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Project title

Scaling up circular economy business model by new design, leaner remanufacturing, and automated material recycling-technologies

Primary Funding Agency

Geological Survey Ireland

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

Compliance and Risks Ltd

Lead Applicant

Danny Cassidy

Project Abstract

Securing the supply of raw materials is one of Europe’s biggest challenges. The Commission has identified 30 critical raw materials (CRMs), adopted by products in many sectors. Today, most of the products are processed in the “make-sell-use-dispose” paradigm, where original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) intend to sell a higher number of products and lose control of the products after their sales. The productasa-service (PaaS) model is emerging as a promising concept in several sectors by providing OEMs with a reverse incentive, creating ERA-MIN3 Scandere - ID: 45 3 of 12 a potential for increasing the CRM efficiency by a factor of two or more. However, to raise and accelerate the adoption of PaaS, a major challenge is to holistically address the inter-dependent activities occurring in different points both temporally and geographically: product design, remanufacturing, and end-of-life (EoL) treatment. Therefore, front runners in European industry and academia, including the need owner and solution provider, will join forces in this project to tackle this challenge, with its unique trans-disciplinary approach, taking consumer electrical and electronic products as an example. The aims are to 1) demonstrate how improved product designs, leaner remanufacturing processes, and optimized EoL treatment processes in the PaaS business model will contribute to the three pillars of sustainability using indicators with the lifecycle perspective and 2) show how business model formulation and governmental regulations in the EU will facilitate (or hinder) PaaS businesses. The major outcomes will showcase two PaaS offerings with enhanced sustainability as a European model to business leaders and policy makers. The major expected impacts are 1) increasing efficiency in using resources for industrial products, focusing on CRMs from the EU’s interest, 2) decoupling economic growth and resource use, and 3) improving non-technological framework conditions such as regulations for PaaS at the EU level.

Grant Approved

�120,862.00

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/05/2022

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/04/2025