The hierarchy of resource use for a sustainable circular economy

Heidi Rapp Nilsen

International Journal of Social Economics, 2020, vol. 47, issue 1, 27-40

Abstract: Purpose - The original principles of the hierarchy of resource use seem to have been forgotten. The purpose of this paper is to address the necessity of these principles in order for a circular economy (CE) to be sustainable. Design/methodology/approach - This is a general review paper explaining today’s shortcomings in a CE and in the waste hierarchy. Its theoretical contribution is illustrated using the example of marine plastic waste in the Arctic, as well as the EU’s action plan for a CE: “Closing the loop”. Findings - There is a need to reduce raw materials into the economy directly and not only as a potential result of recycling. This is supported theoretically and by illustrating that the EU’s action plan is closing the loop primarily from the output side. Research limitations/implications - The theoretical possibility of complete recycling rests on a premise that is now at odds with a sustainable development. Social implications - The power of existing raw material production cycles must be challenged to allow reduction to be a real option. If not, a CE may exacerbate a moral trade-off by the current generation reducing the safe operating space of future living beings. Originality/value - The theoretical possibility of recycling everything, also known as the technology-optimist view, has played the role of a safety net for humanity. As we are now exceeding planetary boundaries for a safe and just space for humanity, this theoretical safety net is no longer valid. Instead, we must reinforce the basic principles of the hierarchy of resource use.

Keywords: Sustainability; Ecology; Resources; Social justice; Waste hierarchy; Circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (text/html)
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110 ... d&utm_campaign=repec (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijsepp:ijse-02-2019-0103

DOI: 10.1108/IJSE-02-2019-0103

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Social Economics is currently edited by Professor Terence Garrett

More articles in International Journal of Social Economics from Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Emerald Support ().