IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i4p1752-d1063574.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Circular Economy and Green Chemistry: The Need for Radical Innovative Approaches in the Design for New Products

Author

Listed:
  • Amos Ncube

    (International PhD Programme “Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development”, Department of Science and Technology, Parthenope University of Naples, Centro Direzionale–Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy)

  • Sandile Mtetwa

    (Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK)

  • Mahak Bukhari

    (School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St., Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Gabriella Fiorentino

    (ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Department for Sustainability, Division Resource Efficiency, Research Centre of Portici, P.le E. Fermi 1, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy)

  • Renato Passaro

    (Department of Science and Technology, Parthenope University of Naples, Centro Direzionale–Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

The idea of a circular economy (CE) has gained ground over the past ten years as a means of addressing sustainable development and getting around the limitations of the current and linear dominant production and consumption patterns. The primary goal of a CE is to encourage the adoption of closing-the-loop production methods to improve resource use efficiency, modify chemical processes, and increase product and material lifespan. According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which focuses on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 14 of which call for the appropriate application of green chemistry (GC) concepts and patterns, the role that chemistry may play in the shift toward more sustainable models is critical. By serving as the foundation for novel products made from renewable feedstocks and designed to be reused, recycled, or recovered with the associated minimum energy requirements, green and sustainable chemistry could be the key to unlocking the economic potential of the CE toward new product design and ultimately solving waste management problems. The aim of this perspective paper, while using a variety of literature sources, is to essentially capture the main issues associated with the CE and GC paradigms and how these two approaches can merge toward sustainable business models and the production of new materials. This integration focuses on reducing waste, conserving resources, and minimizing negative environmental impacts, while also considering economic viability. However, the obstacles to achieving implementation of the CE and GC principles are investment, environmental education, and legislation. To advance toward the circular economy and green chemistry, international agreements should be reconsidered to provide an appropriate framework, including the creation of incentives for businesses and individuals to adopt circular practices, the establishment of education programs to promote the benefits of circular practices, and the development of regulations to support the transition to sustainable production and consumption patterns.

Suggested Citation

  • Amos Ncube & Sandile Mtetwa & Mahak Bukhari & Gabriella Fiorentino & Renato Passaro, 2023. "Circular Economy and Green Chemistry: The Need for Radical Innovative Approaches in the Design for New Products," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:4:p:1752-:d:1063574
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/4/1752/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/4/1752/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luigi Ranieri & Giorgio Mossa & Roberta Pellegrino & Salvatore Digiesi, 2018. "Energy Recovery from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste: A Real Options-Based Facility Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar & Sarsaiya, Surendra & Wainaina, Steven & Rajendran, Karthik & Awasthi, Sanjeev Kumar & Liu, Tao & Duan, Yumin & Jain, Archana & Sindhu, Raveendran & Binod, Parameswaran & Pandey, 2021. "Techno-economics and life-cycle assessment of biological and thermochemical treatment of bio-waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    3. Walter R. Stahel, 2016. "The circular economy," Nature, Nature, vol. 531(7595), pages 435-438, March.
    4. Hsieh, Chung-Chi & Lathifah, Artya, 2022. "Ordering and waste reuse decisions in a make-to-order system under demand uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 303(3), pages 1290-1303.
    5. Zengwei Yuan & Jun Bi & Yuichi Moriguichi, 2006. "The Circular Economy: A New Development Strategy in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(1‐2), pages 4-8, January.
    6. Palmer, Mark & Truong, Yann, 2017. "The Impact of Technological Green New Product Introductions on Firm Profitability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 86-93.
    7. Armaghan Chizaryfard & Paolo Trucco & Cali Nuur, 2021. "The transformation to a circular economy: framing an evolutionary view," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 475-504, April.
    8. 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).
    9. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
    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. Patrizia Ghisellini & Ivana Quinto & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2024. "Exploring environmental and social performances of circular start‐ups: An orientation and certification assessment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3222-3241, May.
    2. Gerardo Bernache-Pérez & Lorena De Medina-Salas & Eduardo Castillo-González & Mario Rafael Giraldi-Díaz, 2023. "Strategies to Strengthen Integrated Solid Waste Management in Small Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Maria Cannio & Dino Norberto Boccaccini & Stefano Caporali & Rosa Taurino, 2024. "Superhydrophobic Materials from Waste: Innovative Approach," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Dumitru Alexandru Bodislav & Rareș Mihai Nițu & Grigore Ioan Piroșcă & Raluca Iuliana Georgescu, 2025. "The Opportunity Cost Between the Circular Economy and Economic Growth: Clustering the Approaches of European Union Member States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-28, March.
    5. Larisa Gorina & Elena Korneeva & Olga Kovaleva & Wadim Strielkowski, 2024. "Energy‐saving technologies and energy efficiency in the post‐COVID era," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 5294-5310, October.
    6. Kurniawati, 2023. "Sustainable Textile Practices by Integrated Viscose Rayon and Yarn Producers: An Empirical Study," GATR Journals jfbr210, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.

