Analysis of Barriers to Transitioning from a Linear to a Circular Economy for End of Life Materials: A Case Study for Waste Feathers

Elena Dieckmann, Leila Sheldrick, Mike Tennant, Rupert Myers and Christopher Cheeseman
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Elena Dieckmann: Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2DB, UK
Leila Sheldrick: Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2DB, UK
Mike Tennant: Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, SW7 1NE, UK
Rupert Myers: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BB, UK
Christopher Cheeseman: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BB, UK

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-23

Abstract: This research aimed to develop a simple but robust method to identify the key barriers to the transition from a linear to a circular economy (CE) for end of life products or material. Nine top-tier barrier categories have been identified that influence this transition. These relate to the basic material properties and product characteristics, the availability of suitable processing technology, the environmental impacts associated with current linear management, the organizational context, industry and supply chain issues, external drivers, public perception, the regulatory framework and the overall economic viability of the transition. The method provides a novel and rapid way to identify and quantitatively assess the barriers to the development of CE products. This allows mitigation steps to be developed in parallel with new product design. The method has been used to assess the potential barriers to developing a circular economy for waste feathers generated by the UK poultry industry. This showed that transitioning UK waste feathers to circularity faces significant barriers across numerous categories and is not currently economically viable. The assessment method developed provides a novel approach to identifying barriers to circularity and has potential to be applied to a wide range of end of life materials and products.

Keywords: circular economy; waste management; sustainable materials; barriers; feathers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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