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Post-partum haemorrhage is among the main causes of (preventable) mortality for women in low-resource settings (LRSs), where, in 2017, the mortality ratio was 462 out of every 100 000 live births, over 10 times higher than for high-resource settings. There are different treatments available for post-partum haemorrhage. The intrauterine balloon tamponade is a medical device that proved to be a simple and cost-effective approach. Currently, there are several balloon tamponades available, with different design and working principles. However, all these devices were designed for high-resource settings, presenting several aspects that could be inappropriate for many lower-income countries. This paper presents the results of a preclinical study aiming at informing the design, prototyping and validation of a 3D-printed intrauterine balloon tamponade concept, contributing towards the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good health and Well-being. Frugal engineering concepts and contextualised design techniques were applied throughout, to define the design requirements and specifications. The performance of the final prototype was validated against the requirements of the UK National Health System (NHS) technical guidelines and relevant literature, measuring the water leak and pressure drop over time, both open air and in a approximate uterus model. The resulting prototype is made up of six components, some of which are easy to retrieve, namely a water bottle, a silicone tube and an ordinary condom, while others can be manufactured locally using 3D printers, namely a modified bottle cap, a flow stopper and a valve for holding the condom in place. Validation testing bore promising results with no water or pressure leak open air, and minimal leaks in the approximate uterus model. This demonstrates that the 3D printed condom-based intrauterine balloon tamponade is performing well against the requirements and, when compared to the state of the art, it could be a more appropriate and more resilient solution to low-resource settings, as it bypasses the challenges in the supply of consumables and presents a greener option based on circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Circular economy (CE) has emerged as a sustainable alternative to the current "take, make, waste" linear approach. Although prior studies have highlighted the salience of collaborative efforts between start‐ups and incumbents, little is known about the mechanisms behind collaboration in a CE context. This study enhances our understanding of the topic by drawing on six cases of circular start‐ups (CSUs) operating in the United Kingdom's business‐to‐business market and investigating the mechanisms by which start‐ups collaborate with incumbents. Using the Context, Intervention, Mechanism, Outcome framework, the paper's findings demonstrate that CE does not necessitate high‐risk and expensive changes and show that CSUs can collaborate with incumbents in low‐risk ways by outsourcing and developing service contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prosumer engagement conceptual model was considered in light of the Process Classification Framework and how results from Poland and United Kingdom (UK) survey data informed design of the combined prosumer engagement and knowledge exchange conceptual model. The desk literature method was used to review the papers in answering the research propositions. The revised model contains the constructs for supporting prosumer engagement to include sustainability and describes the flow of knowledge sharing and knowledge exchange. Knowledge exchange is the method used to capture and improve enterprise analysis of prosumer knowledge sharing. The sustainability construct includes circular economy philosophy where enterprises evaluate their product and service designs in terms of process stages. The findings confirm the need for increased prosumer engagement as enterprises strive to adopt ways of limiting negative impacts on the environment and improving ethical and responsible business practices. The circular economy is having an impact on all industrial sectors requiring them to evaluate and rethink their processes. The enhancement of the role of prosumers in the circular economy could act as a positive driver for business process changes and aid enterprises in meeting carbon neutral plans. The main contribution of this paper is to offer a novel concept that explains how enterprises can capture and translate prosumer knowledge to inform business strategy within a circular economy setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the relationships between macro-, meso- and micro-level contextual factors that enable or inhibit the contribution of product service systems (PSS) to circularity. It is informed by the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and the multi-level perspective as theoretical lenses. Design/methodology/approach: A theory elaboration approach is used through three in-depth case studies of UK and German manufacturers. Case studies provide use- and result-oriented PSS for personal computers, power tools and wind turbines. Multiple sources of evidence, including 20 semi-structured interviews, company documents and quantitative data, are triangulated to improve the validity of the results. Findings: Empirical evidence for relationships between macro-, meso- and micro-level contextual factors show significant barriers to the extending and cycling of resource loops, primarily through maintenance, repairs and refurbishment. A firm's environmental awareness has a determining role in the contribution of PSS to circularity. The evidence from two use-oriented PSS reveals different circularity maturity levels. Originality/value: This research makes three key contributions. Firstly, it elaborates on NRBV by showing that a firm's environmental awareness determines product stewardship. The type of product stewardship practices depends on the enabling and inhibiting effects of macro- and meso-level factors. Secondly, it shows that use-oriented PSS have different circularity profiles and proposes three circularity maturity levels. Finally, it provides an empirically validated framework of macro-, meso- and micro-level enablers and barriers and how they interact to enable or inhibit circularity in PSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years the quest for a circular economy approach and the upcycling of secondary raw materials have been pushed in the global political agenda. Increased interest has been taken by the recovery of materials from sludges, brines, contaminated waters and other media, all included in the larger umbrella