Search results for "Circular economy"
showing 10 items of 179 documents
Small Scale Gasification Application and Perspectives in Circular Economy
2018
Abstract Gasification is the process converting solid fuels as coal and organic plant matter, or biomass into combustible gas, called syngas. Gasification is a thermal conversion process using carbonaceous fuel, and it differs substantially from other thermal processes such as incineration or pyrolysis. The process can be used with virtually any carbonaceous fuel. It is an endothermic thermal conversion process, with partial oxidation being the dominant feature. Gasification converts various feedstock including waste to a syngas. Instead of producing only heat and electricity, synthesis gas produced by gasification may be transformed into commercial products with higher value as transport f…
A circular economy: an analysis of the businesses awareness level in the Baltic Sea Region countries
2018
Circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. Unlike the traditional linear economic model based on a ‘take-make-consume-throw away’ pattern, a circular economy is based on the notion that all wastes can be considered as valuable resources in an almost closed loop, where products and the materials they contain are highly valued. In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. Examination of the current knowledge and performance on resource efficiency and circular economy of industrial enter…
A Circular Economy Approach to Fish Oil Extraction
2019
Fish oil rich in polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids is extracted in high yield from anchovy filleting waste using d-limonene as green biosolvent in a simple solid-liquid extraction performed by mechanically stirring and maceration followed by limonene removal via evaporation under reduced pressure. As limonene is renewably obtained from waste orange peel, this method closes the materials cycle and establishes a circular economy process to obtain high quality fish oil from biowaste available worldwide in several million t/year amount. Significant economic, social and environmental benefits are anticipated.
Economic and Technical Feasibility of Betanin and Pectin Extraction from Opuntia ficus-indica Peel via Microwave-Assisted Hydrodiffusion
2019
Investigating the feasibility of betanin and pectin extraction from Opuntia ficus-indica peel via microwave-assisted hydrodiffusion and gravity, this study identifies selected important economic and technical aspects associated with this innovative production route starting from prickly pear fruit discards. Which benefits would be derived from this process? Would production be limited to Opuntia-growing countries or, likewise to what happens with dried lemon peel chiefly imported from Argentina, would production take place abroad also? Can distributed manufacturing based on clean extraction technology compete with centralized production using conventional chemical processes?
Enabling the Circular Economy Transition in Organizations: A Moderated Mediation Model
2022
The notion of Corporate Environmental Responsibility has been extensively researched in the literature so far, but less is known about how this concept fits into the circular economy paradigm. We performed a moderated mediation analysis in order to identify the mechanism that links corporate environmental responsibility with readiness for change towards a circular economy business model. The findings from 311 respondents show that there is a positive association between corporate environmental responsibility and the readiness for change to a circular model, mediated by perceived circular economy drivers. In addition, perceived circular economy barriers hinder this positive relationship, act…
Dual removal and selective recovery of phosphate and an organophosphorus pesticide from water by a Zr-based metal-organic framework
2021
The authors express their thanks for the financial support provided by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019-EF-ST-888972-PSustMOF, F.J.C.; H2020-MSCA-IF-2016-GF-749359-EnanSET, N.M.P.) within the European Union H2020 programme and EU FEDER. MINECO (CTQ2017-84692-R, PID2020-113608RB-I00, PEJ2018-004022-A), Universidad de Granada (Plan Propio de Investigacion and Programa Operativo FEDER Andalucia 2014-2020: B-FQM-364-UGR18), Junta de Andalucia (P18-RT-612) and 2020 Post-doctoral Junior Leadere-Retaining Fellowship, la Caixa Foundation (ID 100010434 and fellowship code LCF/BQ/PR20/11770014, N.M.P.) are also acknowledged for funding. Funding for open access cha…
A Review of Bioplastics and Their Adoption in the Circular Economy
2021
The European Union is working towards the 2050 net-zero emissions goal and tackling the ever-growing environmental and sustainability crisis by implementing the European Green Deal. The shift towards a more sustainable society is intertwined with the production, use, and disposal of plastic in the European economy. Emissions generated by plastic production, plastic waste, littering and leakage in nature, insufficient recycling, are some of the issues addressed by the European Commission. Adoption of bioplastics–plastics that are biodegradable, bio-based, or both–is under assessment as one way to decouple society from the use of fossil resources, and to mitigate specific environmental risks …
The Market’s Maturity for Public Procurement of Circular Furniture: A Study from Latvia
2021
Public procurement plays an important role in the market by making up 14% of the Gross Domestic Product in the European Union, therefore it is seen as an important instrument to promote such products and services that better meet society’s demands, for example, sustainability. Starting from 2015, circularity is an important aspect of sustainability. Furniture is among the product groups with a significant impact on the material footprint, therefore approaches to increase material efficiency and circularity are of high value. With this research, the authors investigate the market’s maturity, i.e. the readiness of suppliers to offer circular furniture and services, as well as the readiness o…
The role of the committee of the regions (CoR) to implement the Green Deal at the local level: an overview of Italy
2021
<abstract> <p>The contribution focuses on the role of cities in the implementation of the so-called Green Deal, the ambitious program proposed by the European Commission, in accordance with the objectives set by the Paris Agreements, to implement the use of clean energy resources, favour the circular economy, restore biodiversity and reduce pollution. The Plan, which for the seven-year period 2021-2027 has a budget of economic resources of 100 billion Euro, aims to involve in transcalar perspective all territorial and administrative levels of the Member States and thus contribute to the achievement, in 2050, of climate neutrality. The main objective of the work is then to concen…
Co-Evolutionary Coupling via a Digital-bio Ecosystem : A Suggestion for a New R&D Model in the Digital Economy
2019
A solution to the critical problem of a dilemma between R&D expansion and productivity decline that a majority of information and communication technology (ICT) leaders have been confronting in the digital economy is expected. It can be expected by a spinoff from economic functionality-seeking GDP-based coevolution cycle to supra-functionality beyond an economic value-seeking uncaptured GDP-driven coevolution cycle. However, the transformation dynamism remains a black box. By means of numerical simulations based on empirical analyses of the development trajectories of global ICT leaders, focusing on Amazon and Finland, together with an intensive review of preceding analyses, this paper atte…