Regulatory Elements on the Circular Economy: Driving into the Agri-Food System

Carla Zarbà, Gaetano Chinnici, Giovanni La Via, Salvatore Bracco, Biagio Pecorino and Mario D’Amico
Additional contact information
Carla Zarbà: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Gaetano Chinnici: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Giovanni La Via: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Salvatore Bracco: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Biagio Pecorino: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Mario D’Amico: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental (Di3A), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia No. 98-100, 95123 Catania, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-22

Abstract: In the transition from linear production systems, unsustainable from the point of view of resources, to a model that finds strength in environmental, social and economic sustainability, the circular economy paradigm is the foundation that facilitates the planetary agro-ecological transition. The European Union has taken a number of steps (including the Circular Economy Package of Directives) shaping circularity as a wide-ranging driver measure involving many sectors. The paper intends to provide a regulatory framework on the current general situation regarding circularity in European Union, in order to extrapolate and give evidence to the aspects that intersect the agri-food sector. This is not only because they are poorly addressed in the literature, but also because there is a lack of regulatory instruments on the circular economy specifically addressing this area of interest. For this purpose, the analysis focuses on waste and residue/scrap management issues, recognized by law as by-products and end-of-waste status, as they are covered by circular economy legislation and as they can be applied to the agri-food sector. The latter allow the implementation of circularity strategies in the agri-food sector and, given the numerousness of production chains and the peculiarities of each of them, various regeneration and/or reuse processes of specific resources may be depicted. The intent is to provide useful knowledge on how to implement sustainable waste management, also proposing a concrete case on a by-product of olive oil processing, through which it is possible to highlight how the correct application of regulations favors the adoption of circular economic and management models in the firms involved, as well as informing the relevant economic operators on the possible profiles of legal liability that may arise from insufficient knowledge. Furthermore, this paper delves into the European Green Deal’s Strategy as it enriches the circular economy paradigm with new facets. NextGenerationEU and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan financially support this strategy in the aftermath of the socioeconomic crisis from COVID-19 in the EU Member States. This is in order to achieve the objective of achieving the agro-ecological transition.

Keywords: regulatory elements; circular economy; agri-food; olive oil sector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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