| Title |
The influence of end-of-life regulation on vehicle material circularity: A comparison of Europe, Japan, Australia and the US |
| ID_Doc |
20662 |
| Authors |
Soo, VK; Doolan, M; Compston, P; Duflou, JR; Peeters, J; Umeda, Y |
| Title |
The influence of end-of-life regulation on vehicle material circularity: A comparison of Europe, Japan, Australia and the US |
| Year |
2021 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105294 |
| Abstract |
For many years, regulation and life cycle studies have focussed on reducing the environmental footprint of vehicles. Despite the implementation of different end-of-life vehicle (ELV) regulations to encourage material reuse and to increase recycling and recovery rates, it is unclear how these policies are progressing towards realising a circular economy (CE). This paper assesses the impact of different ELV regulations implemented in Europe, Japan, Australia, and the US on the effectiveness of product-based circularity using the Material Circularity Indicator and Product Circularity Indicator. Scenario analysis is carried out to identify potential improvements in vehicle material circularity based on different circular economy strategies: more advanced recycling technology; higher scrap utilisation; design for reuse/remanufacturing; and higher product utility; and the effects of changing vehicle technologies on material circularity. This study addresses the gap in current ELV regulations in a CE context using a quantitative assessment approach. It is shown that there is limited impact on the material circularity performance, at most by 17.3%, due to the focus on material recycling rates at the end-of-life phase. It is recommended that current ELV regulations are leveraged to implement effective CE strategies from a holistic life cycle approach, particularly through more scrap utilisation, higher intensity of vehicle use and the design for reuse/remanufacturing. The greatest potential for circularity improvement is shown through higher scrap utilisation. This is also the case for newer vehicle technologies, such as electrification and lightweighting, which have shown a wide range of material circularity outcomes due to changing material composition. |
| Author Keywords |
Circular economy; Recycling; End-of-life vehicle; Material efficiency; Life cycle thinking; Regulation |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:000657289000035 |
| WoS Category |
Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences |
| Research Area |
Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
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