Drivers and Barriers to the Circular Economy Transition: The Case of Recycled Plastics in the Automotive Sector in the European Union

The circular economy aims to decouple growth from environmental impacts by optimizing resource use, minimizing waste and pollution. The European Union (EU) has the ambition to lead a circular economy transition on a global level. Realizing the transition is complex, because it requires substantial and interconnected changes in the current...

From surgical waste to medical products

Hospital waste has a major impact on the environment. The worldwide growth of hospital waste is the result of the growing world population and the increase in use of disposables. A circular healthcare economy may contribute to the reduction of hospital waste. The circular economy is a system in which waste is prevented and where waste is reused....

Design for Recycling of Electronic Products: How to bridge the gap between design methods and recycling practices

The topic of this thesis is design for recycling (DfR) of electronic products. More than ever before, electronic products are intruding into our everyday life, both in the household and in industry, resulting in increasing numbers of electronic products ending up in waste streams (also known as electronic waste, or e-waste). Electronic products...