identified as "low-grade" mineralisation. Contaminated soils have an interesting role in this process, and various methodologies have been developed using chemical, bacteriological and pyrometallurgical cleaning procedures. However, these procedures all involve the movement of high volume of materials and the disruption of the industrial landscape; furthermore, they often require the use of hazardous solvents and high energy processes. This work proposes to identify less impactful methods aimed at the recovery of metals from mining areas while preserving the landscape and avoiding environmental impacts such as the increase of CO2 for transport and increase hazard through use of solvents, this takes particular importance in areas of industrial heritage status. In particular, this work focuses on the use of Agrostis tenuis, an autochthonous species in mining areas of the UK, as a "mining tool" for the removal of lead. The selection of this plant is due to its visually non-invasive nature, as the plant is already present in these areas, it doesn't grow above 10/15 cm and it also grows very fast and can be easily harvested with existing agricultural equipment. The experiments and results presented in this paper indicate: (1) Agrostis Tenuis shows the ability to adjust to contamination and increase its accumulation capacity; (2) the metal collected by the plant is fully transposed in the aerial part of the plant in a stable compound form and can consequently be harvested and further processed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the transition towards a circular economy (CE) being a significant element in achieving the decarbonisation of the built environment, a clear and common pathway to applying CE principles to building design is still lacking in both industry practice and academia. The integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has the potential to enable the identification of feasible pathways to increase circularity. This study aims to investigate its practical use to facilitate the application of circular economy principles at the early stage of building design via using LCA-based BIM plugins. Within this aim, the paper centres on a co-production approach and presents a gap analysis by identifying gaps in knowledge and implementation as well as addressing the pressing needs of the current practice in the UK. A series of semi-structured interviews with expert practitioners in the field were conducted for data collection, contributing to the following phases of the co-production by allowing for an in-depth investigation and reflection of the practice. The findings have revealed that: (a) there is still an insufficient level of contextual awareness and readiness in the implementation of CE principles in the built environment and LCA understanding and (b) the adoption of BIM at the early stages of building design is still limited in the current practice; BIM models with sufficient level of data details and quality to enable circularity assessment are rarely produced. Thus, the paper highlights the need for enabling mechanisms, including the introduction of legislative instruments, the involvement and commitment of the industry and key stakeholders, the support for training and skills improvement, and the establishment of effective communication and implementation process management frameworks. Future research agenda points to the need of formulation of a BIM protocol to enable integration of BIM and LCA to promote CE principles in the building design process. [Display omitted] • Co-production is a promising approach to capture and respond to the industry needs. • Lack of seamless integration between BIM and LCA tools. • Insufficient understanding of how to apply CE principles in the building design. • Lack of systematic guidance and standardised process to implement BIM and LCA integration. • A tailored BIM protocol needed for applying LCA from a CE perspective in the building design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose In recent years, circular economy (CE) has come to prominence as an alternative to the classic approach of "make-use-dispose". How companies can exploit the opportunities of CE to position themselves better are not well articulated in the literature. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to identify the barriers and opportunities of CE in the manufacturing sector through a socio-political, economic, legal and environmental perspective.Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a positivist approach, which is deductive in nature. A survey questionnaire was designed and distributed to manufacturing companies operating in the UK and EU. The study used FAME database and social networking platform LinkedIn to identify manufacturing companies. More than 200+ companies were approached for this study and data collection lasted over two months.Findings The study provides a comprehensive review of the CE literature and identifies a number of barriers and opportunities to CE implementation from a socio-political, economic, legal and environmental perspective. The findings highlight key barriers, opportunities and benefits of CE for the manufacturing industries operating in the UK and EU.Research limitations/implications The findings are limited to 63 responses from the survey questionnaire distributed to manufacturing companies in the UK and EU. The present study aims to equip manufacturers with necessary understanding of the key opportunities and barriers to address the challenges encountered during the implementation of CE.Originality/value This study adds to the limited empirical literature on CE barriers and opportunities to manufacturing organisations operating in the UK and EU. The paper also identifies barriers and opportunities of CE from a socio-political, economic, legal and environmental lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK is facing tremendous challenges in tackling food waste diversion from landfill. Whilst much effort has been made to prevent food waste, there is still a lack of attention and strategic approach in dealing with resource recovery and valorisation of food waste. This paper presents a systematic framework for sustainable organic waste management and valorisation in the UK through (i) review of current policy framework; (ii) analysis of resource recovery potential from food waste at national, community and organisational levels; (iii) proposition of alternative waste management strategies; and (iv) examination of challenges and opportunities with respect to economic, environment and social dimensions of sustainability of waste management strategies. The paper explores valorisation of source-segregated food waste and