IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jrpoli/v99y2024ics0301420724007475.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analysis of critical raw materials policy for electrical and electronic equipment: Planning for a truly circular economy

Author

Listed:
  • Vafeas, N.A.
  • Slezak, P.
  • Hitzman, M.W.

Abstract

The European Union's objectives under the Green and Digital transitions, are contingent on the decarbonisation of essential sectors such as energy, transportation, and communications. At present, the EU does not have sufficient identified mineral resources, nor processing capacity, to supply many of its strategically defined materials. The success of these objectives hinges on the EU's ability to secure a stable and consistent supply of critical raw materials (CRM). Using a systematic three-part assessment of mandated and non-mandated EU policies, European Commission communications, and a review of CRM, the findings reveal that despite efforts to enhance local supply and diversify foreign sources of CRM, there is a lack of cross-sector coherence across social, economic, and technical aspects of recycling. This is further exacerbated by inefficient retention of waste-hosted critical raw materials. Failure to adopt integrative policy measures may result in the EU's continued dependency on undiversified foreign sources for its supply of critical raw materials, thereby compromising its strategic autonomy as well as the goals of the Green and Digital transitions. Improved design of electrical and electronic equipment and processing of waste from these products could conceivably provide a mechanism for a continuous and retained supply of critical raw materials, culminating in a potentially significant resource stream for the Union. The EU can improve resource efficiency, reduce its dependence on imports, and facilitate a truly circular economy by adopting a comprehensive and symbiotic policy framework that quantifies material resources in waste and that recognises the product design stage as an integral facet of the product recycling stage, herein referred to as “forwardcycling”.

