Bio-based Materials Within the Circular
Economy: Opportunities and Challenges
Birgit Brunklaus and Ellen Riise
Abstract In a circular society, material consumption should be a circular process
where renewable resources and waste streams are used for new bio-based materials.
In such a society, bio-based materials are also reused, repaired, recycled, and
remanufactured. Not only choices on resources, but also other life cycle choices
pertaining to circularity must be done based on technological, environmental and
economic basis. For this session, presentations and discussions regarding life cycle
management of bio-based materials were suggested. The session had five oral
presentations and six poster presentations that gave a general picture of a broader
environmental and a positive economic result on a life cycle basis when renewable
raw materials are used, while further exploration of the technical aspects within
circularity and end-of-life challenges are needed in the future.
1 Introduction
The linear economy is based on the notion “Take, make and dispose”, which is not
in line with resource restriction posed on society today. Instead, there is a need for
an economy that aims for circularity based on the notion “Restore, rebuilt and
regenerate”. In a circular society, material consumption should be a circular process
where both renewable resources as well as finite resources are reused, recovered or
recycled, inducing not only choices on resources, but also other life cycle choices
pertaining to circularity that must be done based on technological, environmental
and economic basis. This turns the linear life cycle “upside-down” to some extent
B. Brunklaus (&)
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Energy and Circular Economy,
Sustainable Society, Energy and Environmental Systems Analysis,
41296 Göteborg, Sweden
e-mail: birgit.brunklaus@ri.se
E. Riise
Essity, SCA Hygiene Products AB Group Function Sustainability,
40503 Göteborg, Sweden
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_5
43
Economy: Opportunities and Challenges
Birgit Brunklaus and Ellen Riise
Abstract In a circular society, material consumption should be a circular process
where renewable resources and waste streams are used for new bio-based materials.
In such a society, bio-based materials are also reused, repaired, recycled, and
remanufactured. Not only choices on resources, but also other life cycle choices
pertaining to circularity must be done based on technological, environmental and
economic basis. For this session, presentations and discussions regarding life cycle
management of bio-based materials were suggested. The session had five oral
presentations and six poster presentations that gave a general picture of a broader
environmental and a positive economic result on a life cycle basis when renewable
raw materials are used, while further exploration of the technical aspects within
circularity and end-of-life challenges are needed in the future.
1 Introduction
The linear economy is based on the notion “Take, make and dispose”, which is not
in line with resource restriction posed on society today. Instead, there is a need for
an economy that aims for circularity based on the notion “Restore, rebuilt and
regenerate”. In a circular society, material consumption should be a circular process
where both renewable resources as well as finite resources are reused, recovered or
recycled, inducing not only choices on resources, but also other life cycle choices
pertaining to circularity that must be done based on technological, environmental
and economic basis. This turns the linear life cycle “upside-down” to some extent
B. Brunklaus (&)
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Energy and Circular Economy,
Sustainable Society, Energy and Environmental Systems Analysis,
41296 Göteborg, Sweden
e-mail: birgit.brunklaus@ri.se
E. Riise
Essity, SCA Hygiene Products AB Group Function Sustainability,
40503 Göteborg, Sweden
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_5
43