cycle-based approach has been argued useful for critical assessment of circular economy measures. In life cycle assessment, several perceptions exist regarding what the environmental problem with metal resource use consists of, manifesting in differing impact assessment methods. Since these methods have been shown to give diverging results it is plausible that the choice of LCIA-method could have significant implications for the assessment of circular economy for products such as laptops. Except for recycling, there are no comparative assessment studies of circular economy measures that deploy complementary LCIA-methods on metal resource use. A life cycle assessment was conducted studying reuse as mediated by a resale and refurbishment company, using several LCIA-methods in parallel. This served to find which metals that are important in laptops depending on LCIA-method and how metals may benefit from reuse. Second-hand laptops were deemed functionally equivalent to new ones. Reuse was assumed to double product lifetime of 70% of sourced laptops to six years in total. In EoL, recycled metals were assumed to displace respective primary production. The LCA study shows that reuse of laptops contributed to resource-efficiency in two principal ways: firstly, through the intended use extension (41% reduction compared to new laptops) and secondly, by steering material flows, i.e. laptops that cannot be reused, into recycling. This increased recycling was found especially important according to some LCIA-methods (varying between 1-9% reduction compared to new laptops) which characterise metals that are functionally recycled as important (typically methods using average crustal concentrations as part of their characterisation factors) and negligible in others (typically using reserves as part of their characterisation factors). Some metals have visible contributions in all methods and are unlikely missed if only using one LCIA-method. Other metals are visibly contributing in one or a few methods and thereby risk getting missed in such cases. It is therefore advisable to use complementary methods to minimise risks of overlooking relevant metal resource use aspects when studying circular economy measures for electronics.
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| 9. |
- André, Hampus, 1989
(författare)
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Resource and Environmental Impacts of Resource-Efficiency Measures Applied to Electronic Products
- 2018
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Natural resources such as ecosystems, land, water and metals underpin the functioning of economies and human well-being, and are becoming increasingly scarce due to growth in population and affluence. Metals are increasingly demanded for their specific properties as modern technology develops. The dependence on metals is of growing concern due to the environmental impacts related, for example, to energy use and local impacts from mining, as well as the scarcity risks posed by socio-economic, geological and geopolitical constraints. Thus, there is a clear need to use metals and other natural resources more efficiently. The vision of a circular economy has been proposed as a way to do this, for example by improving durability, reusing, repairing and recycling. Such so-called resource-efficiency (RE) measures are commonly assumed to be environmentally beneficial, although the evidence is not plentiful. It is plausible that focusing on recirculating products and materials could shift burdens to other environmental impacts or life cycle stages. It has therefore been argued that a life cycle-based approach, such as in life cycle assessment (LCA), is useful to critically assess the environmental implications of RE measures. LCA aims to quantify the environmental impacts of products over their entire life cycles - from cradle to grave - assessing a wide range of impacts such as toxicity, climate change and metal resource use. For metal resource use, however, there are a number of perspectives as to what constitutes the actual environmental problem. These perspectives are represented in a variety of life cycle impact assessment methods (LCIA) which have previously been shown to give diverging results. Electronic products are emblematic of metal resource use challenges since they deploy a broad spectrum of scarce metals. This thesis aims to provide knowledge on the potential for RE measures to reduce the environmental impacts of electronic products, by addressing the following research questions: (1) What resource-efficiency measures result in reduced potential environmental impacts and resource use – for what types of products and under what conditions? (2) How does extended use of electronic products through design for increased technical lifetime, reuse and repair affect environmental impacts, particularly metal resource use? (3) How does the application of different LCIA methods for metal resource use influence interpretations of resource-efficiency measures applied to electronic products? This thesis builds on three appended papers which are all based on comparative assessments of resource efficiency, studied as resource use and environmental impacts per function delivered, using LCA and material flow analysis. The results indicate that extended use of electronic products through increasing technical lifetimes, reusing and repairing, is generally resource-efficient. Exceptions may occur, however, if extended use is insufficient to motivate impacts from producing more durable products or spare parts. Use extension of electronic products leads to resource efficiency in two distinct ways: through the intended use extension and by increasingly steering material flows into recycling. Further resource efficiency could be realised by combining RE measures over the entire life cycles of products. With regards to metal resource use, the choice of LCIA method can influence the interpretation of the results of RE measures for electronic products. Therefore, it is advisable to use several complementary LCIA methods to minimise the risks of overlooking potentially important resources issues. Furthermore, better understanding and transparency of such issues is valuable in order to provide more comprehensive information to decision-makers.
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| 10. |
- André, Hampus, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Resource and environmental impacts of using second-hand laptop computers: A case study of commercial reuse
- 2019
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Ingår i: Waste Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0956-053X .- 1879-2456. ; 88, s. 268-279
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The circular economy is proposed to reduce environmental impact, but as yet, there is limited empirical evidence of this sort from studying real, commercial circular economy business cases. This study investigates the environmental impacts of using second-hand laptops, mediated by a commercial reuse operation, instead of new ones. The method used is life cycle assessment (LCA) and special attention is given to laptops’ metal resource use by using several complementary life cycle impact assessment methods. The results show that all activities required to enable reuse of laptops are negligible, despite the reuse company’s large geographical scope. Two principal features of reuse reduce environmental impacts. Firstly, use extension reduces all impacts considerably since there are large embedded impacts in components. Secondly, the reuse company steers non-reusable laptops into state-of-the-art recycling. This provides additional impact reductions, especially with regards to toxicity and metal resource use. The results for metal resource use however diverge between LCIA methods in terms of highlighted metals which, in turn, affects the degree of impact reduction. LCIA methods that characterise functionally recycled metals as important, result in larger impact reduction, since these emphasise the merits of steering flows into state-of-the-art recycling. The study thus demonstrates how using second-hand laptops, mediated by a commercial reuse operation, compared to new ones, in practice, reduces different types of environmental impact through synergistic relationships between reuse and recycling. Moreover, it illustrates how the choice of LCIA method can influence interpretations of metal resource use impacts when applying circular economy measures to information and communication technologies (ICT).
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