Description
Plastics and textiles conform two of the seven strategic product value chains addressed in the Circular Economy Action Plan published by the European Commission [1]. The ambitious goals of the action plan include the Europe-wide sourcing, use and labelling of biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics, as well as the collection, sorting and recycling of plastics [2]. Similarly, textile industries must incorporate eco-design measures to increase re-use and repair of manufactured products, as well as collection, sorting and recycling of discarded textiles [1].To achieve these goals, multi-component and multi-material products must prioritize the redesign of products for circularity and sustainability, solving issues of product complexity and dematerialization [3] as well as the trade-offs between increased circularity and its effects on lifetime, product safety and quality [4]. However, the sustainability and circularity assessment of multicompetent products is not straightforward, and the redesign of value chains for circularity and sustainability is often an incremental rather than radical approach [5].
This study uses the case of industrial footwear to explore the possibilities and limitations of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) as assessment tools to provide guidance in the development of complex circular products. The goal of this research was to: 1) understand the influence that circular product redesign has on the environmental performance of a multicomponent product through a comparative LCA and 2) Provide guidance on the possibilities and limitations of using the MCI and LCA as complementary tools for decision-making in circularity transitions.
For this, four scenarios were selected:
1) A business-as-usual industrial footwear, with standard composition and value chain
2) A business as usual plus recycling scenario, where standard materials are recycled when possible
3) A circular industrial footwear, with circular materials and design
4) A circular plus recycling scenario, where the different materials of a circular footwear are recycled when possible
The results of this research show that the transition to CE of complex products will require changes in current material compositions and end-of-life scenarios. However, this transformation can be done step-wise, by increasing the recycling capacities for the linear product as a mid-step while new circular materials are being tested. Most importantly, the results of this research pave the way to develop a comprehensive methodology that couples LCA and MCI towards better circular product redesign for the case of multi-component products, and ultimately can support a better transition to a Circular Economy.
| Period | 27 May 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Brightlands Polymer Days: To bond or not to bond? The necessity to bond materials, molecules and communities |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Geleen, NetherlandsShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |