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Based on these findings, NIST has seven recommendations for the application of MB to certify circular polymers:1. Establish clear, prioritized technological, environmental, social, and economic goals for transitioning towards a circular economy for polymers.2. Adopt a national strategy for the implementation of rigorous MB accounting methods for circular polymers, aligned with achieving the prioritized goals in recommendation 1.3. Establish processes and frameworks that promote successful expansion of collection, capacity, and markets for both mechanically and chemically recycled polymers.4. Develop open, consensus-based standards for certification methods and tools that are transparent, require interoperability or reciprocity, and are available to the entire supply chain.5. Establish transparent, auditable data, data standards, and a framework suited to the needs and integrity of the entire supply chain.6. Align definitions, terms, and methods necessary for standards harmonization, interoperability, and broad adoption.7. Invest in a multidisciplinary research and development program at the interface of polymer science and engineering, manufacturing, economics, and data (privacy, sharing, and access) to enable manufacturing innovation, stronger decision making, and improved education and communication tools, and to improve supply chain integrity and accountability for circular polymers.SOS 2.0 also tasked NIST with "an assessment of the environmental impacts of the full lifecycle of circular polymers, including impacts on climate change." Through the course of our research in preparation for this report, we concluded that there is not sufficient information to make comprehensive assements of this nature. There are many communities investigating various aspects and stages of the supply chain, from resource extraction/feedstocks to molecular design, formulation, product design, consumption patterns, collection infrastructure, reprocessing strategies etc., as well as the environmental impacts of polymers lost to the environment, and the (socio)economic cost-benefit analyses of polymers. None of these communities has a comprehensive, translatable, or transferable view of the full lifecycle. The data used in these studies are often not publicly available. Many studies are not reproduced, or outcomes are rooted in subjective criteria which have not been broadly adopted by large communities. Thus, there is a profound need for measurement and terminology consensus, broader and deeper data sets which are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable, as well as convening bodies to engage the wide range of social and technical disciplines and stakeholders to identify common understanding of the tradeoffs and priorities in this sort of analysis. We believe that an agency like NIST, with its core research programs, deep expertise in all these disciplinary interfaces and a mission aligned on both economic security and quality of life, is uniquely positioned to provide technical leadership in this endeavor in coordination ...

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) held a Technical Workshop on January 27 and 28, 2021 to assess the state and challenges of a Circular Economy (CE) in the High-Tech World. Scientists, researchers, and program managers in the CE arena, from industry, academia, government, national laboratories, and non-governmental organizations gathered virtually to identify challenges and key priorities to facilitate the reuse, repair, and recycling of electronic products, solar panels, and batteries. The results of the workshop provide important input for program planning and research directions that can advance materials design, use, reuse, and recovery, thus enhancing circularity.Consumer demand, the internet of things (IoT), and recent legislative and policy activities aimed at addressing climate change have increased demand for renewable energy, electric vehicles (EV), and electronic devices. Already, electronic waste is the fastest growing sector of the solid waste stream, and projections estimate a steep rise in end-of-life (EoL) solar panels and EV batteries in the coming decades. Further, these high-tech products are increasingly designed to be faster, lighter, smaller, stronger, more functional, more integrated, and more durable than previous generations due to the application of increasingly sophisticated material components and design parameters. Traditionally, materials have followed a largely linear path -extraction, production, distribution, consumption/use, disposal -but interest in environmental and social impacts as well as supply chain security has spurred a transition to a more CE.This workshop aimed to better understand the technical and economic barriers inhibiting CE of electronic products, solar panels, and batteries; identify research and development (R&D) priority areas needed to overcome those challenges; and define NIST's role(s) in CE.The workshop covered five main topic areas: 1) how do we create a CE?; 2) recycling challenges for electronics, batteries, and solar panels; 3) boundary-spanning tools to support CE; 4) reuse, repair, and refurbishment in CE; and 5) best practices for CE.Overarching challenges and needs, several of which crosscut multiple sessions and breakout groups, emerged from the workshop. They include the following:• Product Evolution: Computers and electronic components are proliferating in products such as washing machines, thermostats, etc., while simultaneously the embedded devices contain decreasing amounts of high-value materials such as precious metals and rare earth elements (REE). Furthermore, designers of high-tech products prioritize functionality, performance, and cost with little regard for repair, refurbishment, or recycling (i.e., design for recycling, DfR). As a result, while the growing application of electronics provides a massive opportunity for CE practitioners, the constant evolution of products, form factors, assemblies, and material compositions may inhibit economic recovery and recycling.This challenge can be alleviated through the ...