Taxonomy and choice of appropriate set of circularity indicators

Full text

Selection Tool
Use Cases - Experimentation
Taxonomy and Choice of Appropriate
Set of Circularity Indicators
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The Circularity Indicators Advisor
SAIDANI Michael, YANNOU Bernard,
LEROY Yann, CLUZEL François
Laboratoire Genie Industriel, CentraleSupélec
Université Paris-Saclay, France
Contact: michael.saidani@centralesupelec.fr
ATA EcoSD 2018
Orange Gardens, Châtillon
▪Cayzer, S., Griffiths, P. and Beghetto, V. 2017. Design of indicators for measuring product performance in the circular economy,
International Journal of Sustainable Engineering,
▪Elia, V. et al. 2017. Measuring circular economy strategies through index methods: A critical analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production.
Volume 142, pp. 2741–2751.
▪Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF). 2015. Circularity Indicators - An Approach to Measure Circularity. Methodology & Project Overview;
Cowes, UK.
▪Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P. and Bocken, N.M. 2017. The Circular Economy -A new sustainability paradigm? Journal of Cleaner
Production, Volume 143, pp.757-768.
▪Pauliuk, S. 2018. A dashboard of quantitative system indicators for its implementation in organizations. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling, Volume 129, pp. 81-92.
▪Saidani, M., Yannou, B., Leroy, Y. and Cluzel, F. 2017. How to Assess Product Performance in the Circular Economy? Recycling 2, no. 1: 6.
▪Saidani, M., Yannou, B., Leroy, Y., Cluzel, F., Kendall, A. 2019. A taxonomy of circular economy indicators. Journal of Cleaner Production,
Vol 207, pp. 542-559.
References
Circularity Indicators (CI) Proposed Taxonomy
▪The circular economy (CE) seems promising to meet
the goals of sustainable development (Schroeder et al.2018)
▪Yet, two key challenges have still to be addressed:
i. How to support CE practitioners in this transition?
ii. How to assess the circularity performance?
▪Joint agreement on the need to measure the
progress towards circularity in order to enhance
and monitor the impacts, and benefits of this
transition. (Cayzer et al.2017) (Saidani et al.2017)
▪Due to an increasing number of CI with many
different scopes, purposes and usages, the objective
is to provide clarity on these indicators, so as to
guide CE practicioners towards the right set of
indicators, regarding their needs and requirements.
▪Research approach =Extensive literature review on CE-related indicators.
▪Identification, analysis and classification of over 50 sets of circularity indicators
developed and used by academics, businesses, consulting companies, environmental
organisations and governmental agencies (Saidani et al.2019).
▪In line and in complementarity with existing taxonomies of eco-design tools (Rousseaux et
al.2017) (Bovea and Pérez-Belis, 2012)and of circular economy business models (Urbinati et al.2017)
▪Clustering method: Proposition of aneed-based taxonomy,driven by the usages of
such indicators.
▪Combinatory aspects: The approximately 200 possible pathways thought criteria
combination - among the 50 sets of indicators inventoried - ensure arapid
convergence towards the most suitable circularity indicator(s).
1. Presentation
Goal: To support the users in identifying and selecting the
most appropriate circularity indicators in line with their objectives.
Audience: Industrial practitioners (e.g. designers, engineers,
managers) decision-makers and policy-makers working in CE projects.
Software: Microsoft Excel worksheet based tool with macro enabled.
Database: Apool of more than 50 sets of circularity indicators.
2. Input Data
In the input interface of the Excel file, one can specify the desired features,by
answering 8 multiple-choice questions, e.g. if one is interested in measuring the
inherent circularity (i.e. recirculation of resources) or the consequences (i.e.
impacts) of such circularity?
3. Run the Search
Once the query is completed, a click on the round logo at the top starts the search.
4. Outputs
The tool directs automatically to the results table of recommended indicators. It
includes a short description of each selected indicator, its working principle, the
data required to be computed, and a summary of its potentially useful usages.
5. Explore, Test, & Implement
A direct internet access link to each of the recommended indicators and their
assessment framework is also indicated, to get more details on the indicator, to
experiment their associated assessment framework (e.g. formulas to compute,
web-based tool, dynamic Excel spreadsheet, etc.) and, if relevant, to start
implementing such indicator(s) in diverse circular economy project(s).
▪Focus on the micro level of CE (i.e. company, products, components and materials):
▪To explore how appropriate CI can help (re-)designing better circular products.
▪To experience the tool on CI use cases published in literature to test its robustness
(e.g. on used starter engines, prototype tidal energy device, and catalytic converter).
▪Perspectives: to link CI heuristics with tangible impacts; to keep the databank up-to-date.
→Tutorial video https://youtu.be/nRNbWyHRzic
→Industrial application https://youtu.be/kd51SsX0Be4
Potentially useful applications: circularity and sustainability
performance assessment, improvement guidelines, decision-
making, management, benchmarking, communication, etc.
Level Definition Example
Macro City,
region,
nation,
19%of the UK
economy is
circular in 2010
Meso Inter-
entreprise EIPs
performance
Micro Company,
Products,
Materials
Material
Circularity
Indicator
…
Categories
(criteria)
Levels
(micro,
meso,
macro)
Loops
(maintain,
reuse/reman,
recycle)
Perspective
(actual,
potential)
Performance
(intrinsic,
impacts)
Units
(quantitative,
qualitative)
Dimension
(single,
multiple)
Usages (e.g.
improvement,
benchmarking,
communication)
Sources
(academics,
companies,
agencies)
Transversality
(generic,
sector-
specific)
Format (e.g.
web-based
tool
, Excel,
formulas)