mixed waste from the supermarket and households into electricity and transportation fuels, through partially and completely decentralised configurations using anaerobic digestion and gasification technologies. This study demonstrates a potential for reducing the cost of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions of one supermarket store by 12% when adopting partially decentralised food waste anaerobic digestion strategy, and full substitution of fossil fuel based electricity with net surplus renewable electricity generation through complete decentralisation of mixed waste gasification. Therefore, a more integrated, circular and advanced technological approach in waste management should be undertaken as it can lead to a wider range of socio-economic and environmental advantages to the local community, highly essential in the UK. Image 1 • Valorisation of waste closer to the source promotes resource circularity. • A synergistic approach is robust in addressing challenges in waste management. • Technology and configuration determine the viability of valorisation strategies. • Decentralised waste management enhances community participation. • A supportive fiscal incentive scheme promotes uptake of waste valorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of implementing circular economy within the built environment, quantifying progress and performance towards this effort has posed a substantial challenge. In response, this paper reviews the current state of building-specific circularity indicators, creates a taxonomy, and integrates them within the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work, a commonly employed framework within the UK's built environment. Through a systematic literature review considering both academic and grey literature, 32 building circularity indicators, developed by academia, consulting agencies, and governments, are identified. The first contribution of this study is the creation of a taxonomy of building circularity indicators, which classifies the identified indicators into 8 categories, such as basic characteristics of indicators, circularity level, and sustainability pillars. The second contribution of this study is the alignment of circularity within the stages of Plan of Work framework. It is revealed that the framework does not currently incorporate circularity, resulting in the proposal of a new Stage 8: End of Life to encompass demolition, disassembly, and deconstruction activities. Alignment of the taxonomy to Plan of Work framework provides a guide in utilization of building circularity indicators throughout the process of designing, constructing and operating building projects. • Building-specific circularity indicators are reviewed for the built environment. • A taxonomy of 32 building circularity indicators is created across eight categories. • A new Stage 8: End of Life is proposed for RIBA framework to enhance circularity. • The circularity indicators are integrated with the RIBA Plan of Work framework. • A traffic light approach is employed to guide the use of circularity indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a literature review on medicines reuse explaining how this phenomenon has evolved and has being re-interpreted in academic research. Literature review in combination with a descriptive and a qualitative thematic analysis was employed to answer two questions: (i) How the medicines returns phenomenon has been documented and discussed? (ii) To what extent the critical literature on circular and sharing/collaborative economies can be taken as metaphors for the advancement of knowledge to better understand the complexities of medicines returns? After the selection of 125 papers, 10 hubs of collaboration were identified in this research field with early work on reuse stemming from the UK. From the thematic analysis, three outcomes emerged. The first relates to the problem of wastage versus costs and affordability, and the role of stockpiles and misplacement of leftover medicines. The second arises from a chronological description of the selected studies. Using a timeline, recurring debates were identified: prescription costs/sharing; reuse in evolutionary perspective of rational use; affordability and avoidance of wastes; and the role of pharmacists and care in the community/solidary pharmacies. The third outcome delivers metaphors linking critical aspects of circular and sharing/collaborative economies with concepts and situations of medicines reuse. It was found that the circular economy, which is still far from consumer reality, offers a limited contribution as a metaphor for medicines reuse, while sharing/collaborative economy reflects current practices that can be understood as access giving, thus interpreted as a form of affordability. • Medicines reuse is reviewed out of the supply chain context. • Metaphors of reuse are proposed as circularity and shareness. • Behavioural aspects dominate emerging literature on reuse. • Circular economy is a poor metaphor for medicines reuse. • Sharing/collaborative economy are fruitful metaphors of reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Annual EV LiB recycling demand in the UK is projected to grow dramatically and reach 12.7 GWh by 2040, sufficient to feed 60% of a 20GWh battery plant in 2040. • Financial incentives, robust EV commitment and strict EOL LiB enforcement, are required to support the nascent recycling industry. • Scaling up a geospatially-optimised central recycling plant is the most cost-effective option, while the domestic market can host up to three pyrometallurgical recyclers or seven hydrometallurgical recyclers. • Closed-loop recycling is estimated to substantially reduce cost, save resources and cut emissions of EV battery manufacture. Rapid electrification of the transport system will generate substantial volumes of Lithium-ion-battery (LiB) waste as batteries reach their end-of-life. Much attention focuses on the recycling processes, neglecting a broader systemic view that considers the concentration of the costs and impacts associated with logistics and transportation. This paper provides an economic, environmental and geospatial analysis of a future LiB recycling industry in the UK. Hitherto, state-of-the-art assessment methods have evaluated life cycle impacts and costs but have not considered the geographical layer of the problem. This paper develops a GSC derived supply chain model for the UK electric vehicle and end-of-life vehicle battery industry. Considering both pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling technologies, the optimisation process takes into account anticipated EV volumes, and, based on anticipated near-term technological evolution