CIRCULAR ECONOMY, WASTE MANA-GEMENT AND LIFE CYCLE THINKING

Abstract

This paper shows a state of the art analysis about the concept of circular economy. It concernes the theoretical issues, interpretations, policies and the application level of life cycle assessment tools within the circular economy actions. At first, the relationship between environmental sphere and economics sphere is conside-red. Then the introduction of circular economy into poli-cy framework is investigated and the European regulations are critically analyzed. Moreover the paper proposes a critical analysis sampled in 50 scientific papers, pubblicated between 2010 and 2017, which contains the circular economy term into their title. Through this analysis, the main levers of the circular economy actions are highlighted (cost reduction / environmental impacts reduction, waste management / resource scarcity). Then a limited role of life cycle tools in the assessment of circular economy processes is also shown. Furtermore, the most diffused circular strategies (including reuse, recycling and energy recovery) is identified. Finally, the origin of the waste among the product/service life cycle stages is analyzed and the main producing and recycling waste industrial sectors are shown.