IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/forpol/v110y2020ics1389934118303708.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transforming the bio-based sector towards a circular economy - What can we learn from wood cascading?

Author

Listed:
  • Jarre, Matteo
  • Petit-Boix, Anna
  • Priefer, Carmen
  • Meyer, Rolf
  • Leipold, Sina

Abstract

The circular economy has become the focus of a recent major EU policy program, which aims at the transformation towards environmentally sustainable modes of production and consumption. This has moved parts of the forest and related bio-based industries to envision their operations in terms of a circular economy. However, the meaning and implementation pathways of the concept often remain vague and ambiguous. At the same time, bio-based industries have a long history of discussing and partly realizing wood cascading. This concept strongly overlaps with circular economy ideas as it describes activities to increase the efficiency of biomass utilization. This article takes stock of wood cascading research and identifies major influencing factors for its realization to provide a comprehensive knowledge base for discussions about the circular economy in forest and related bio-based industries. Based on a review of peer-reviewed literature, we find substantial knowledge available on the factors influencing the realization of wood cascading. These factors largely resemble what is currently being discussed as barriers and enablers of circular economy. Some crucial influencing factors, like policy limitations, are frequently highlighted but remain barely investigated. In addition, the various influencing factors are interdependent, making a conclusive assessment of the environmental impacts of a change to certain cascading activities extremely challenging. The challenges of quantitative assessments combined with the substantial knowledge gaps on political and socio-economic factors result in certain assumptions and political recommendations that hardly appear to be based on empirical evidence. We therefore suggest scrutinizing these assumptions and filling knowledge gaps, especially related to product design, potentials and limitations of long-lived products, and avoidance of waste generation.

