Defining the circular economy (CE) as a material and energy model coincides with the definition given by multiple authors in which Industrial Symbiosis (IS) has been deemed as a foundational strategy to support the implementation of the CE. The consumption of secondary materials is essential to achieve a successful transformation from a linear economy to a CE focused on IS practices. In this scenario, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a major role as stakeholders in developing CE systems as it is not possible to create this model with each company working in isolation. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on the role played by relevant local stakeholders such as individual firms interacting in the development of a local CE system. This study aimed to study the challenges that SMEs face in developing a CE system. A case study is selected as a research strategy using a mixed-method approach: a sequential quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data collection techniques were employed for this research. It was observed that an absence of inter-organisational collaboration and a misunderstanding of the roles played by SMEs may impede the implementation of a local CE system level.
The circular economy (CE) is now more imperative than ever due to several shortcomings humanity faces due to global economic disruptions. The CE might help initiate a virtuous circle whereby waste materials would be turned into resources for other companies to create closed-loop systems. However, the CE remains a niche paradigm embraced by only a small number of companies in some areas of the world. Some authors have argued that it is essential to encourage stakeholders at different implementation levels of a CE to increase the uptake of this new model among companies, and stakeholders may provide the required framework for the shift towards a circular model. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to answer the following research question: how can the transition towards the CE be accelerated from a ‘stakeholders’ perspective? The study was undertaken in the Spanish region of Basque Country, where a CE strategy is already in place at the regional level, and some companies are already delivering circular solutions. This approach was selected to help understand the lack of widespread adoption of CE initiatives in a local system despite having a regional CE strategy. Data were collected from respondents from various stakeholders and also from desk research to ensure their reliability. The results showed the relevance of understanding how stakeholders can help speed up the transition by proactively exploring new ways to create novel conditions to work together with a broad pool of stakeholders to deepen and scale up the CE implementation.
The management of electronic waste (e-waste) mainly from televisions and computers, has turned into an environmental issue due to the increased demand in the electronics sector and the highly toxic contents (mercury, lead, or cadmium) of some of these devices that make them almost unrecoverable.
Therefore, these valuable devices become wastes disposed of in landfills. Worldwide, some scholars have proposed recycling methods that re-introduce these wastes streams in the manufacturing process of heavy concrete, pavement, concrete blocks, and clay bricks among other unconventional products.
The replacement rates of virgin materials with recycled e-waste fluctuate according to the type of waste. Nevertheless, the use of e-waste generates a positive environmental impact due to the less demand for virgin materials such as river sand and gravel. This study aimed to review the current
e-waste recycling state-of-the-art such as circuit boards (PCB), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), cathode ray tube (CRT), and LCD screens. A systematic review of scientific literature published in the last 10 years (2010–2019) was done through the SCOPUS database. The results showed a
maximum potential replacement rate of 40% for this type of waste, given the effect on the physical and thermomechanical properties of the concrete.
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