abstract: The circular economy is viewed as a solution to many of the environmental and social ills that the linear economy has exacerbated. Whether it is through refill solutions or redesigning a cardboard shipping container, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands are rethinking the way their products are delivered to consumers through business model innovations that promote circularity. The consumer plays the important, often overlooked, role of enabler within circular business models. This study aims to increase broader understanding of what motivates circular consumption of fast-moving consumer goods while analyzing the relationship between motivators and the behaviors required to participate. Semi-structured interviews provide insights from consumers who are currently purchasing household cleansers from brands that operate with a circular business model. Results from this study highlight a group of consumers that are distinguished by their common desire to reduce their personal consumption of plastics. There is clear indication that these consumers are in fact seeking out ways to consume more sustainably. A significant subset of this group expresses concern regarding ingredients used in the products. Health concerns for themselves, their family, or a pet are driving a desire to understand product ingredients. There is evidence to indicate that the concern for personal consumption of plastics is being driven by information distributed via social media and supported by targeted advertisements for brands that address this concern. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Sustainability 2020

During the last decades, the circular economy has enabled a new kind of business model that is challenging the traditional linear way of doing business. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how an international social enterprise work towards a circular business model, as well as the challenges and opportunities that comes with operating in an emerging market. Previous research on the subject is limited which leaves a research gap in existing literature. Indonesia is an emerging country that is struggling with a weak recycling infrastructure and   lack of waste management, which has resulted in an ocean plastic pollution problem.   In the theoretical framework, relevant aspects of the circular economy, social enterprises and opportunities and challenges with operating in an emerging market are presented. A conceptual framework concludes the literature review by illustrating how the concepts ties together. In order to answer the research questions, a qualitative research method has been followed throughout this single case study, combined with an abductive approach. The data has been collected through semi-structured interviews presented together with secondary data, in order to get a deeper understanding of the case. By examining an international social enterprise with operations in an emerging market, findings on what opportunities and challenges this social enterprise encounter in Indonesia are presented together with how they work towards a circular business model. This study indicates that the international social enterprise challenges the linear way of doing business and can be set as an example for other companies that has a social mission and wants to do business in a sustainable way.   The analysis discusses the relation between the theoretical concepts and the empirical findings, together with observations from the authors. The analysis is followed by the concluding chapter where the contributions are stated, and the research questions are answered, followed by implications, limitations and suggestions for future research. The findings showed that international social enterprises can find opportunities in infrastructure- and institutional gaps in emerging markets. In addition, the findings indicate that a strong social mission can reduce the challenges of operating in an emerging market. The findings have contributed to introducing the social enterprise phenomenon into the international business research field, as well as international social enterprises operating in emerging markets. The authors also provide their definition of the concept ‘social enterprise’.

abstract: The continued reliance on fossil fuel for energy resources has proven to be unsustainable, leading to depletion of world reserves and emission of greenhouse gases during their combustion. Therefore, research initiatives to develop potentially carbon-neutral biofuels were given the highest importance. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL, a thermochemical conversion process) of microalgae is recognized as a favorable and efficient technique to produce liquid biofuels from wet feedstocks. In this work, three different microalgae (Kirchneriella sp., Galdieria sulphuraria, Micractinium sp.) grown and harvested at Arizona State University were hydrothermally liquefied to optimize their process conditions under different temperatures (200-375 °C), residence times (15-60 min), solids loadings (10-20 wt.%), and process pressures (9-24 MPa). A one-factor-at-a-time approach was employed, and comprehensive experiments were conducted at 10 % solid loadings and a residence time of 30 min. Co-liquefaction of Salicornia bigelovii Torr. (SL), Swine manure (SM) with Cyanidioschyzon merolae (CM) was tested for the presence of synergy. A positive synergistic effect was observed during the co-liquefaction of biomasses, where the experimental yield (32.95 wt.%) of biocrude oil was higher than the expected value (29.23 wt.% ). Co-liquefaction also led to an increase in the energy content of the co-liquefied biocrude oil and a higher energy recovery rate ( 88.55 %). The HTL biocrude was measured for energy content, elemental, and chemical composition using GC-MS. HTL aqueous phase was analyzed for potential co-products by spectrophotometric techniques and is rich in soluble carbohydrates, dissolved ammoniacal nitrogen, and phosphates. HTL biochar was studied for its nutrient content (nitrogen and phosphorous) and viability of its recovery to cultivate algae without any inhibition using the nutrient leaching. HTL biochar was also studied to produce hydrogen via pyrolysis using a membrane reactor at 500 °C, 1 atm, for 24 h to produce 5.93 wt.% gas. The gaseous product contains 45.7 mol % H2, 44.05 ml % CH4, and 10.25 mol % of CO. The versatile applications of HTL biochar were proposed from a detailed physicochemical characterization. The metal impurities in the algae, bio-oil, and biochar were quantified by ICP-OES where algae and biochar contain a large proportion of phosphorous and magnesium. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Chemical Engineering 2020

