End-of-waste criteria: Helper or hindrance for the circular economy in Ireland?
Johnson, Cherrelle Mitchell, Sinéad
Johnson, Cherrelle
Mitchell, Sinéad
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Identifiers
http://hdl.handle.net/10379/17357
https://doi.org/10.13025/18984
https://doi.org/10.13025/18984
Repository DOI
Publication Date
2022
Type
Conference Paper
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Citation
Johnson, Cherrelle, & Mitchell, Sinéad. (2022). End-of-waste criteria: Helper or hindrance for the circular economy in Ireland? Paper presented at the 38th International Manufacturing Conference IMC38, Dublin, Ireland, 30 August.
Abstract
It is imperative that societies identify and implement mitigation measures to reduce the impact of the climate crisis on the environment, the economy, and human health. A circular economy provides an opportunity to shift away from the current ‘take-make-waste’ linear paradigm to a circular, regenerativebased model. Preliminary research into the Irish transition to a circular economy identified End-of-Waste criteria as a potential barrier to circularity. This study aims to better understand Ireland’s progress in transitioning to a more circular economy and assess if the current End-of-Waste criteria is a regulatory barrier to achieving circularity within Ireland. Research for this study focuses on the circular economy in Ireland, End-of-Waste criteria, and company experiences with the End-of-Waste application process. For the purposes of identifying and understanding the current obstacles, a series of interviews were conducted with primarily Irish circular industry leaders, as well as an extensive review of the relevant literature. The interviews allowed for industry insight into perceived barriers to achieving circularity specific to the Irish context, and how those can be overcome. Gaps in the literature were also identified through the study, particularly a shortage of research into the practical transition from ‘waste’ to ‘non-waste’ classification and its effect on developing a circular economy in Ireland. The findings of this study conclude that Ireland has failed to make substantial progress towards circularity when compared to other European Union Member States as a result of unclear guidance at a European Union level, specifically the End-of-Waste criteria. It is recommended that EU-wide criteria be established for more waste streams, such as plastic or digestate. This would allow Member States to adapt to the circular economy approach expeditiously. This study will add to the limited knowledge base of the circular economy in Ireland, regulatory barriers to the circular economy in Ireland, and potential solutions to overcome those barriers.
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Publisher
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin
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Rights
CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IE