TU Darmstadt / ULB / TUbiblio

Advancing the understanding and impact assessment of circular economy product legislation in the European Union

Barkhausen, Robin (2024)
Advancing the understanding and impact assessment of circular economy product legislation in the European Union.
Technische Universität Darmstadt
doi: 10.26083/tuprints-00027751
Ph.D. Thesis, Primary publication, Publisher's Version

Abstract

Products, especially energy-related, are responsible for large environmental impacts along their supply chains. Circular economy is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts and legislation can serve as a lever to facilitate the implementation of circular economy related measures. Against this background, this dissertation is located at the intersection of the three domains of circular economy, legislation and (energy-related) products, with the aim of improving the understanding of circular economy product legislation, including its impact assessment. The research conducted as part of the cumulative dissertation combines a variety of methods such as directed content and keyword analysis, systematic literature analysis, policy analysis using the advocacy coalition framework with qualitative content analysis and interviews, and scenario modelling using a combination of material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The results show that while the focus of EU product legislation in the past has been on reducing energy consumption during the use phase, environmental impacts beyond the use phase are becoming increasingly important and a clear increase in circular economy related requirements could be identified, with differences between product families and circular economy categories. In order to reduce the conceptual ambiguity around the term “circular economy”, a taxonomy of circular economy requirements was developed based on the analysis of the Ecodesign implementing measures and the EU battery legislation. The battery legislation was also used as a basis to analyse the policy making process for the underlying drivers of the evolution towards a stronger consideration of circular economy aspects. A hypothesis was derived that circular economy is the common denominator aligning economic, environmental and social interests. The apparent increase of circular economy related aspects in product legislation requires an improvement of existing environmental impact assessment methods. A scoping of impact assessment methods and a systematic literature review showed the suitability of combining material flow analysis and life cycle assessment for such an impact assessment. The combination allows to extend the in-depth environmental assessment of life cycle assessment by considering the interactions of material flows over long time periods and large spatial scopes of material flow analysis. Subsequently, a model was developed for the ex-ante assessment of material flows and environmental impacts of a range of circular economy product policies. The model uses a layered approach where material and environmental impacts are derived from product flows via a product database that defines physical properties for product variants. To demonstrate its utility, the model was applied in two case studies of industrial motors and traction batteries. The case study results demonstrated the broad range of policy requirements that can be assessed and the multi-dimensional and product specific nature of the results. Circling around circular means and promises this dissertation aims to advance the understanding and impact assessment of circular economy product legislation in the European Union.

Item Type: Ph.D. Thesis
Erschienen: 2024
Creators: Barkhausen, Robin
Type of entry: Primary publication
Title: Advancing the understanding and impact assessment of circular economy product legislation in the European Union
Language: English
Referees: Zeller, Dr. Vanessa ; Rohde, Prof. Dr. Clemens ; Linke, Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim
Date: 30 July 2024
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Collation: vii, 139 Seiten
Refereed: 24 June 2024
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00027751
URL / URN: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/27751
Abstract:

Products, especially energy-related, are responsible for large environmental impacts along their supply chains. Circular economy is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts and legislation can serve as a lever to facilitate the implementation of circular economy related measures. Against this background, this dissertation is located at the intersection of the three domains of circular economy, legislation and (energy-related) products, with the aim of improving the understanding of circular economy product legislation, including its impact assessment. The research conducted as part of the cumulative dissertation combines a variety of methods such as directed content and keyword analysis, systematic literature analysis, policy analysis using the advocacy coalition framework with qualitative content analysis and interviews, and scenario modelling using a combination of material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The results show that while the focus of EU product legislation in the past has been on reducing energy consumption during the use phase, environmental impacts beyond the use phase are becoming increasingly important and a clear increase in circular economy related requirements could be identified, with differences between product families and circular economy categories. In order to reduce the conceptual ambiguity around the term “circular economy”, a taxonomy of circular economy requirements was developed based on the analysis of the Ecodesign implementing measures and the EU battery legislation. The battery legislation was also used as a basis to analyse the policy making process for the underlying drivers of the evolution towards a stronger consideration of circular economy aspects. A hypothesis was derived that circular economy is the common denominator aligning economic, environmental and social interests. The apparent increase of circular economy related aspects in product legislation requires an improvement of existing environmental impact assessment methods. A scoping of impact assessment methods and a systematic literature review showed the suitability of combining material flow analysis and life cycle assessment for such an impact assessment. The combination allows to extend the in-depth environmental assessment of life cycle assessment by considering the interactions of material flows over long time periods and large spatial scopes of material flow analysis. Subsequently, a model was developed for the ex-ante assessment of material flows and environmental impacts of a range of circular economy product policies. The model uses a layered approach where material and environmental impacts are derived from product flows via a product database that defines physical properties for product variants. To demonstrate its utility, the model was applied in two case studies of industrial motors and traction batteries. The case study results demonstrated the broad range of policy requirements that can be assessed and the multi-dimensional and product specific nature of the results. Circling around circular means and promises this dissertation aims to advance the understanding and impact assessment of circular economy product legislation in the European Union.

