Johnson Matthey Technology Review - Volume 64, Issue 1, 2020

Recycling of plastic is an established technology contributing to a circular economy. A sustainable society requires recycling to produce high quality feedstocks from all types of reusable waste. New recycling technologies will help to improve waste management practices, for instance dissolving plastic waste in a solvent to purify and maintain its material properties. In solution it is also possible to depolymerise polymers into monomers that can be used to remake virgin-grade material. In this review the advantages and disadvantages of three solvent-based recycling processes will be considered: separation of cotton and polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) textiles, chemical recycling of polylactic acid (PLA) and dissolution-precipitation of polyvinylchloride (PVC). The current state of the art and future prospects are discussed, including a brief overview of how solvents are being used to process other types of plastic waste.

The debate about circular economy (CE) is increasingly present in the strategic agenda of organisations around the world, being driven by government agencies and general population pressures, or by organisations’ own vision for a sustainable future. This is due in part to the increasing possibility of turning original theoretical CE proposals into real economically viable initiatives, now possible with modern technology applications such as big data and the internet of things (IoT). Information technology (IT) professionals have been called upon to incorporate technology projects into their strategic plans to support their organisations’ transition to CE, but a structured framework with the necessary IT capabilities still lacks. This study focuses on taking the first step towards this path, by extending the technology attributes present on the existing Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) Regenerate, Share, Optimise, Loop, Virtualise and Exchange (ReSOLVE) framework. The research was conducted based on an extensive literature review through 226 articles retrieved from Scopus^® and Web of Science^TM databases, which were triangulated, validated and complemented with content analysis using the ‘R’ statistical tool, grey literature research and inputs from specialists. Part I describes the introduction and methods used in this study.

This paper presents the main findings of a literature-based study of circular economy (CE) extending the technology attributes present on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) Regenerate, Share, Optimise, Loop, Virtualise and Exchange (ReSOLVE) framework. The introduction and methods were presented in Part I (1). Part II concludes that there are 39 capabilities grouped into six elementary CE principles and five action groups, with public administration being the most interested sector, forming the CE information technology (IT) capabilities framework. It is expected the framework can be used as a diagnostic tool to allow organisations to evaluate their technological gaps and plan their IT investments to support the transition to CE.

A novel process for the recovery of platinum group metals (pgms) from ternary alloys using a hydrocarbonyl process is proposed. The hydrocarbonyl process involves treatment of a chloride solution of the pgms with carbon monoxide at ambient pressure. The results demonstrate that the process can provide high purity pgms from a ternary platinum-rhodium-palladium alloy such as that obtained from palladium-nickel catchment alloys used with platinum-rhodium gauzes during high temperature ammonia oxidation.

The circular economy (CE) is aimed at closing material loops by reducing and recovering resources in production and consumption processes. Many studies have discussed how CE helps companies create business opportunities while bringing environmental benefits. The business case for CE involves complicated issues such as industrial symbiosis, governmental interventions and the transformation of company culture. It is important to consider the whole context of CE when changing policies or business elements to optimise resource efficiency and avoid unsustainable consumption. By reviewing industry research reports and academic studies, this article summarises important circular business models and strategies and indicates current major barriers to CE. In addition, we explore multiple business cases and point out three important considerations that, if not used correctly, can lead to improper policies and environmental degradation when designing circular business models. These are (a) the use of biodegradable materials, (b) modular design for product life extension and (c) upcycling for new production processes. We then present a framework for companies to clarify vital considerations for resolving these issues based on systems thinking. The implications for business managers and policy makers are also discussed. This article serves to provide a better understanding of CE and explores how companies innovate in line with CE trends.

The circular economy (CE) is an important approach and current trend in environmental sustainability. The implementation of the CE depends on the adoption of sustainable practices from the planning stages of new product development (NPD). Although the literature recognises the need to apply CE practices into NPD, few studies have tried to provide support for the issues based on real case studies. This article aims to identify and analyse practices, barriers and drivers to the development of circular products. To achieve this objective, a multiple case study was carried out in three medium and large Brazilian companies that have environmental concerns and, at the same time, are continuously involved in NPD activities. The results show that the companies’ circular product designs already foresee waste and recycled components as raw materials. In addition, it was found that infrastructural aspects and low awareness of customers regarding sustainability are challenges to overcome. Finally, for the adoption of CE practices, regulatory legislation stood out as a significant driver. This article contributes to theory and practice by providing empirical evidence of how companies have planned to build circular products by incorporating circular practices into the NPD process.

As citizens, organisations and governments across the globe increase their interest in environmentally and socially sustainable means of production and consumption, the idea of a circular economy (CE) has been at the forefront of recent discussions held at organisational, national and international levels. This article briefly presents the CE concept from a supply chain management perspective. Then, two contemporary, representative CE technology management problems are introduced. The article concludes with some takeaways that policy makers and managers can use to inform further CE development.

China has continuously upgraded the emission standards for non-road diesel mobile machinery since they were first issued in 2007. This paper reviews the Chinese non-road diesel mobile machinery emission standards, analyses the change in the environmental situation and management policy and puts forward some principles and suggestions for developing emission standards for non-road mobile machinery in the future. It will have a positive effect on improving the theory and methods for developing mobile source emission standards, as well as boosting the level of environmental management and emission control in China.

Circular economy (CE) thinking has emerged as a route to sustainable manufacture, with related cradle-to-cradle implications requiring implementation from the design stage. The challenge lies in moving manufacturing environments away from the traditional linear economy paradigm, where materials, energy and water have often been designed to move out of the system and into receivership of waste management bodies after use. Recent applications of industrial digital technologies (IDTs: for example internet of things, data-driven modelling, cyber-physical systems, cloud manufacturing, cognitive computing) to manufacturing may be instrumental in transforming manufacturing from linear to circular. However, although IDTs and CE have been the focus of intensive research, there is currently limited research exploring the relationship between IDTs and the CE and how the former may drive the implementation of CE. This article aims to close the knowledge gap by exploring how an IDT (data-driven modelling) may facilitate and advance CE principles within process manufacturing systems, specifically waste valorisation and process resilience. These applications are then demonstrated through two real-world manufacturing case studies: (a) minimising resource consumption of industrial cleaning processes and (b) transforming wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) into manufacturing centres.