Advancing WEEE Management in the Automotive Industry: The Application of the International Data Space for Improved Information Sharing

This thesis examines the pressing environmental issue stemming from the accumulation of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), particularly within the automotive sector. Despite directives from the European Commission aiming to promote a circular economy, challenges persist in effectively managing WEEE, particularly in End-of-Life...

EU Critical Raw Materials Act: too ambitious or not ambitious enough?: A case study on the implications of the three Critical Raw Material Act proposals on satisfying demand for neodymium in wind turbines more sustainably through recycling in Germany

The mitigation of climate change and the transition to a more sustainable and circular use of resources are two of the largest challenges of our time. To this end, the European Commission proposed the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) in March 2023 as further pillars to its Green Deal. While the NZIA focuses on...

Circularity of critical raw materials in electric aviation

Components of novel propulsion systems in electric aviation contain materials defined as critical by the European Union: electric motors contain Rare Earth Elements neodymium and dysprosium, and state-of-the-art batteries materials like lithium and cobalt. Such critical raw materials have high supply risks but are crucial for the economy. The...

Product Life Extension Strategies for PV in the Netherlands: Theory and Practice

The EU has set out to reduce negative impacts from electricity generation on the environment, human health and towards our dependence on fossil fuels. As the fastest growing renewable source of electricity, photovoltaics plays an important role in the energy transition. The manufacturing of photovoltaic modules requires materials classified as...

Circular Economy Strategies’ Impact on Critical Raw Materials in Servers: A Case Study from the Perspective of a Dutch Telecommunications Company

Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), materials with high economic importance and supply risk, are the key components of strategic sectors, including Information and Communications Technology (ICT). With foreseeable growth in CRMs demand, principles such as Circular Economy (CE) strategies are gaining attention as means to mitigate risks associated...

The Resilient Economy: A Historical Investigation of Governance on Material Constraint in Britain During the Second World War: Creating Resilience to Critical Materials Problems in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is vulnerable to supply restrictions because of the importance of materials for economic development: materials are at the basis of the society. The materials that are particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions and are of high importance to the economy are called critical raw materials. The Dutch government has adopted the...

Reuse of EEE consumer products, a potential End-of-Life strategy for CRM's

BACKGROUND Several elements displayed in the 2011 MEErP’s (Methodology for the Ecodesign of Energy-related Products) and JRC’s (European Commission Joint Research Centre) reports which will be used in preparatory studies for measures under the recast of the Ecodesign Directive, indicate that a European list of Critical Raw Materials (CRM’s)...