abstract: ABSTRACT Historically, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) guided companies to make better decisions to improve the environmental impacts of their products. However, as new Circular Economy (CE) tools emerge, the usefulness of LCA in assessing linear products grow more and more obsolete. Research Question: How do LCA-based tools account for reuse/multiple life cycles of products verses CE-based tools? The Kaiteki Innovation Framework (KIF) was used to address the question of circularity of two packaging materials using an Environmental LCA to populate its 12 CE dimensions. Any gaps were evaluated with 2 LCA- based and 2 CE-based tools to see which could address the leftover CE dimensions. Results showed that to complete the KIF template, LCA data required one of the LCA-based tools: Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) and both CE-based tools: Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) and Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) to supplement gaps in the KIF. The LCA addressed 5 of the KIF dimensions: Innovation Category Name, Description, GHG Impact, Other Environmental Impacts, and Value Chain Position. 3 analytical tools addressed 5 more:: Effect on Circularity, Social Impacts, Enabling Technologies, Tier 2 and 3 Requirements, and Value Chain Synergies. None of the tools could address the KIF Dimensions: State of Development or Scale Requirements. All in all, the KIF required both LCA-based and CE-based tools to cover social and socio-economic impacts from a cradle-to-cradle perspective with multiple circular loops in mind. These results can help in the research and development of innovative, circular products that can lead to a more environmentally preferred future. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Sustainability 2020

Supply chain management is found to be highly related to collaborations among stakeholders to create successful strategies for the supply chain. To leverage circularity in the textile and clothing industry, successful circular strategies that support the businesses in an economic and environmental manner are key. Through this research, the interconnection and communication between the relationships within the supply chain are found to be the most significant factor. In this qualitative study, the purpose of the research was to investigate how relationships and partnerships in the textile supply chain can affect and enable commercial scale for recycling of textiles-to-textiles. In-depth semi-structured interviews with six key stakeholders in the European textile industry. This study found that relationship characteristics such as trust, communication and strategic values through long-term relationships and key suppliers play an important role in realizing textile-to-textile recycling. Furthermore, findings confirm that the financial aspects are the most prominent condition for textile recycling to improve win-win partnership models to promote key operational conditions. With Europe having a leading position in the textile industry, the research study has geographically limited the empirical scope to solid focus on textile supply chain and business relationships in Italy to provide the study with accurate cluster accusation.

The value consumers attach to their clothing creates a high demand and frequent consumption of fast fashion. This results in the increase of post-consumer textile waste that ends up on landfills, which has a negative impact on the environment. This raises the critical issue of disposal methods and necessary education to create awareness and equip users to contribute to a circular economy that aims to extend the lifecycle of each garment. This study aims to design for the facilitation of a circular economy driven by post-consumer textile waste that encourages sustainable consumption. The short lifecycles of commercial interior due to the influence of societal taste results in the frequent alteration of these interiors, increasing building waste which has a negative environmental impact. This study explores how the lifecycle of an interior environment can be extended through the design principles derived from the design informants identified through the investigation of the theoretical framework, site, precedents, users and programme, and proposed brand. The result is the design of sustainable interior environments that encourages sustainable consumption. The design for multi-use programme allows for users to learn and contribute on various platforms to empower the local community and close the loop for fast fashion to generate a new fashion culture at 012 Central. Through the alteration of the identified interior environments the design intervention aims to reinvigorate the underutilised buildings at 012 Central to support a circular economy driven by post-consumer textile waste. The design intervention aims to provide an informative spatial experience that encourages interaction with space and object, empowering users to contribute to a circular economy driven by post-consumer textile waste. The technical resolution of the proposed design intervention is concerned with the design of sustainable interior environments and components that considers their environmental impact through a closed-loop design approach. / Mini Dissertation (MInt (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Architecture / MInt (Prof) / Unrestricted

