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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The rate of use of the Circular Economy in individual sectors
ClearThe Circular Economy in EU Policy as a Response to Contemporary Ecological Challenges
This article reviews how EU countries are implementing circular economy policies and progress toward reducing plastic waste, finding large variation across member states. Shifting from linear to circular plastic economies is critical for reducing the production of waste that generates microplastics.
The Commitment of Packaging Industry in the Framework of the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy
This paper reviews how the European packaging industry is responding to the EU's plastics strategy and circular economy goals, outlining commitments to increase recyclability, recycled content, and reduce single-use plastic items. It provides context for understanding how industry-level policy shapes the generation and management of plastic waste that ultimately contributes to microplastic pollution.
Advancing Circular Economy: Czech perspective
Not relevant to microplastics — this is a policy analysis article reviewing the Czech Republic's legislative and strategic efforts to transition toward a circular economy in line with EU frameworks.
Exploring the EU plastic value chain: A material flow analysis
Researchers conducted a material flow analysis of the EU27 plastic value chain, finding that only 19% of plastics were recycled in 2019, with total losses amounting to 4% of production and significant variation across sectors and polymer types.
Current Status of Circular Economy Research in Finland
This review surveys the state of circular economy research in Finland, covering academic, policy, and industry perspectives on transitioning away from the linear 'take-make-dispose' model. Circular economy principles are increasingly relevant to addressing plastic waste and microplastic pollution.
Circular economy measures to keep plastics and their value in the economy, avoid waste and reduce marine litter
This policy-oriented paper examines how circular economy measures — including improved collection, reuse, and recycling of plastics — can reduce marine litter and keep plastic materials and their economic value in the economy rather than allowing them to leak into marine environments.
System innovation and life cycle thinking in packaging value chain: the circularity of plastics.
This paper examines the role of circular economy principles in reducing plastic packaging waste, noting that despite existing recycling systems, plastics remain pervasive environmental contaminants. The authors argue that redesigning packaging systems for recyclability and reducing over-packaging are essential steps to address microplastic pollution at its source.
Global Material Flow of Macro‐ and Microplastics to Support a Circular Economy
Researchers developed a global material flow analysis of macro- and microplastics to identify where intervention efforts can best support a circular economy. The study found that current plastic waste reduction initiatives are often misaligned with the most impactful leverage points in the plastic material cycle.
Global Plastic Pollution and the Transition Towards a Circular Economy: Lessons from the EU’s Legal Framework on Plastics
This paper reviews the EU legal framework on plastics and the transition toward a circular economy, examining how regulatory instruments including the Single-Use Plastics Directive and extended producer responsibility schemes can reduce the billions of tons of plastic waste generated annually.
Strategies for efficient management of microplastics to achieve life cycle assessment and circular economy
This review examines strategies for managing microplastic waste through a circular economy and life cycle assessment (LCA) lens, arguing that current recycling practices and waste disposal methods are inadequate given the sheer volume of plastics entering ecosystems. The authors propose a conceptual framework integrating LCA principles into microplastic management to better quantify ecological risks and guide more sustainable plastic use policies.
Are Reliable and Emerging Technologies Available for Plastic Recycling in a Circular Economy?
This review examines the current landscape of plastic recycling technologies -- including mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biological depolymerization methods such as pyrolysis -- evaluating their readiness for circular economy integration. It concludes that while recycling rates remain below 10% globally, emerging technologies offer pathways toward closed-loop plastic supply chains, though full-scale implementation requires further development and performance assessment.
Circular economy and reduction of micro(nano)plastics contamination
This review argues that transitioning to a circular economy — through better design, recycling infrastructure, and reducing single-use plastics — offers one of the most viable systemic pathways to reducing micro- and nanoplastic contamination of the environment.
An Examination of Microplastics: Environmental Impact, Sustainability, and Recyclability Innovation
This paper examined the environmental impact of microplastics, sustainability implications of current plastic use, and recycling options to address the plastic pollution crisis. It called for a transition toward circular economy approaches that reduce primary plastic production and increase recycled content.
An Innovative Visualization Tool to Boost and Monitor Circular Economy: An Overview of Its Applications at Different Industrial Sectors
This paper presents a visualization tool for tracking and monitoring circular economy progress at the company, regional, and policy levels. Circular economy strategies — including redesigning plastic products for reuse and recyclability — are central to reducing the plastic waste that eventually becomes microplastics.
European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders
This review evaluates recent European Union circular economy policies and their implications for businesses seeking to reduce environmental impact through sustainable production and supply chain practices. It identifies both opportunities and challenges for companies attempting to implement circular economy principles in compliance with new EU environmental directives.
An Integrated Analysis of Plastic Packaging Value Chain: Identifying Barriers and Enablers for a Circular Economy
Researchers analyzed the full plastic packaging value chain to identify barriers and enablers for transitioning to a circular economy, tracing the evolution of circular economy concepts and quantifying the environmental impacts associated with exponential plastic waste growth. The study provides an integrated framework mapping opportunities for intervention across production, use, collection, and recycling stages.
Life cycle assessment and circular economy in conjunction with treatment methodologies: Presentation and critical comparison between different food industry waste
This review applies life cycle assessment and circular economy principles to multiple food industry sectors to evaluate environmental trade-offs in processing and packaging. While not focused on microplastics specifically, it provides analytical tools applicable to assessing plastic packaging impacts across food supply chains.
Recycling and Reusing Strategies to Prevent Microplastic Generation: a Review
This review examines recycling and reusing strategies for plastic materials as a means of preventing microplastic generation, grounding the analysis in circular economy principles emphasizing resource efficiency through repair, reuse, and recycling. The authors evaluate current methodologies and propose strategies to reduce plastic waste degradation into microplastics, linking waste management practices to pollution prevention outcomes.
On the Definition, Assessment and Enhancement of Circular Economy across Various Industrial Sectors: A Literature Review
This review defined and assessed circular economy principles across aerospace, wind energy, transportation, automotive, and sports goods sectors, drawing on literature and the EU-funded RECREATE project to identify sector-specific circularity metrics and improvement strategies.
Dataset for the review article "From plastic use in the construction and built environment to state-of-the-art circular economy solutions to combat microplastic pollution"
This is a supporting dataset (not a primary research paper) for a review article examining plastic use in the construction sector and circular economy solutions to reduce microplastic pollution from buildings and built infrastructure.
Plastic waste as a challenge for sustainable development and circularity in the European Union
This review examines the plastic waste crisis in the European Union, evaluating gaps between recycling policy ambitions and actual outcomes. It argues that without major improvements in waste management infrastructure and circular economy practices, plastics will continue to fragment into microplastics and contaminate European ecosystems.
New Policy Framework for Effective Managing Microplastic in Circular System Form Plastic Product Manufacturing to Waste Treatment Facility
Researchers proposed a new policy framework for microplastic management by analyzing the full circular system of plastic -- from raw material production through consumption to waste treatment -- and examining microplastic waste at the final disposal stage. Applying the framework to the Korean waste management system demonstrated that the proposed circular system approach improves upon current microplastic management schemes.
Towards a circular economy that begins and ends in nature
This policy paper argues that a truly circular economy must be designed with nature in mind, ensuring that economic activity restores rather than degrades biodiversity, including addressing plastic pollution as a key concern.
Projected changes in sectoral value added and final demand in 2030 and 2050 (relative to 2020)
This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it is an OECD economic analysis projecting changes in sectoral value added and material demand through 2050 in the context of circular economy policy, with only brief general reference to plastics among many material types.