Governing flows in the circular economy

The development of a Circular Economy, whereby resources kept in circulation for the extraction of maximum value could make a profound contribution to achieving the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 12 to promote... [ view full abstract ]

The development of a Circular Economy, whereby resources kept in circulation for the extraction of maximum value could make a profound contribution to achieving the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 12 to promote sustainable production and consumption.     However, the circularisation of material flows is likely to prove a task for a generation: the challenges are only beginning to be explored and the wider implications seldom considered.    As is well-known with respect to the sustainable development goals, there can be contradictions involved, whereby actions designed to meet one (e.g., resource recovery) may have adverse effects on another (e.g., environmental protection or social inclusion).   The implications of specific Circular Economy initiatives, however, are not well-known.  Within the web of interwoven material and value flows which would comprise a Circular Economy, this paper explores the regulatory framework governing the recovery of high value components of bulk industrial residues, including residues accumulated from previous industrial activity, known as legacy wastes (i.e., a form of industrial symbiosis).  Drawing on a project examining technologies for and the governance of recovering metals from high alkaline waste, including steel slag, this paper draws on extensive analysis of policies at EU and UK level as well as semi-structured interviews with stakeholders representing industry and regulatory bodies.  The two most significant regulations covering the production, processing and storage of high alkaline industrial wastes are The EU Waste Framework Directive and the IPPC Directive.   Emerging issues are the definition of residues as waste or by-product and end-of-waste.  A barrier to resources re-entering the economy is waste classification and there is currently an ongoing debate about how wastes are classified and at what point they reach end of life. This affects how these residues have to be treated and whether they are permitted to be re-used thus whether or not they are able to re-enter the economy.    We will conclude with recommendations on the regulatory environment supportive of this type of resource recovery.  

Key words

Circular economy, steel slag, regulations, definition of waste, industrial symbiosis