Alternative Abstract:
Alternative abstract Language

Produkte, vor allem energieverbrauchsrelevante, sind für große Umweltauswirkungen verantwortlich. Circular Economy wird als ein Weg zur Verringerung der Umweltauswirkungen angesehen, und Gesetzgebung kann als Hebel zur Implementierung von Circular Economy Maßnahmen dienen. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist diese Dissertation an der Schnittstelle der drei Bereiche Kreislaufwirtschaft, Gesetzgebung und (energieverbrauchsrelevante) Produkte angesiedelt, mit dem Ziel, das Verständnis für die Gesetzgebung im Bereich der Circular Economy, einschließlich der Analyse ihrer Umweltwirkungen, zu verbessern. Die im Rahmen der kumulativen Dissertation durchgeführte Forschung kombiniert eine Vielzahl von Methoden wie qualitative und quantitative Textanalyse, systematische Literaturanalyse, politikwissenschaftliche Analyse unter Verwendung des Advocacy-Coalition-Frameworks mit qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse und Interviews sowie Szenariomodellierung mit einer Kombination aus Materialflussanalyse und Ökobilanz. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Schwerpunkt der EU-Produktgesetzgebung in der Vergangenheit auf der Verringerung des Energieverbrauchs während der Nutzungsphase lag, dass aber die Umweltauswirkungen über die Nutzungsphase hinaus zunehmend an Bedeutung gewinnen und ein deutlicher Anstieg von Circular Economy verwandten Maßnahmen festgestellt werden konnte, wobei Unterschiede zwischen Produktfamilien und Kategorien von Maßnahmen bestehen. Um die begriffliche Unklarheit rund um den Begriff "Circular Economy" zu verringern, wurde auf der Grundlage der Analyse der Ökodesign-Gesetzgebung und der EU-Batterieregulierungen eine Taxonomie von Circular Economy Maßnahmen entwickelt. Die Batteriegesetzgebung wurde auch als Grundlage für die Analyse des politischen Entscheidungsprozesses verwendet, um die Ursachen für die Entwicklung hin zu einer stärkeren Berücksichtigung von Circular Economy Aspekten zu ermitteln. Es wurde die Hypothese aufgestellt, dass die Kreislaufwirtschaft der gemeinsame Nenner ist, der wirtschaftliche, ökologische und soziale Interessen in Einklang bringt. Um die bestehenden Methoden der Analyse von Umweltwirkungen zu verbessern, wurde ein Scoping der Methoden zur Folgenabschätzung und eine systematische Literaturrecherche durchgeführt. Es zeigte sich, dass die Kombination von Materialflussanalyse und Ökobilanz für eine solche Analyse geeignet ist. Die Kombination ermöglicht es, die detaillierte ökologische Analyse der Ökobilanz zu erweitern, indem die Wechselwirkungen der Stoffströme über lange Zeiträume und große räumliche Bereiche der Materialflussanalyse berücksichtigt werden. Anschließend wurde ein Modell für die Ex-ante-Bewertung von Materialflüssen und Umweltauswirkungen von Circular Economy Maßnahmen entwickelt. Das Modell verwendet einen mehrdimensionalen Ansatz, bei dem die Material- und Umweltauswirkungen aus den Produktströmen über eine Produktdatenbank abgeleitet werden, die die physikalischen Eigenschaften der Produktvarianten definiert. Um seinen Nutzen zu demonstrieren, wurde das Modell in zwei Fallstudien zu Industriemotoren und Traktionsbatterien angewendet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass ein breites Spektrum an politischen Anforderungen bewertet werden kann und dass die Ergebnisse mehrdimensional und produktspezifisch sind. Diese Dissertation zielt darauf ab, das Verständnis und die Analyse von Umweltwirkungen der Circular Economy Gesetzgebung in der Europäischen Union voranzutreiben.

German
Status: Publisher's Version
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-277518
Classification DDC: 600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 620 Engineering and machine engineering
600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 624 Civil engineering and environmental protection engineering
Divisions: 13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences
13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences > Institute IWAR
13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences > Institute IWAR > Material Flow Management and Resource Economy
Date Deposited: 30 Jul 2024 12:09
Last Modified: 31 Jul 2024 07:00
PPN:
Referees: Zeller, Dr. Vanessa ; Rohde, Prof. Dr. Clemens ; Linke, Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim
Refereed / Verteidigung / mdl. Prüfung: 24 June 2024
Export:
Suche nach Titel in: TUfind oder in Google
Send an inquiry Send an inquiry

Options (only for editors)
Show editorial Details Show editorial Details