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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Are Soft Legal Measures in Circular Economy Action Plans Enough to Permeate EU Strong Economic Core Regulations Bringing Systemic Sustainable Change?
ClearEuropean Circular Economy Policy-Making in Sustainability and Resource Management Development
This study analyzed the development of circular economy policy across EU countries using circularity indicators, finding that high circularity scores do not necessarily correlate with lower environmental impact. The EU as a whole consumes the majority of global materials and generates 43% of emissions, highlighting gaps between circularity metrics and actual sustainability.
Circular Economy and Waste in the Fashion Industry
This review analyses existing EU legislative measures relevant to sustainability and circular economy transitions in the fashion industry, a sector associated with high water and energy consumption, chemical pollution, and microplastic generation from textiles. The authors evaluate the EU Circular Economy Action Plan of 2015 and its revised waste framework as tools for driving systemic change in fashion industry practices.
Toxic growth in the circular economy: is the EU Plastics Strategy a bad policy?
Researchers traced the relational history of the European Commission's Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy, examining whether this flagship plastics governance policy effectively addresses the growing global plastics problem. They argued that the strategy's circular economy framing may perpetuate 'toxic growth' by prioritizing recycling and reuse over fundamental production reduction, raising questions about the policy's adequacy as a response to plastic pollution.
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.
The rate of use of the Circular Economy in individual sectors
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews the adoption of circular economy principles across industrial sectors within the European Union policy framework, without specific focus on plastic pollution.
The 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.
An Overview of the Transition to a Circular Economy in Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy Considering Technological, Legal–Regulatory and Financial Points of View: A Case Study
This study analyses the transition to a circular economy in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, which enacted the country's first regional circular economy law and launched multiple pioneering projects, providing a model for evidence-based regional policy innovation.
Company reflexivity for plastics circularity : The transformative potential of reflexive environmental legislation in the EU
This study examines EU reflexive environmental legislation — including the Single-Use Plastics Directive and proposed packaging regulations — analyzing how legal frameworks can drive company-level behavioral change toward plastics circularity and upstream pollution reduction.
Approaches for a Circular Economy in European Union and Its Effects in Third Countries: Promoting a Values-based Dialogue Between the EU and Latin America?
This study examines the tension between the European Union's circular economy strategies and its practice of exporting plastic waste to third countries, arguing through qualitative bibliographical research that the EU must align its external plastic waste policies with its founding values in order to serve as a credible leader in global plastics treaty negotiations.
Policy narratives of circular economy in the EU – Assessing the embeddedness of water and land in national action plans
This analysis of national circular economy action plans in EU member states found that water and land resources are largely underrepresented in current policy frameworks. Stronger integration of water and land into circular economy policies is also relevant to reducing the agricultural pathways through which microplastics enter soil and freshwater systems.
Circular economy, bioeconomy, and sustainable development goals: a systematic literature review
Researchers conducted a systematic review of 649 studies examining how circular economy and bioeconomy concepts contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They found that while these approaches show promise for addressing environmental challenges including plastic waste, most research has focused on a limited set of goals and lacks empirical data. The study identifies key research gaps, including the need for more studies on economic and social impacts in developing countries.
Moving Towards a Holistic Approach to Circular Cities: Obstacles and Perspectives for Implementation of Nature-Based Solutions in Europe
Researchers surveyed experts across Europe to identify obstacles and opportunities for implementing nature-based solutions in cities transitioning toward circular economies. They found that while interest in green infrastructure is growing, inconsistent policies, lack of interdisciplinary collaboration, and limited citizen engagement remain major barriers. The study underscores the need for holistic urban planning that combines environmental, social, and economic perspectives.
Environmental Taxation and the Circular Economy: What Are the Prospects in the European Context?
This review examines the potential of environmental taxation frameworks in the European Union to accelerate the transition from linear to circular economic models. The authors argue that a shift from fiscally neutral taxation to a circular taxation paradigm — integrating waste reduction incentives and production sustainability targets — is essential for enabling ecological transition and competitive industrial innovation.
Atık ve çevresel adalet : Avrupa Birliği döngüsel ekonomi politikası örneği
This thesis critically analyzes the EU circular economy policy through an environmental justice perspective, examining how power asymmetries between EU member states affect the distribution of waste management burdens. The study finds that EU circular economy solutions focus predominantly on economic outcomes while neglecting justice implications of transboundary waste transfers.
A systems thinking approach to understanding the challenges of achieving the circular economy
This paper used a systems thinking approach to identify the challenges blocking implementation of circular economy principles, going beyond the commonly discussed benefits to analyze the structural and societal barriers. It found that complex interdependencies between economic actors, infrastructure, regulation, and consumer behavior collectively obstruct circular economy transitions.
From micro to macro: legal tools for combating plastic pollution at national, EU, and international levels
Researchers analyzed how laws at the national, European Union, and international levels have evolved to address microplastic pollution, tracing the shift from voluntary guidelines to binding rules like the EU's 2023 restriction on synthetic microparticles. The review identifies ongoing challenges — including inconsistent definitions and weak enforcement — and calls for stronger global governance to close the legal gaps.
A systematic analysis of European markers of balanced environmental management under the conditions of economic circularity
Researchers analyzed European environmental management markers under circular economy conditions, examining environmental pollution indicators including microplastics and proposing an iron oxide-based technological method for treating wastewater contaminated with estrogens, microplastics, and oil.
Transition to a Sustainable Circular Plastics Economy in The Netherlands: Discourse and Policy Analysis
A policy and discourse analysis of the Netherlands' transition toward a circular plastics economy found a dominance of technocentric approaches and limited engagement with transformative social or political visions needed to achieve genuine sustainability.
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.
Polymers in Circular Economy: A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainability. An overview.
This review examines the role of polymers within the circular economy framework, analyzing strategies for reducing plastic consumption, improving recyclability, and transitioning toward more sustainable production and waste management models. The authors discuss the importance of government regulation and industry standards in driving circular economy adoption, while acknowledging barriers including economic inertia, upfront investment costs, and resistance to systemic change.
Socio-economic Importance of Biomaterials in the Transition to the Circular Economy Model
Researchers examined the socio-economic role of biomaterials in transitioning economies toward the circular economy model, finding that substituting conventional plastics with bio-based materials can reduce waste accumulation while meeting EU sustainable development targets for 2030.
Barriers and Enablers to the Adoption of Circular Economy Concept in the Building Sector: A Systematic Literature Review
This systematic review identified barriers and enablers to adopting circular economy practices in the building sector, analyzing studies from 2008 to 2023. Key barriers include lack of regulations, high upfront costs, and limited stakeholder awareness, while enablers include government incentives, stakeholder collaboration, and technological innovation for material reuse and recycling.
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.
Public policies to mitigate plastic pollution and adhere to the circular economy: A case study from Ecuador
This study examines Ecuador as a case study in public policy for plastic pollution management, analyzing national legislation including the Single-Use Plastics Rationalization Law and the Inclusive Circular Economy Law, concluding that Ecuador's regulatory framework offers a transferable model for other countries seeking to reduce plastic production and promote circular economy principles.