Suggested Citation

  • Vafeas, N.A. & Slezak, P. & Hitzman, M.W., 2024. "Analysis of critical raw materials policy for electrical and electronic equipment: Planning for a truly circular economy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:99:y:2024:i:c:s0301420724007475
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105380
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420724007475
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105380?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. Andrew Bloodworth, 2014. "Resources: Track flows to manage technology-metal supply," Nature, Nature, vol. 505(7481), pages 19-20, January.
    2. Jingxuan Geng & Han Hao & Xin Sun & Dengye Xun & Zongwei Liu & Fuquan Zhao, 2021. "Static material flow analysis of neodymium in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(1), pages 114-124, February.
    3. T. E. Graedel & Julian Allwood & Jean‐Pierre Birat & Matthias Buchert & Christian Hagelüken & Barbara K. Reck & Scott F. Sibley & Guido Sonnemann, 2011. "What Do We Know About Metal Recycling Rates?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(3), pages 355-366, June.
    4. Cucchiella, Federica & D’Adamo, Idiano & Lenny Koh, S.C. & Rosa, Paolo, 2015. "Recycling of WEEEs: An economic assessment of present and future e-waste streams," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 263-272.
    5. Mohamed Abubakr & Adel T. Abbas & Italo Tomaz & Mahmoud S. Soliman & Monis Luqman & Hussien Hegab, 2020. "Sustainable and Smart Manufacturing: An Integrated Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    6. Kleijn, Rene & van der Voet, Ester, 2010. "Resource constraints in a hydrogen economy based on renewable energy sources: An exploration," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2784-2795, December.
    7. Cristina Ciliberto & Katarzyna Szopik‐Depczyńska & Małgorzata Tarczyńska‐Łuniewska & Alessandro Ruggieri & Giuseppe Ioppolo, 2021. "Enabling the Circular Economy transition: a sustainable lean manufacturing recipe for Industry 4.0," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3255-3272, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Elshkaki, Ayman & Graedel, T.E., 2015. "Solar cell metals and their hosts: A tale of oversupply and undersupply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 167-177.
    2. Esther Thiébaud & Lorenz M. Hilty & Mathias Schluep & Heinz W. Böni & Martin Faulstich, 2018. "Where Do Our Resources Go? Indium, Neodymium, and Gold Flows Connected to the Use of Electronic Equipment in Switzerland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, July.
    3. Kim, Junbeum & Guillaume, Bertrand & Chung, Jinwook & Hwang, Yongwoo, 2015. "Critical and precious materials consumption and requirement in wind energy system in the EU 27," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 327-334.
    4. Panchal, Rohit & Singh, Anju & Diwan, Hema, 2021. "Economic potential of recycling e-waste in India and its impact on import of materials," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    5. Kim Maya Yavor & Vanessa Bach & Matthias Finkbeiner, 2021. "Resource Assessment of Renewable Energy Systems—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, May.
    6. Hu, Xueyue & Wang, Chunying & Elshkaki, Ayman, 2024. "Material-energy Nexus: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    7. Federica Cucchiella & Idiano D’Adamo & Paolo Rosa, 2015. "Industrial Photovoltaic Systems: An Economic Analysis in Non-Subsidized Electricity Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-16, November.
    8. Adriano Cordisco & Riccardo Melloni & Lucia Botti, 2022. "Sustainable Circular Economy for the Integration of Disadvantaged People: A Preliminary Study on the Reuse of Lithium-Ion Batteries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Guo, Tianjiao & Geng, Yong & Song, Xiaoqian & Rui, Xue & Ge, Zewen, 2023. "Tracing magnesium flows in China: A dynamic material flow analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    10. Catherine Maware & David M. Parsley, 2022. "The Challenges of Lean Transformation and Implementation in the Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, May.
    11. Chen, Wei-Qiang & Graedel, T.E., 2012. "Dynamic analysis of aluminum stocks and flows in the United States: 1900–2009," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 92-102.
    12. M. Faizal & L. S. Chuah & C. Lee & A. Hameed & J. Lee & M. Shankar, 2019. "Review Of Hydrogen Fuel For Internal Combustion Engines," Journal of Mechanical Engineering Research & Developments (JMERD), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 42(3), pages 35-46, April.
    13. Jan Streeck & Quirin Dammerer & Dominik Wiedenhofer & Fridolin Krausmann, 2021. "The role of socio‐economic material stocks for natural resource use in the United States of America from 1870 to 2100," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(6), pages 1486-1502, December.
    14. Michael Saidani & Alissa Kendall & Bernard Yannou & Yann Leroy & François Cluzel, 2019. "Closing the loop on platinum from catalytic converters: Contributions from material flow analysis and circularity indicators," Post-Print hal-02094798, HAL.
    15. Kleijn, René & van der Voet, Ester & Kramer, Gert Jan & van Oers, Lauran & van der Giesen, Coen, 2011. "Metal requirements of low-carbon power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 5640-5648.
    16. Morteza Ghobakhloo & Mohammad Iranmanesh & Andrius Grybauskas & Mantas Vilkas & Monika Petraitė, 2021. "Industry 4.0, innovation, and sustainable development: A systematic review and a roadmap to sustainable innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 4237-4257, December.
    17. Neves, Sónia Almeida & Marques, António Cardoso & de Sá Lopes, Leonardo Batista, 2024. "Is environmental regulation keeping e-waste under control? Evidence from e-waste exports in the European Union," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    18. Ivan Deviatkin & Sanna Rousu & Malahat Ghoreishi & Mohammad Naji Nassajfar & Mika Horttanainen & Ville Leminen, 2022. "Implementation of Circular Economy Strategies within the Electronics Sector: Insights from Finnish Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-11, March.
    19. Horațiu Vermeșan & Ancuța-Elena Tiuc & Marius Purcar, 2019. "Advanced Recovery Techniques for Waste Materials from IT and Telecommunication Equipment Printed Circuit Boards," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.
    20. Maria Loredana Nicolescu & Marius Nicolae Jula, 2015. "Analysis Of Household Behaviour To The Collection Of Waste Electrical And Electronic Equipment In Romania," Global Economic Observer, "Nicolae Titulescu" University of Bucharest, Faculty of Economic Sciences;Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy, vol. 3(2), pages 19-26, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:jrpoli:v:99:y:2024:i:c:s0301420724007475. 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/inca/30467 .

    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.