Content: A novel class of bio-based polymers have been developed within the LIFE BIOPOL European project aiming to replace traditional re-tanning and fat-liquoring products reducing environmental impacts and increasing the safety of leather. The purpose of the project is to enhance the recovery and reuse of different bio-derived by-products from leather and agro-industrial sector to produce eco-friendly and renewable bio-polymers with high re-tanning and fat-liquoring characteristics. The LIFE BIOPOL project aims to make bio-based polymers in order to reduce the following parameters in re-tanning phase: - 20-30% COD, - 50-60% of inorganic salts (Sulphates and Chlorides), - 90% of Cr (III) salts, - 20% of water used in the leather process. Other important goals of the project are: - reduction 70-90% of hazardous and environmental polluting substances normally found in conventional chemicals, - reactivity enhancement of 30-40% of the new biopolymers compared to the current leather - application technology, - reduction of 70-80% of the Product Environmental Footprint of the new biopolymers related to the state of the art. The vegetal biomasses and the tanned hides by-products were pretreated in order to obtain suitable building blocks for the production of bio-based polymers. Several protocols involving polymerization were used in order to achieve the synthesis of the biopolymers, which have been carried out at lab scale. Macromolecular characterization of the biopolymers was performed in order to rationalize the synthetic strategy and practical application of the products giving important parameters such as molecular weight and chemical composition of the new biopolymers. Performances of new bio-based polymers have been inspected and compared with traditional chemicals through application on different types of leather. The benefits of the new products within leather making process were evaluated through chemical analyses of re-tanning and fat-liquoring effluents. The upgrade of the developed chemistry will be performed within a new devised prototype plant specifically designed and built-up for producing the bio-based polymers at industrial scale Take-Away: Production of leather making biopolymers from biomasses and industrial by-products through Life Cycle Designed Processes

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The goal of this diploma thesis is to highlight the properties of cellulose fibers obtained from waste water and the importance of recycling of raw materials. The main objective is then to further explore the possibilities of using cellulose fibers as a valuable product on the market. The practical part of the thesis is focused on specific research of cellulose properties and design of equipment for sewage treatment plant according to its size.

Climate change is connected to several negative effects on local environments around the globe such as, longer, and more intense droughts, less freshwater supplies, ocean warming, sea level rise, polar ice melting, more intense storms, and rainfall (NASA, 2021).  These problems are mainly due to the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as well as other greenhouse gases (GHG) which cause a similar or stronger climate change effect (WWF, 2021). Practically all climate researchers agree that climate change is caused by human activities (WWF, 2021), as such human activities will have to change to reduce their climate impact. One possible approach to achieve sustainable products is the concept of a circular economy (CE). The proponents of a circular economy describe it as an economic or industrial system which is restorative by its design (EMF, 2010). Currently there is a substantial body of knowledge on how LCA can be used to guide product design in a sustainable direction.  However, as of yet there are limited academic research focused on how environmental assessment can impact the design of Vertical Access Equipment (VAE) and of similar products. This thesis aims to support the VAE sector’s transition towards a CE. The objective of this study was to understand and provide improvement suggestions for the environmental performance and energy use of VAE. This Involved a case study where a LCA was conducted to establish a baseline of four VAE products, a construction hoist, a service lift, an industrial elevator, and a BMU. The results of the initial LCA varied greatly depending on the different products and their use case. Guided by the LCA results, semi-structured workshops were held to find feasible improvement suggestions whose impacts were investigated using LCA once more. Feasible and substantial improvements focusing on the products high impact areas were found for all products. For the construction hoist improvements regarding eliminating waste in the lifting work was most impactful, whilst the service lift required optimizing of maintenance and use of sensors to reduce the maintenance time. For the industrial elevator and the BMU, measures which focused on reducing virgin material extraction showed most promise, such as lifespan extension, remanufacturing, and use of recycled materials. / Mistra REES