of LiBs, the evolution of the mix of battery cathodes in production, and presents a number of scenarios to show where LiB recycling facilities should ideally be geographically located. An economic and environmental assessment based on a customised EverBatt model is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful transitioning to a circular economy city requires a holistic and inclusive approach that involves bringing together diverse actors and disciplines who may not have shared aims and objectives. It is desirable that stakeholders work together to create jointly-held perceptions of value, and yet cooperation in such an environment is likely to prove difficult in practice. The contribution of this paper is to show how collaboration can be engendered, or discord made transparent, in resource decision-making using a hybrid Game Theory approach that combines its inherent strengths with those of scenario analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis. Such a methodology consists of six steps: (1) define stakeholders and objectives; (2) construct future scenarios for Municipal Solid Waste Management; (3) survey stakeholders to rank the evaluation indicators; (4) determine the weights for the scenarios criteria; (5) reveal the preference order of the scenarios; and (6) analyse the preferences to reveal the cooperation and competitive opportunities. To demonstrate the workability of the method, a case study is presented: The Tyseley Energy Park, a major Energy-from-Waste facility that treats over two-thirds of the Municipal Solid Waste of Birmingham in the UK. The first phase of its decision-making involved working with the five most influential actors, resulting in recommendations on how to reach the most preferred and jointly chosen sustainable scenario for the site. The paper suggests a supporting decision-making tool so that cooperation is embedded in circular economy adoption and decisions are made optimally (as a collective) and are acceptable to all the stakeholders, although limited by bounded rationality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly efficient use of scarce resources is a central theme in the gradual transition towards a circular economy. Hazardous materials represent a category of resources that is often difficult—and potentially risky—to transport, store, or neutralize. As a result, hazardous materials are rarely included in closed material loops. The present paper analyzes HorsePower, a business concept centered around an innovative way of utilizing horse manure. Horse manure is generated in millions of tons in horse-rich countries such as the UK, Germany, and France. It is a hazardous resource, as it may spread diseases, and cannot be disposed of or landfilled economically. The content analysis of 21 semi-structured interviews carried out with different business actors participating in the HorsePower business network reveals that the success of HorsePower stems from its ability to combine the complementary capabilities and material needs of a relatively complex network of business actors including stables, sawmills, logistical service providers, and heat and power plants. Each actor receives added value; the benefits from participation are greater than the sacrifices of participation. Furthermore, the findings show that certain types of hazardous resources, when combined with resources produced by another actor, may be burned efficiently and safely in specific power plants, reducing the need for other types of fuel. The observations imply that novel approaches for effectively sharing ideas and resource needs across organizational boundaries are needed to facilitate the development of additional innovative CE business concepts, leveraging both actor-specific capabilities and intra-actor resource dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details the specific aims and purposes of the Damage Assessment Tracking Criteria; a series of evaluation tools designed to aid in remanufacturing inspection operations. The background and justification of this model, which is detailed in a separate work, identifies ill definition and an over reliance on opinion as barriers to effective inspection activities. Analysis of this issue led to the building of the Damage Assessment Tracking Criteria; a 4-model foundation that aims to provide a more comprehensive and more structured approach to the inspection stages of the typical remanufacturing process. Through expert opinion this model was evaluated multiple times. One review was used to gauge the level of idea communication within an academic situation, this was followed up by external industrial reviews of the model by those most likely to utilise it during industry practice. After extensive feedback and modification the final model assessment was carried out with an expert panel that were instructed to be as critical as possible with the model in order to ensure that its evaluation was as robust as possible. The results of these reviews were all on the positive side of the scale. Multiple statements regarding the potential value and suitability of each model aspect and justification for their use was presented in the format of an evaluation form which was used by those involved to present their findings and feedback. Negative feedback was addressed and successful modification yielding more positive results in the next evaluation was achieved. Though walking the line between specificity and generic was noted to be the most difficult factor to consider when developing the models, the final findings of the evaluation show that significant value was perceived by those operating within industry. The potential benefits of customised variants of the models is acknowledged by all parties as a possible future avenue of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predominantly linear use of wood curtails the potential climate-change mitigation contribution of forestry value-chains. Using lifecycle assessment, we show that more cascading and especially circular uses of wood can provide immediate and sustained mitigation by reducing demand for virgin wood, which increases forest carbon sequestration and storage, and benefits from substitution for fossil-fuel derived products, reducing net greenhouse gas emissions. By United Kingdom example, the circular approach of recycling medium-density fibreboard delivers 75% more cumulative climate-change mitigation by 2050, compared with business-as-usual. Early mitigation achieved by circular and cascading wood use complements lagged mitigation achieved by afforestation; and in combination these measures could cumulatively mitigate 258.8 million tonnes CO2e by 2050. Despite the clear benefits of implementing