Suggested Citation

  • Jarre, Matteo & Petit-Boix, Anna & Priefer, Carmen & Meyer, Rolf & Leipold, Sina, 2020. "Transforming the bio-based sector towards a circular economy - What can we learn from wood cascading?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:110:y:2020:i:c:s1389934118303708
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2019.01.017
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934118303708
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.01.017?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fenna Blomsma & Geraldine Brennan, 2017. "The Emergence of Circular Economy: A New Framing Around Prolonging Resource Productivity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 603-614, June.
    2. Kirchherr, Julian & Piscicelli, Laura & Bour, Ruben & Kostense-Smit, Erica & Muller, Jennifer & Huibrechtse-Truijens, Anne & Hekkert, Marko, 2018. "Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From the European Union (EU)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 264-272.
    3. Florian Suter & Bernhard Steubing & Stefanie Hellweg, 2017. "Life Cycle Impacts and Benefits of Wood along the Value Chain: The Case of Switzerland," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(4), pages 874-886, August.
    4. Rolf Meyer, 2017. "Bioeconomy Strategies: Contexts, Visions, Guiding Implementation Principles and Resulting Debates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-32, June.
    5. de Jesus, Ana & Mendonça, Sandro, 2018. "Lost in Transition? Drivers and Barriers in the Eco-innovation Road to the Circular Economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 75-89.
    6. Alan Murray & Keith Skene & Kathryn Haynes, 2017. "The Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Concept and Application in a Global Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 369-380, February.
    7. Juho Hamari & Mimmi Sjöklint & Antti Ukkonen, 2016. "The sharing economy: Why people participate in collaborative consumption," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 67(9), pages 2047-2059, September.
    8. Knauf, Marcus, 2015. "Waste hierarchy revisited — an evaluation of waste wood recycling in the context of EU energy policy and the European market," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 58-60.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Iris Vural Gursel & Berien Elbersen & Koen P. H. Meesters & Myrna van Leeuwen, 2022. "Defining Circular Economy Principles for Biobased Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Ana Arias & Sara González‐García & Gumersindo Feijoo & Maria Teresa Moreira, 2022. "Tannin‐based bio‐adhesives for the wood panel industry as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical resins," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 627-642, April.
    3. Di Letizia, Gerardo & De Lucia, Caterina & Pazienza, Pasquale & Cappelletti, Giulio Mario, 2023. "Forest bioeconomy at regional scale: A systematic literature review and future policy perspectives," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    4. Luis Diaz‐Balteiro & Carlos Romero & Silvestre García de Jalón, 2022. "An analysis of the degree of circularity of the wood products industry in Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1350-1363, August.
    5. Stephan Kampelmann, 2020. "Wood works: How local value chains based on urban forests contribute to place-based circular economy," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/308602, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Olivér Ősz & Balázs Dávid & Máté Hegyháti, 2023. "Comparison of discrete- and continuous-time models for scheduling waste wood processing facilities," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 31(3), pages 853-871, September.
    7. Matthias Erni & Vanessa Burg & Leo Bont & Oliver Thees & Marco Ferretti & Golo Stadelmann & Janine Schweier, 2020. "Current (2020) and Long-Term (2035 and 2050) Sustainable Potentials of Wood Fuel in Switzerland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-30, November.
    8. Davide Aloini & Riccardo Dulmin & Valeria Mininno & Alessandro Stefanini & Pierluigi Zerbino, 2020. "Driving the Transition to a Circular Economic Model: A Systematic Review on Drivers and Critical Success Factors in Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Petar Sabev Varbanov & Hon Huin Chin & Alexandra-Elena Plesu Popescu & Stanislav Boldyryev, 2020. "Thermodynamics-Based Process Sustainability Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-28, April.
    10. Maria Lanfredi & Rosa Coluzzi & Vito Imbrenda & Bogdana Nosova & Massimiliano Giacalone & Rosario Turco & Marcela Prokopovà & Luca Salvati, 2023. "In-between Environmental Sustainability and Economic Viability: An Analysis of the State, Regulations, and Future of Italian Forestry Sector," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-21, May.
    11. Amjad Almusaed & Asaad Almssad & Asaad Alasadi & Ibrahim Yitmen & Sammera Al-Samaraee, 2023. "Assessing the Role and Efficiency of Thermal Insulation by the “BIO-GREEN PANEL” in Enhancing Sustainability in a Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, July.
    12. Khan, Feroz & Ali, Yousaf, 2022. "Moving towards a sustainable circular bio-economy in the agriculture sector of a developing country," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    13. Stephan Kampelmann & Emmanuel Raufflet & Giulia Scialpi, 2020. "Earth, wood, and coffee: empirical evidence on value creation in the circular economy," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/308601, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    14. D'Adamo, Idiano & Falcone, Pasquale Marcello & Imbert, Enrica & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2020. "A Socio-economic Indicator for EoL Strategies for Bio-based Products," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    15. Richard Orozco & María Rosa Mosquera-Losada & Javier Rodriguez & Muluken Elias Adamseged & Philipp Grundmann, 2021. "Supportive Business Environments to Develop Grass Bioeconomy in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-16, November.
    16. G. Venkatesh, 2022. "Circular Bio-economy—Paradigm for the Future: Systematic Review of Scientific Journal Publications from 2015 to 2021," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    17. Silvina M. Manrique & Carolina R. Subelza & María Antonia Toro & Quelbis R. Quintero Bertel & Raúl J. Tauro, 2023. "Forest Supply Chain for Bioenergy: An Approach for Biomass Study in the Framework of a Circular Bioeconomy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-25, October.
    18. Filip Aggestam & Alexandru Giurca, 2022. "Implementing Circular-Bioeconomy Principles across Two Value Chains of the Wood-Based Sector: A Conceptual Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jeff Mangers & Meysam Minoufekr & Peter Plapper & Sri Kolla, 2021. "An Innovative Strategy Allowing a Holistic System Change towards Circular Economy within Supply-Chains," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Concepción Garcés-Ayerbe & Pilar Rivera-Torres & Inés Suárez-Perales & Dante I. Leyva-de la Hiz, 2019. "Is It Possible to Change from a Linear to a Circular Economy? An Overview of Opportunities and Barriers for European Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Companies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.
    3. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    4. Gabi Försterling & Ronald Orth & Benjamin Gellert, 2023. "Transition to a Circular Economy in Europe through New Business Models: Barriers, Drivers, and Policy Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-40, May.
    5. Hervé Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. "Critiques of the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 421-432, April.
    6. Ghinoi, Stefano & Silvestri, Francesco & Steiner, Bodo, 2020. "The role of local stakeholders in disseminating knowledge for supporting the circular economy: a network analysis approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    7. Gavin Melles, 2021. "Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    8. Chembessi Chedrak & Gohoungodji Paulin & Juste Rajaonson, 2023. "“A fine wine, better with age”: Circular economy historical roots and influential publications: A bibliometric analysis using Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS)," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(6), pages 1593-1612, December.
    9. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Mathivathanan, Deepak & Mathiyazhagan, K. & Khorana, Sangeeta & Rana, Nripendra P. & Arora, Bimal, 2022. "Drivers of circular economy for small and medium enterprises: Case study on the Indian state of Tamil Nadu," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 997-1015.
    11. Yamoah, Fred A. & Sivarajah, Uthayasankar & Mahroof, Kamran & Peña, Iker González, 2022. "Demystifying corporate inertia towards transition to circular economy: A management frame of reference," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    12. Nan-Hua Nadja Yang & Ana Carolina Bertassini & Jéssica Alves Justo Mendes & Mateus Cecílio Gerolamo, 2021. "The ‘3CE2CE’ Framework—Change Management Towards a Circular Economy: Opportunities for Agribusiness," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    13. Animesh Ghosh & Prabha Bhola & Uthayasankar Sivarajah, 2022. "Emerging Associates of the Circular Economy: Analysing Interactions and Trends by a Mixed Methods Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-41, August.
    14. Iordanis Eleftheriadis & Evgenia Anagnostopoulou, 2024. "Developing a Tool for Calculating the Carbon Footprint in SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-23, February.
    15. D'Amato, D. & Korhonen, J., 2021. "Integrating the green economy, circular economy and bioeconomy in a strategic sustainability framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    16. Roxana Lavinia Pacurariu & Sorin Daniel Vatca & Elena Simina Lakatos & Laura Bacali & Mircea Vlad, 2021. "A Critical Review of EU Key Indicators for the Transition to the Circular Economy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-19, August.
    17. Phil Brown & Nancy Bocken & Ruud Balkenende, 2020. "How Do Companies Collaborate for Circular Oriented Innovation?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.
    18. Felix Carl Schultz & Robert Jaroslav Reinhardt, 2022. "Facilitating systemic eco‐innovation to pave the way for a circular economy: A qualitative‐empirical study on barriers and drivers in the European polyurethane industry," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(5), pages 1646-1675, October.
    19. Moritz Böhmecke‐Schwafert & Marie Wehinger & Robin Teigland, 2022. "Blockchain for the circular economy: Theorizing blockchain's role in the transition to a circular economy through an empirical investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 3786-3801, December.
    20. Omar Alhawari & Usama Awan & M. Khurrum S. Bhutta & M. Ali Ülkü, 2021. "Insights from Circular Economy Literature: A Review of Extant Definitions and Unravelling Paths to Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:110:y:2020:i:c:s1389934118303708. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/forpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.