A Review of Circular Economy Development Models in China, Germany and Japan

Abstract

The circular economy (CE) concept is gaining traction as a sustainable strategy for reducing waste and enhancing resource efficiency. This concept has been adopted in some countries such as Denmark, Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, Japan, China, and Germany while it is being considered by others including England, Austria, and Finland. The CE has been employed in the manufacturing, agricultural, textile, and steel industries but its implementation varies. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to identify CE implementation in three pioneering countries (China, Japan, and Germany). A critical review and analysis of the literature was conducted. The results revealed enabling and core policies/laws for the development of the CE concept. It also identified the implementation structure of the CE in China, Germany, and Japan. In conclusion, the findings of this study are expected to serve as a guide for developing and implementing the CE concept in various sectors of the economy.

Proposing Circular Economy Ecosystem for Chinese SMEs: A Systematic Review

“…China’s rapid economic development over the last thirty years has led to the rapid destruction of the environment, which is detrimental to people’s health and to social development [ 9 , 10 ]. Consequently, building an environment-friendly and resource-saving society is the urgent and long-term strategic plan for China [ 11 , 12 ].…”

“…The meso-level mainly centres on industrial clusters or eco-industrial parks where sustainable designs can improve resource efficiency and product up-gradation to achieve industrial symbiosis; meanwhile, the green supply chain inside ensures and improves the resource circulation within the region [ 10 , 16 ]. Yong [ 13 ] demonstrates that two types of eco-industrial parks in China include new parks and existing parks integrating 3R principles.…”

“…The CE activities are implemented in two ways: developing eco-industrial chain among enterprises in the park and share infrastructural systems for all enterprises as standard supplies. Taking Tianjin Economic Development Area and Suzhou Industrial Park as examples, these show how the enterprises inside have been implementing waste exchange and enhancing symbiotic relationships among different firms [ 10 ].…”

Implementation of Circular Economy Principles in Industrial Solid Waste Management: Case Studies from a Developing Economy (Nigeria)

“…The additional factors that result in the non-adoption of CE in Africa are the lack of knowledge on the implementation processes and the absence of information [6,7]. The practical benefits of CE adoption have been widely reported at national, sub-national and local government levels and even in the economic sectors in the countries where they are currently in practice, whereas CE is still a relatively new concept in developing countries with the exception of G20 countries, such as China [8][9][10]. As the lack of knowledge on how it can be implemented has partly hindered most African countries from adopting the concept, this suggests that research efforts should offer direction in this regard [9].…”

Household Waste Management Strategy Toward Zero Waste City: A Case Study of Banda Aceh

“…Although there are different strategies available to handle waste disposal, they all have the same goal, of achieving sustainable development (Nizar, Munir, Irvan et Waller, 2018). Therefore, each country should use a different approach based tailored to fit the local context (Ogunmakinde, 2019). However, regardless of the approach, it is important to consider the financing of these waste management systems in order to ensure their sustainability (Ferramosca, 2019).…”