| Title |
Life Cycle Assessment to Ensure Sustainability of Circular Business Models in Manufacturing |
| ID_Doc |
21736 |
| Authors |
Bjornbet, MM; Vildåsen, SS |
| Title |
Life Cycle Assessment to Ensure Sustainability of Circular Business Models in Manufacturing |
| Year |
2021 |
| Published |
Sustainability, 13.0, 19 |
| DOI |
10.3390/su131911014 |
| Abstract |
Circular business models (CBMs) represent a path for coordinating circular economy (CE) efforts. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for quantifying environmental effects of a product or a service and can therefore evaluate the environmental sustainability of CBMs. This paper explores whether LCA can act as an enabler for manufacturing companies who want to implement a CBM. Following a case-study approach, we draw on the experiences of a specific manufacturing company during the time period 2014-2021. The paper presents key lessons on the interaction between LCA and CE. The study finds that LCA-by providing quantified results on the environmental impacts of circular strategies-limits the risk of problem shifting and challenges the normative rule of closing the loop by including a set of multiple impact categories. LCA offers a common platform and encourages communication with stakeholders. These characteristics make LCA a well-suited tool for CBM development. However, the holistic perspective on environmental problems that LCA provides can also complicate CE's clear message of 'closing the loop'. Lastly, LCA is a tool for environmental evaluation, and with the main emphasis of CE also on environmental issues, there is high risk of neglecting social and economic aspects of sustainable development. |
| Author Keywords |
circular economy; sustainable development; case study; life-cycle assessment; circular business model; circular manufacturing |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED); Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) |
| EID |
WOS:000709623800001 |
| WoS Category |
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies |
| Research Area |
Science & Technology - Other Topics; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
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