Less Trash, More Treasure

Exploring niche strategies for large-scale diffusion of waste valorisation technologies by circular companies in Asia

Master Thesis (2024)
Author(s)

A.N. Binti Zailani (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)

Contributor(s)

Linda Kamp – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Energy and Industry)

Fátima Delgado Medina – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship)

Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
More Info
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Publication Year
2024
Language
English
Graduation Date
01-09-2024
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
['Industrial Ecology', 'Erasmus Mundus International Master’s Programme in Circular Economy (CIRCLE)']
Sponsors
Universiteit Leiden
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
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Abstract

Every year, the world generates 7-10 billion tonnes of waste. Rapid population growth, urbanisation, and increased consumption is projected to increase this number by 70% in 2050. Asia generates the most waste globally and also imports a significant amount of waste from other regions. Waste valorisation transforms waste into higher value products and can be a crucial solution for sustainable waste management in Asia. This research builds on the Technological Innovation System (TIS) Framework and adapts it to the contexts of Asia and the waste valorisation industry with new drivers and barriers. The adapted framework was applied to four case studies of Asian waste- valorising companies: EnviroTech in the Philippines, Ricron Panels in India, Kinava in South Korea, and Less & Co in Singapore. The TIS framework analysis identified barriers that can be grouped into 3 categories: 1) lack of customer demand, 2) incomplete or inefficient operations, and 3) lack of institutional support and resulted in a total of 41 niche strategies that can serve as a resource for companies facing similar barriers.

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