an official journal of: published by:
an official journal of: published by:
Editor in Chief: RAFFAELLO COSSU

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODELS IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY: AN ANALYSIS OF GOOD PRACTICES FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT ON THE EUROPEAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY STAKEHOLDER PLATFORM

  • Mariarita Paciolla - CDCA - Centro di Documentazione sui Conflitti Ambientali, Italy
  • Marco La Monica - Department for Sustainability (SSPT), ENEA, Italy
  • Francesca Ceruti - Department of Economics and Management (DEM), University of Brescia, Italy
  • Francesca Ferrero - DCA - Centro di Documentazione sui Conflitti Ambientali, Italy
  • Giacomo Seravalli - DCA - Centro di Documentazione sui Conflitti Ambientali, Italy
  • Tiziana Beltrani - Department for Sustainability (SSPT), ENEA, Italy

Access restricted to subscribed members only

Released under All rights reserved

Copyright: © 2024 CISA Publisher


Abstract

The pervasive integration of electronic technologies in the contemporary digital landscape underscores the significance of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Beyond their utility in daily life, certain components within EEE, hold classification as critical raw materials (CRMs) and transforms cities into urban mines. This issue highlights the necessity of optimizing its sustainable consumption and production patterns at all stages of the life cycle and across various sectors. The optimization of the complete product life cycle serves as a foundational pillar of the circular economy (CE). While the transition from a linear to a CE has been a longstanding objective promoted by the EU, a comprehensive mapping elucidating potential shortcoming in the effective implementation of this transition in Europe for the field of EEE remains elusive. This paper seeks to investigate the state-of-the-art of CE good practices for EEEs in Europe, shedding light on potential strengths and challenges to be addressed. To obtain an empirical perspective, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) serves as a tool to delineate the trajectory of progress throughout the transition to a CE. The analysis encompasses both life cycle phases and the production sector. The findings underscore a prevailing focus on the product's end-of-life phase and sectors associated with recycling and waste management, while the initial life cycle phase remains underexplored in terms of eco-design solutions or innovative processes. On a positive note, several instances of new business models have emerged, redirecting consumption emphasis towards services.

Keywords


Editorial History

  • Received: 03 May 2024
  • Revised: 05 Jul 2024
  • Accepted: 24 Jul 2024
  • Available online: 07 Sep 2024

References

Andooz, A., Eqbalpour, M., Kowsari, E., Ramakrishna, S., & Cheshmeh, Z. A. (2022). A comprehensive review on pyrolysis of E-waste and its sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 333, 130191.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130191

Beltrani T., Conte M., Creanza G., La Monica M., Creo C,,Cutaia L., Nobili P., Sbaffoni S., Sposato P.,Sezzi E., Gatto F., Re I., Ferrini M., Finamore M., Dalla Valle A., Caoli T., Perrucci D., Sabbatini D., Pecchia G., Palermo M.V. (2020). Report GdL6 Vol.1 “Analisi e mappatura delle buone pratiche italiane di economia circolare per settore e fase del ciclo di vita dei prodotti” del GdL 6 della Piattaforma ICESP”.
DOI 10.12910/DOC2020-008

Beltrani T., Creo C., Barberio G. and Cutaia L. (2021). “Linee guida Buone pratiche di economia circolare”. ENEA.
DOI 10.12910/DOC2021-006

Beltrani T., De Santis A., Giannoccaro I., La Monica M., Creo C, Barone F., Basili C., Ercoli A.., Cutaia L., Picarelli A., Sbaffoni S., Gresia F., Loponte V., Leoni I., Viti S., Fontana N., Lombani I., Carioli T., Dalla Valle A., Losa L., Dacomo A., Lanzi G., Palermo V. M., Matarazzo A., Mancini G., Arfò S., Raciti G. (2022). “Analisi della replicabilità delle buone pratiche e quantificazione dell.impatto ambientale, economico e sociale a scala nazionale”. ENEA.
DOI 10.12910/DOC-2022-067

Binsuwadan, J., Yousif, G., Abdulrahim, H., & Alofaysan, H. (2023). The Role of the Circular Economy in Fostering Sustainable Economic Growth in the GCC. Sustainability, 15(22), 15926.
DOI 10.3390/su152215926

Cardenia C., Tammaro M., Campadello L., Pellucchi I., Laudadio E., Amato A., Santoro M., Soncini I. and Aiello M. (2022). “L’economia circolare nelle filiere industriali: il caso Apparecchiature elettriche ed elettroniche (AEE)”. ENEA.
DOI 10.12910/DOC-2022-066