circular economy principles, we identify many functional barriers impeding the structural reorganisation needed for such complex system change, and propose enablers to transform the forestry value-chain into an effective societal change system and lead to coherent action. Cascading and especially circular wood uses enhance climate-change mitigation achieved by forestry. In combination, these measures could cumulatively mitigate 258.8 million tonnes CO2e by 2050 in the UK but implementation barriers must be overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen vehicles, encompassing fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), are pivotal within the UK's energy landscape as it pursues the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. By markedly diminishing dependence on fossil fuels, FCEVs, including hydrogen vehicles, wield substantial influence in shaping the circular economy (CE). Their impact extends to optimizing resource utilization, enabling zero-emission mobility, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources, supplying adaptable energy storage solutions, and interconnecting diverse sectors. The widespread adoption of hydrogen vehicles accelerates the UK's transformative journey towards a sustainable CE. However, to fully harness the benefits of this transition, a robust investigation and implementation of safety measures concerning hydrogen vehicle (HV) use are indispensable. Therefore, this study takes a holistic approach, integrating quantitative risk assessment (QRA) and an adaptive decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) framework as pragmatic instruments. These methodologies ensure both the secure deployment and operational excellence of HVs. The findings underscore that the root causes of HV failures encompass extreme environments, material defects, fuel cell damage, delivery system impairment, and storage system deterioration. Furthermore, critical driving factors for effective safety intervention revolve around cultivating a safety culture, robust education/training, and sound maintenance scheduling. Addressing these factors is pivotal for creating an environment conducive to mitigating safety and risk concerns. Given the intricacies of conducting comprehensive hydrogen QRAs due to the absence of specific reliability data, this study dedicates attention to rectifying this gap. A sensitivity analysis encompassing a range of values is meticulously conducted to affirm the strength and reliability of our approach. This robust analysis yields precise, dependable outcomes. Consequently, decision-makers are equipped to discern pivotal underlying factors precipitating potential HV failures. With this discernment, they can tailor safety interventions that lay the groundwork for sustainable, resilient, and secure HV operations. Our study navigates the intersection of HVs, safety, and sustainability, amplifying their importance within the CE paradigm. Using the careful amalgamation of QRA and DEMATEL methodologies, we chart a course towards empowering decision-makers with the insights to steer the hydrogen vehicle domain to safer horizons while ushering in an era of transformative, eco-conscious mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill restrictions on certain materials and products have provided the impetus to seek for a more sustainable utilisation of waste in a circular economy. These restrictions compounded with legislation and value factors necessitate an urgent solution to address the issue of carbon or glass fibre reinforced composite waste disposal. There is currently no mutual agreement on waste ownership among stakeholders. This study examined composite manufacturers in the United Kingdom and determined the waste volumes available within these companies. A new approach that combined mathematical modelling of supply chain complexity, centre-of-gravity method and K-Means algorithm was developed to determine the optimum location of third parties that could process waste for a number of supply chain providers. The paper is a presentation of new knowledge and proposes a scientific approach for identifying possible optimum locations for recycling centres. More significantly, this process could be used for clustering and reducing supply chains complexity to enable the setting up of multiple and optimally located recycling centres. The results have indicated that the approach could minimise carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emission associated with transporting cores or waste to processing centres. This work is of generic importance that could be implemented across other waste and aspects of a circular economy such as remanufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable methods of practice within the fashion and textile industry (FTI) often strive to employ a circular economy that aims to eliminate waste through the continual use of resources. Complex problems such as waste, consumption, and overproduction are heavily intertwined; the main aim of this paper is to report on research focused on re-examining the potential of food waste streams as a commercially viable and circular source of raw materials for the FTI. Herein, regenerated protein fibres (RPFs) from food production waste streams rich in protein have been chosen as the main topic of focus. RPFs have a rich and relevant history from a local manufacturing perspective during wartime and post-war clothing rationing (1941–1949) in the UK. RPFs were used to meet civilian needs for wool-based textiles as part of a wider series of 'make do and mend' strategies designed to manage the consumption of new textile products. However, RPFs demonstrated inferior quality in terms of durability when compared to wool-based textiles, a significant contributing factor to the consequent commercial phasing out of RPFs. In today's take–make–waste model, the FTI landscape can be defined by speed, from slow (high-quality materials and construction, long-lasting products) to fast (seasonal, disposable, low-quality materials and construction), the latter infamous for dire environmental impacts. A key objective of this research is to review the association of quality and longevity within the context of a local and circular fashion economy in which textile quality and lifecycle analysis are holistically matched to the longevity of the textile, garment, or product to reduce waste across the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐yielding crops with C4 photosynthesis arising in tropical climates are being bred for, and increasingly grown in, temperate climates. Miscanthus, a C4 from Eastern Asia is a leading perennial biomass crop, but commercial deployment is limited by low