    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. Florian Lüdeke‐Freund & Stefan Gold & Nancy M. P. Bocken, 2019. "A Review and Typology of Circular Economy Business Model Patterns," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 36-61, February.
    2. Durán-Romero, Gemma & López, Ana M. & Beliaeva, Tatiana & Ferasso, Marcos & Garonne, Christophe & Jones, Paul, 2020. "Bridging the gap between circular economy and climate change mitigation policies through eco-innovations and Quintuple Helix Model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Risa Arai & Martin Calisto Friant & Walter J. V. Vermeulen, 2024. "The Japanese Circular Economy and Sound Material-Cycle Society Policies: Discourse and Policy Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 619-650, March.
    4. 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.
    5. Gavin Melles, 2021. "Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Manera, Maria & Quatraro, Francesco, 2025. "Mapping European Circular Economy Patents Using Advanced Natural Language Processing Models," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202504, University of Turin.
    7. Andrea Cecchin & Roberta Salomone & Pauline Deutz & Andrea Raggi & Laura Cutaia, 2021. "What Is in a Name? The Rising Star of the Circular Economy as a Resource-Related Concept for Sustainable Development," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 83-97, June.
    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. Changhao Liu & Raymond Côté, 2017. "A Framework for Integrating Ecosystem Services into China’s Circular Economy: The Case of Eco-Industrial Parks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, August.
    10. 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.
    11. Georgios Lanaras-Mamounis & Anastasios Kipritsis & Thomas A. Tsalis & Konstantinos Ι. Vatalis & Ioannis E. Nikolaou, 2022. "A Framework for Assessing the Contribution of Firms to Circular Economy: a Triple-Level Approach," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 883-902, September.
    12. Isabel Mendes, 2020. "The Circular Economy: an Ancient Term that Became Polysemic," Working Papers Department of Economics 2020/02, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
    13. Simone Sehnem & Adriane A. Farias S. L. de Queiroz & Susana Carla Farias Pereira & Gabriel dos Santos Correia & Edson Kuzma, 2022. "Circular economy and innovation: A look from the perspective of organizational capabilities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 236-250, January.
    14. OCOLIȘANU Andreea & DOBROTĂ Gabriela & AGÂRBICEANU Marcela Simona, 2022. "The Implications Of The Circular Economy On Sustainable Economic Growth," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 16-21, June.
    15. Amalia Rodrigo-González & Alfredo Grau-Grau & Inmaculada Bel-Oms, 2021. "Circular Economy and Value Creation: Sustainable Finance with a Real Options Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-30, July.
    16. Sven Kevin van Langen & Renato Passaro, 2021. "The Dutch Green Deals Policy and Its Applicability to Circular Economy Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.
    17. Abdulaziz I. Almulhim, 2024. "Toward a Greener Future: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Saudi Arabia’s Food Sector for Environmental Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    18. Juan Cristóbal Hernández-Arzaba & Sarfraz Nazir & Sandra Nelly Leyva-Hernández & Sanar Muhyaddin, 2022. "Stakeholder Pressure Engaged with Circular Economy Principles and Economic and Environmental Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, December.
    19. E. Sardianou & V. Nikou & K. Evangelinos & I. Nikolaou, 2024. "What are the key dimensions that CE emphasizes on? A systematic analysis of circular economy definitions," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 547-562, September.
    20. Fabio Iannone & Francesco Testa & Tiberio Daddi & Marco Frey & Giulia Casamento, 2019. "The role of Green Public Procurement in Circular Economy policies: An international comparison," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 149-170.

    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:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:4:p:1752-:d:1063574. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.