Carrara, S., Bobba, S., Blagoeva, D., Alves Dias, P., Cavalli, A., Georgitzikis, K., Grohol, M., Itul, A., Kuzov, T., Latunussa, C., Lyons, L., Malano, G., Maury, T., Prior Arce, Á., Somers, J., Telsnig, T., Veeh, C., Wittmer, D., Black, C., Pennington, D., Christou, M. (2023). Supply chain analysis and material demand forecast in strategic technologies and sectors in the EU – A foresight study, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2023,
DOI 10.2760/386650, JRC132889

Cheshmeh, Z. A., Bigverdi, Z., Eqbalpour, M., Kowsari, E., Ramakrishna, S., & Gheibi, M. (2023). A comprehensive review of used electrical and electronic equipment management with a focus on the circular economy-based policy-making. Journal of Cleaner Production, 136132.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136132

Del Vecchio, P., Passiante, G., Barberio, G., & Innella, C. (2021). Digital innovation ecosystems for circular economy: The case of ICESP, the Italian circular economy stakeholder platform. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, 18(01), 2050053.
DOI 10.1142/S0219877020500534

ECESP - European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (2018). “Circular Economy Good Practices: guidelines for submissions to the ECESP website”. https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/sites/default/files/ecesp_-_website_-_gp_criteria_-_v3.pdf

ECESP - European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (2023). “Good Practices”. https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en/good-practices. Last access: May 17, 2023

ECESP - European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (2024). Home page. https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en. Last access: February 18, 2023

European Commission (2011). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Tackling the challenges in commodity markets and on raw materials. Brussels, 2.2.2011. COM(2011) 25 final

European Commission (2014). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions On the review of the list of critical raw materials for the EU and the implementation of the Raw Materials Initiative. Brussels, 26.5.2014. COM/2014/0297 final */

European Commission (2015). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy. Brussels, 2.12.2015. COM(2015) 614 final

European Commission (2017) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the 2017 list of Critical Raw Materials for the EU. Brussels, 13.9.2017. COM/2017/0490 final

European Commission (2018). “Measuring circular economy - new metrics for development?”. https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/env/items/624232/en . Last access: March 1, 2024

European Commission (2019). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The European Green Deal. Brussels, 11.12.2019. COM(2019) 640 final

European Commission (2020a). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe. Brussels, 11.3.2020 COM(2020) 98 final

European Commission (2020b). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability. Brussels, 3.9.2020. COM/2020/474 final

European Commission (2023a). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020. Brussels, 16.3.2023. COM/2023/160 final

European Commission (2023b). Critical Raw Materials Act. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_1661. Last access: March 1, 2024

European Commission (2023c). “Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE): EU rules on treating waste electrical and electronic equipment, to contribute to sustainable production and consumption”. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee_en. Last access: May 17, 2023

European Union (2008). Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (Text with EEA relevance). OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3–30

European Union (2012). Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (recast) Text with EEA relevance. OJ L 197, 24.7.2012, p. 38–71

Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). The Circular Economy–A new sustainability paradigm?. Journal of cleaner production, 143, 757-768.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.048

Geissdoerfer, M., Pieroni, M. P., Pigosso, D. C., & Soufani, K. (2020). Circular business models: A review. Journal of cleaner production, 277, 123741.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123741

ICESP - Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (2024). Home page. https://www.icesp.it/. Last access: February 15, 2024

La Monica M. (2018). “Strumenti integrati per favorire un uso più efficiente delle risorse in un’economia circolare a livello territoriale” Conference “Economia circolare: Oltre la gestione dei rifiuti Strumenti ed esperienze per una pianificazione integrata nell’economia circolare”. Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare Roma - 12 Ottobre 2018. Project CREIAMO PA. https://www.mase.gov.it/pagina/prodotti-l3-wp1. Last access: March, 1. 2024

Lamba, H. K., Kumar, N. S., & Dhir, S. (2023). Circular economy and sustainable development: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management., 73 (2): 497-522.
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123741

Mancini, L., Vidal Legaz, B., Vizzarri, M., Wittmer, D., Grassi, G., & Pennington, D. (2019). Mapping the role of raw materials in sustainable development goals. A Preliminary Analysis of Links, Monitoring Indicators, and Related Policy Initiatives, EUR 29595 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019. ISBN 978-92-76-08385-6,
DOI 10.2760/026725, JRC112892

Neligan, A., Baumgartner, R. J., Geissdoerfer, M., & Schöggl, J. P. (2023). Circular disruption: Digitalisation as a driver of circular economy business models. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(3), 1175-1188.
DOI 10.1002/bse.3100

Rocca, L., Veneziani, M., & Carini, C. (2023). Mapping the diffusion of circular economy good practices: Success factors and sustainable challenges. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(4), 2035-2048.
DOI 10.1002/bse.3235

Stahel, W. R. (2016). The circular economy. Nature, 531(7595), 435-438.
DOI 10.1038/531435a

Stindt, D., & Sahamie, R. (2014). Review of research on closed loop supply chain management in the process industry. Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, 26, 268-293.
DOI 10.1007/s10696-012-9137-4