temperatures in Northern Europe, low clonal multiplication rates and slow establishment rates requiring up to 4 years to reach mature yields. While new seeded hybrids have multiplication rates >2000, direct field sown seed has proven impractical. Protocols for safe establishment of seeded hybrids require that seedlings are raised in the glasshouse in compost filled modules (also known as 'plugs') which are transplanted into the field in springtime. To protect seedlings from damage from late frosts, drought and grazing and to increase temperature stimulating growth rates, plug plants were covered with oxo‐degradable plastic mulch film designed for maize. At two sites in the UK, this mulch film significantly reduced plant losses at transplanting and overwintering, increased stem heights and shoot counts, and reduced the time to mature yield from 4 to 3 years (p < 0.01). However, the breakdown products of oxo‐degradable mulch films contribute to microplastics in the soil. Therefore, further mulch film experiments were conducted with bio‐derived plastics which are bio‐degradable in soil at extruded thicknesses of 10, 18 and 30 microns. The 10 micron film combined sufficient strength for machine laying and worked as well as oxo‐degradable film on de‐risking establishment. Halving the mulch film widths covering 1 row rather than 2 reduced the amount of plastic by 25%. Commercial plug‐to‐field protocols are built on results from the plot experiments and field‐scale plantings over multiple years and locations and are ready for future upscaling of biomass production from seed‐based Miscanthus hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 5.5 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally from the research sectors. A university laboratory, e.g., pathology, can generate 250 tons of clinical plastic waste annually. The UK National Health Service (NHS) generates 133 kilotons (kt) of clinical plastic waste annually. Healthcare facilities in the US generate 1.7 million tons of clinical plastic waste annually. In addition, 95% of the clinical plastics are single-use plastics derived from fossil resources, i.e., crude oils. These single-use clinical plastic wastes are incinerated, contributing to global warming, or go to the landfill, contributing to resource depletion. Plastic leakage is a major threat to the environment. This linear plastics economy model, take-make-dispose, must be replaced by a circular plastics economy, i.e., sort plastic wastes, wash, decontaminate, recover materials, blend with bio-based compounds as necessary and circulate recyclate plastics, for holistic systemic sustainability. While there are multi-faceted environmental drivers for a circular plastics economy, there are many uncertainties in the economic attributes, electricity price, labor cost and chemical cost being the primary ones influencing the cost of production of secondary or recyclate plastics, requiring government and policy support, such as a gate fee on plastic waste by the generators to the recyclers. An essential macroeconomic condition for techno-economically (or micro-economically) feasible plastic waste recycling is low oil and gas prices that influence the recyclate plastics and electricity prices. It is essential to de-fossilize the economy by decoupling renewable electricity generation from natural gas consumption and fossil-independent biopolymer productions displacing fossil-derived plastics to stimulate the circular economy. This study shows a comprehensive and robust technoeconomic analysis of mechanical recycling of clinical plastic wastes into secondary plastics recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road transportation being a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, is now resulting a move away from the traditional internal combustion engine to electric vehicles (EVs), currently powered by battery technology. This paper examines end-of-first-life applications of EVs batteries in a low-carbon circular economy following global transition to EVs and net zero economy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key actors within the EV industry in the UK. Drawing on Stahel closed-loop solutions, a qualitative analysis of the transcripts of these interviews revealed the need for business models towards coherent low-carbon circular economy of the value chains. This paper reveals a whole range of issues relating to: extraction of battery critical raw minerals (e.g. ethical concerns); manufacturing (e.g. lack of policy frameworks addressing value chain emissions); distribution and sale (e.g. gaps in circular built economy strategy and transition plan); use (e.g. lack of a functioning market for end-of-first-life batteries) as well as research and innovation (e.g. lack of infrastructure to deal with end-of-first-life cells). The views on policy weaknesses testifies to the need for close-loop business model to not only focus on recycling battery raw minerals or repurposing battery for energy storage applications. But, should consider many aspects of an innovative policy strategy and product's global value chain, accounting for: equitable jobs, critical raw minerals dependency, circularity governance and industry standards, protecting the natural environment, tackling emissions and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. The study highlights establishing key trade-offs within policy goals considering the global value chains, as well as, harnessing synergies between social, economic and environmental goals. The paper concludes that a low-carbon close-loop business model should integrate the triple objectives of making positive impact on people, planet and profit, and developed on the basis of legislation, collaboration, research, investment, and incentives guiding to achieve the Global Goals. • A circular economy business model for transitioning to electric vehicles in a low carbon economy is examined. • Principles of circular economy has extraction, manufacturing, distribution & sale, use, recycling & innovation dimensions. • Raw minerals dependency, value chain ethical issues, transition plan and lack of legislative frameworks are major concerns. • Stakeholders hold views on weaknesses on lack of business model addressing value chain circular and low-carbon solutions. • Imperative to recognise nexus and circular thinking in policies and future studies towards sustainable futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy holds the potential to significantly reduce resource use. However, attempts to fully utilize its potential have fallen short so far. Based on a longitudinal interview‐based study, we examine how micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the UK fashion industry