| 1. |
- Cole, Christine, et al.
(författare)
-
Assessing barriers to reuse of electrical and electronic equipment, a UK perspective
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Resources, Conservation and Recycling: X. - : Elsevier BV. - 2590-289X. ; 1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reports on research undertaken to identify generic and specific barriers to reuse of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts from across the value chain including product designers, manufacturers, users and waste managers as well policy makers and academics. The interviews sought to examine perceived and real barriers to reuse in the UK. Three inter-connected factors that limit opportunities and instances of reuse of electrical and electronic equipment were identified, highlighting that both systemic and consumer barriers to increasing levels of reuse exist. These are: producer reluctance, unsuitable collection infrastructure and cultural issues. Overall, the paper shows that low levels of reuse in the electrical and electronic sector are a result of complex and interlinked barriers. Understanding these connections offers the potential to improve the opportunities for reuse, by providing direction for policy makers to address barriers from a multi stakeholder perspective. Increasing instances of reuse is essential if the UK is to successfully move towards a resource efficient, circular economy.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- McLaren, Duncan, et al.
(författare)
-
Reconfiguring repair: Contested politics and values of repair challengeinstrumental discourses found in circular economies literature
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. - : Elsevier. - 0921-3449 .- 1879-0658 .- 2590-289X. ; 8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The treatment of ideas of repair in circular economy literature is critically reviewed, revealing instrumental understandings of repair as a tool to extend product life-spans and reduce waste. These framings are interpreted as an expression of the dominant technocratic and post-political discourses of circular economy as an intervention to sustain industrial capitalism in the face of sustainability constraints. The review contrasts these understandings of repair derived from a review of circular economy literature with richer and contested interpretations found in sociological, ethnographic and political literatures examining material repair in practice. Drawing on the emerging sociology of repair and applying more distinct concepts of restoration, remediation, reconfiguration and reconciliation derived from these literatures, the paper argues that the understandings of repair in circular economy literature are limited and restrictive, generally supporting a view of repair as sustaining, consumerist and nostalgic; and thereby overlooking potentially transformative, political and future-oriented roles for repair in a circular economy. In the restorative and remedial modes most commonly understood in the circular economy, repair is seen to enable new forms of capitalist commodification, notably of waste and domestic labour. Learning from contestation in other arenas of repair by contrast, understanding repair as encompassing ideas for reconciliation and reconfiguration, and adopting values of integrity, care and legibility, opens up repair in the circular economy to constructive critical discussion and reflection and offers new insights for policy makers.
|
|
| 4. |
- Metson, Genevieve S., 1988-, et al.
(författare)
-
Optimizing transport to maximize nutrient recycling and green energy recovery
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Resources, Conservation & Recycling: X. - : Elsevier. - 2590-289X. ; 9-10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A circular biobased economy must be able to sustainably manage multiple resources simultaneously. Nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) recycling and renewable energy production (biogas) can be compatible practices but require substantial transport of heavy organic waste. We combine a spatial optimization model and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to explore how Sweden could maximize its use of excreta resources. We use 10×10 km2 resolution data on the location of animal and human excreta and crop demand and model both optimal biogas plant locations and transport of nutrients to and from these plants. Each type of biogas plant (given 4 realistic mixes of excreta) is then evaluated for global warming potential, primary energy use and financial resource costs. Moving excreta through biogas plants, as opposed to simply reapplying on fields, to meet crop nutrient demands comes at a similar cost but the climate and primary energy savings are substantial. As much as 91% of phosphorus and 44% of nitrogen crop demand could be met via optimally transported excreta and the country would avoid about 1 450 kt of CO2-eq, save 3.6 TWh (13 000 tera-joules) of primary energy, and save 90 million euros per year. Substituting mineral fertilizers with recycled nutrients results in savings across all indicators, but the added energy and avoided greenhouse gas emissions associated with biogas production make a large difference in the attractiveness of nutrient recycling. Although the numeric values are theoretical, our results indicate that carefully coordinated and supported biogas production could help maximize multi-resource benefits.
|
|
| 5. |
- Warmington-Lundström, Jon, et al.
(författare)
-
Reviewing circular economy rebound effects : The case of online peer-to-peer boat sharing
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. - : Elsevier. - 0921-3449 .- 1879-0658 .- 2590-289X. ; 5
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Renting instead of buying new products may be seen as the most efficient strategies of the circular economy. However, changes in the consumption inevitably liberates or binds scarce production or consumption factors such as raw materials, money and time which can potentially limit the potential to save resources. This phenomenon is known as environmental rebound effect and is currently under-researched in the context of resource sharing. This paper reviews the magnitude and tendency of environmental rebound effects of peer-to-peer boat sharing platform using a double-spending model (i.e. for lessors as well lessees). We found that environmental rebound effect was experienced by every lessee surveyed (n = 104) and in one-third of lessors (n = 29). 60 % of lessees experienced a rebound of over 20 %, losing one-fifth of the potential reductions in emissions through subsequent consumption behaviour enabled by the economic savings created by sharing resources. International air travel and increases in personal use of the boat were the biggest contributing factors towards environmental rebound effect. Users that increased consumption in these ways experienced a backfire effect in which their annual emissions actually increased. This backfire was experienced by 29 % of lessees with the worst scenario increasing emissions by a factor of over eight. We found statistically significant differences in the rebound of lessors and lessees. Greater awareness and non-economic mechanisms (such as symbolic rewards, information provision and nudging) tailored for lessors and lessees are needed to help prevent the likelihood of occurrence and the magnitude of environmental rebound effects from sharing resources.
|
|