advance the circular economy (CE). Whereas the dynamic capabilities framework is mostly used for medium and large businesses, our findings advance the current literature, demonstrating how the distinctive development and use of dynamic capabilities enable MSMEs to act in agile ways, allowing them to introduce, test and advance CE solutions, while providing them with more resilience during times of crises. Our study further shows that fashion MSMEs adopt circular economy business models (CEBMs) by going beyond conventional, technology‐focused approaches currently dominating business thinking. The research highlights MSMEs' ability to engage in circular practices through an extension of existing business models in the form of close interactions with their customers demonstrating the importance and potential of extended business‐customer engagement in businesses' attempts to adopt CE practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) in construction literature engages with individual CE concepts, mostly at the 'macro'/'meso' levels, and lacks holistic frameworks of indicators for circularity assessments (CAs) to inform decision-making at the 'micro' (project) level. This article presents a model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for circular proposal selection in building projects based on a previously validated conceptual framework. The model involves twelve circularity indicators (CIs) classed under five themes relevant to building lifecycle stages. A questionnaire survey was used to establish the final weight vector of CIs. Participants acknowledged the immediate and prolonged effects of design on circularity and viewed waste as 'design flaws' but focused on aspirational design indicators relevant to achieving future circularity and missed opportunities for embedding circular materials in design. Moreover, UK participants showed distinctive behaviours towards CAs (proactive/reactive) based on work experience. 'UK-Experts' focused on 'front-end' design indicators, while 'UK-Non-experts' focused on 'back-end' waste management indicators. The findings indicate a partial transition to CE better described as a 'recycle/reuse economy'. CAs and multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques facilitate automated decision-making, which provides a new pathway to digital transformation within built environment. Future research will develop a decision-making tool and apply the proposed model in real-life projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wales is one of the world leaders in household waste recycling with a steady recent recycling rate of ~65%. The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) set a statutory target of achieving a 70% recycling rate by 2024/25. We reviewed historical trends in waste management in Wales from 2006 to 2020, with a focus on recycling. Authoritative, official data were obtained from WasteDataFlow, an Internet system for municipal waste data reporting by UK local authorities to government. Data are collected quarterly allowing the generation of time series plots, trendlines and like-for-like comparisons between groupings of various characteristics, such as number of separate kerbside collections, income, political preference, and impact of policy changes. Results showed that the approach taken by the WAG to politically prioritise and encourage participation in household recycling has achieved impressive results that contrast starkly with the recycling performance of other UK countries. In Wales, household waste disposed annually per person via landfill decreased from ~410 kg to <50 kg and household waste recycled increased from to ~150 kg to ~310 kg, with a recent increase in incineration with energy recovery to ~135 kg as infrastructure has come online. Recycling rates show a seasonal variation due to increases in garden waste sent for composting in the summer. There are variations in local authority performance across Wales, mainly caused by variations in the number of separate collections. Co-mingled collections tend to lead to higher contamination of recyclates that are then not able to be sold for recycling. Deprivation, as indicated by differences in income, also influences total waste arisings and recycling rates. A plateau of ~65% recycling rate was reached in 2020, with incineration reaching a rate of >25%. The recycling rate plateaus at exactly the same time as incineration comes on stream. Evidence demonstrates that improvements to recycling rates can become more difficult when incineration becomes available. Whilst further reductions and improvements to recycling in Wales will be more challenging, the WAG's track record of focused proactive political and policy support shows what can be achieved when there is suitable political will. The WAG has demonstrated that it tends to deliver on its waste-related plans, and it clearly has the best chance of any of the UK's four countries of achieving its aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy is a widely discussed topic in the field of industrial renovation and environmentally responsive economies. The current economic and industrial model, which is termed as the produce–use–dispose model, is a linear model in which the resource is lost forever after utilisation. In addition to economic impact, disposal of the waste products creates an immense pressure on the environment. For this reason, scholars are trying to find an effective solution to this problem by ensuring the reuse of the resources that are used. The concept of the circular economy ensures the re-cycling and reuse of the resources and closes the resource loop. The circular economy challenges the produce–use–dispose concept and focuses on the reuse of resources. In a world of scarce resources, policies to recycle and reuse resources increase opportunities for economic growth. Scholars are increasingly researching the concept of a circular economy to improve efficiencies and improve industrial ecology. This study considers these ideas and identifies the opportunities and barriers of the circular economy transition. To achieve the goals of the study, the researchers reviewed 10 UK leading retailers and after the analysis have found that environmental awareness, stakeholder pressure and government rules and regulations have driven retailers to embrace the circular business model in their operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel products are widely used in the construction industry and for the development of infrastructure projects, because they are versatile, durable, and affordable. Energy demand and 'greenhouse gas' (GHG) emissions associated with the United Kingdom (UK) Iron & Steel sector principally result from the large consumption of coal/coke used in conjunction with the blast furnace. Like other sectors of industry, efforts are being made to ensure that processing becomes ever more environmentally benign, or 'green'. Thus, the notion of 'green steel' has entered into the industrial vocabulary over the last decade or so. It is a steel-making process designed principally to lower GHG emissions, as well as potentially cutting costs and improving the quality of steel, in comparison to conventional methods. The aim of this study was therefore to (i) elicit the various ways in which the term 'green steel' has recently been used in the literature; and (ii) compare and contrast different options for making UK steel production more environmentally benign, particularly in regard to its decarbonisation. Some key 'deep decarbonisation', or 'disruptive', options for producing green steel in the UK are evaluated drawing on the experience from other nation-states and regions. These include the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of bioenergy resources, hydrogen-based production, electrification, and the least desirable option of deindustrialisation (i.e., reducing or out-sourcing of UK steel production 'offshore'). 'Circular economy' interventions or resource efficiency improvements ('reduce, reuse, recycle') are also discussed. The potential reductions in GHG emissions from the UK Iron & Steel sector overall out to 2050 are then illustrated by comparison with previous technology roadmaps or transition pathways. The lessons learned are applicable across much of the industrialised world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate determinants of consumer demand for circular (reused and remanufactured) products. Based on exploratory choice‐based conjoint experiments with a sample of 800 adults in the United Kingdom, we examine two types of premium segment electronic appliances: a mobile phone and a robot vacuum cleaner. We find that consumers prefer partly circulated products over fully or not at all circulated products and that circular products can likely successfully enter the existing market at the retail price of a new product. Interestingly, circular products compete for market share primarily with new products, leaving the market share of second‐hand options less affected. The results show a promising path for firms considering a transition to circular business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) represents a major paradigm shift of moving from the concepts of linear to circular supply chains across multiple industries. Although some aspects of CE adoption within industrial supply chains have been researched extensively (particularly addressing challenges of design, implementation, and operations), the research that relates CE practices with sustainability performance to reveal the current state of CE practices within small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is scant. The aim of this research was to facilitate SMEs to achieve greater sustainability through CE implementation. This research addresses three research questions—How are CE fields of action related to sustainability performance? What are the issues, challenges, and opportunities of adopting CE in SMEs? And what key strategies, resources, and competences facilitate effective implementation of CE in SMEs? This study adopts a mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative) using survey research, focus group, and case studies; 130 randomly selected SMEs within the Midlands of the United Kingdom have been surveyed, and the responses are analysed using statistical tools along with findings from focus groups and case studies. The study reveals that all CE fields of action (take, make, distribute, use, and recover) of SMEs are correlated to economic performance, but only make and use are related to environmental and social performance. The study further derives strategies, resources, and competences for achieving sustainability across all the CE field of actions. Additionally, this research reveals the issues and challenges, strategies, resources, and competences required for implementing CE in SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentage of products being returned in multichannel retail are high and further increasing, yet many retailers and manufacturers are unaware of the importance and scale of this issue. They consider dealing with returns as a cost of doing business and are oblivious of the potential for conflicts between their corporate social responsibility commitments and their returns practices. This article investigates how far sustainable practices and circular economy concepts have been implemented in retail returns systems; it identifies vulnerabilities, barriers, and challenges to the implementation of sustainable, circular practices and suggests ways to overcome them, as sustainability, loss prevention, and profit optimisation can go hand in hand with the right approach to the organisation of the reverse supply chain. Implications of this research on strategic management are outlined. The research was conducted using in‐depth interviews and observations with four major retailers in the United Kingdom, 17 structured interviews, 100 retailer website reviews, and three retail community workshops, all with British and other European retailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been growing interest in insects as an alternative to soybean meal as laying hen feed due to nutrition, sustainability, and animal welfare benefits. Although some studies have investigated consumer acceptance and intentions towards insect-fed foodstuffs, no studies are available on eggs from insect-fed hens. This qualitative study aimed to explore consumers' attitudes and perceptions towards eggs from insect-fed hens and factors influencing intentions to consume and purchase the product. Three focus group discussions were employed with a total of 19 individuals from the UK. Results showed that the environmental, animal welfare, and food waste benefits of feeding hens with insects positively influenced attitudes. Results also indicated price and disgust towards insects as feed were the main barriers, while enhanced welfare standards (e.g., free-range labelling) and information on benefits were main drivers. Therefore, the study suggests that educating and informing consumers about the benefits of feeding hens with insects may increase intentions to consume and purchase eggs from insect-fed hens. Given this emerging area of research, this study contributes to the limited literature on insect-fed foodstuffs and paves the way for further research on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]