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Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 51178

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Davide Settembre Blundo

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Department of Business Economics (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
Interests: sustainability management; innovation management; circular economy; manufacturing
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Prof. Dr. Fernando Enrique García-Muiña

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Department of Business Economics (ADO), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28032 Madrid, Spain
Interests: business organization; corporate strategy; sustainability management; innovation management
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Dr. Mauro Francesco La Russa

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Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Interests: cultural heritage; characterization of stone building materials and their decay; experimentation of innovative protective products; archaeometric study of chronologically different ceramic remains in subaerial and underwater environments
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Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Ferrari

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Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Interests: life cycle assessment; environmental science; chemical engineering; materials science
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Dr. Maria Pia Riccardi

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Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: cultural heritage; archaeometry; geoanthropology; georesources; sustainable supply chain; sustainable development goals
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of the circular economy, an economic system designed to regenerate itself and therefore able to guarantee its own eco-sustainability, has progressively established itself both among scholars and practitioners. However, can we say that we have now entered the era of the circular economy?

To answer this question, the challenge is now to translate this concept from the field of intentions to concrete actions and, especially in the manufacturing context, it is necessary to take this opportunity to make processes more efficient in the use of natural, economic and social capital.

Circular economy and digital transformation are enabling technologies to achieve sustainability goals in manufacturing (Garcia-Muiña et al., 2018). Just as the transition from the linear to the circular economy can only be accompanied by an evolution of the business model that must also become circular (Garcia-Muiña et al., 2020). This change implies the adoption of the life cycle approach to succeed in making supply chains more efficient (González-Sánchez et al., 2020) and exploit good sustainability practices as a source of competitive advantage for manufacturing companies (Settembre-Blundo et al., 2019).

The goal of this Special Issue is to explore how manufacturing companies, thanks to the support of enabling technologies, can evolve towards the model of smart and circular enterprises and what impact this transformation makes on the creation and capture of value within supply chains. Both conceptual and empirical research and case studies, aimed at validating theoretical assumptions, are welcome in this Issue.

References

(1) Garcia-Muiña, F. E., González-Sánchez, R., Ferrari, A. M., & Settembre-Blundo, D. (2018). The paradigms of Industry 4.0 and circular economy as enabling drivers for the competitiveness of businesses and territories: The case of an Italian ceramic tiles manufacturing company. Social Sciences, 7(12), 255.

(2) García-Muiña, F. E., Medina-Salgado, M. S., Ferrari, A. M., & Cucchi, M. (2020). Sustainability Transition in Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing with the Triple-Layered Business Model Canvas. Sustainability, 12(6), 2364.

(3) González-Sánchez, R., Settembre-Blundo, D., Ferrari, A. M., & García-Muiña, F. E. (2020). Main dimensions in the building of the circular supply chain: A literature review. Sustainability, 12(6), 2459.

(4) Settembre-Blundo, D., García-Muiña, F.E., Pini, M., Volpi, L., Siligardi, C. and Ferrari, A.M. (2019). Sustainability as source of competitive advantages in mature sectors: The case of Ceramic District of Sassuolo (Italy). Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 8 (1), 53.

Dr. Davide Settembre Blundo
Prof. Dr. Fernando Enrique García-Muiña
Prof. Dr. Mauro Francesco La Russa
Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Ferrari
Prof. Dr. Maria Pia Riccardi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Sustainable Manufacturing (SM)
Circular Economy (CE)
Circular Business Models (CBMs)
Eco-design, Industry 4.0
Circular Supply Chain (CSC)
Life Cycle Thinking (LCT)

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Research

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13 pages, 1747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chabazite from Campanian Ignimbrite Tuff as a Potential and Sustainable Remediation Agent for the Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Water

by Francesco Izzo, Alessio Langella, Bruno de Gennaro, Chiara Germinario, Celestino Grifa, Concetta Rispoli and Mariano Mercurio

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020725 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1929

Abstract

The technological performance of a chabazite-rich rock belonging to the Campanian Ignimbrite formation, outcropping in the nearby of San Mango sul Calore (southern Italy), has been evaluated for the sorption and release of ibuprofen sodium salt after a surface modification of the starting geomaterial using two different chlorinated surfactants. Equilibrium sorption isotherms and in vitro loading tests demonstrated that the maximum sorption capacities of this geomaterial reach up to 24.5 and 13.5 mg/g, respectively, for zeolite modified with cetylpyridinium and benzalkonium. These results, obtained by non-linear mathematical modeling of the experimental curves, are definitely compatible with the concentrations of the most common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) in wastewaters, which have been recently considered as contaminants of emerging concern. This investigation also encourages a new possible sustainable exploitation of the lithified yellow facies of Campanian Ignimbrite, although future developments will be focused on using more stable and eco-friendlier two-tailed surfactants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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22 pages, 2732 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Investigating Business Potential and Users’ Acceptance of Circular Economy: A Survey and an Evaluation Model

by Gianmarco Bressanelli, Nicola Saccani and Marco Perona

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020609 - 6 Jan 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3096

Abstract

Circular economy is gaining attention in business and society to advance sustainability. This paradigm is particularly relevant for energy-consuming products such as washing machines, where alternatives to linear economy such as pay-per-use and refurbishment are gaining ground. To succeed, these business models should achieve consensus and acceptance among users. However, little attention has been paid to customers’ interest for circular economy business models so far. This paper aims to compare the economic and environmental impacts of pay-per wash and refurbishment business models, while investigating the degree of users’ acceptance and factors influencing it. A survey has been designed to collect users’ data regarding washing machine consumption patterns and acceptance rates of the circular business models. An evaluation model was developed to assess the economic and environmental impacts of pay-per-wash and refurbishment against a traditional linear model, fed with data from 279 Italian households collected through the survey. Finally, logistic regressions were carried out to investigate the influence of different customer, product, and usage factors on the acceptance rates of the two circular business models. Results show that, on average, pay-per-wash business models and washing machine refurbishment can guarantee environmental savings. However, only refurbishment generates economic savings for users. Moreover, only around half of the users’ sample shows a positive degree of acceptance of such alternatives. Respondent age has been found as a significant factor influencing the interest towards a refurbishment model, while the washing machine failures experienced by users and the relevance of the environmental gains achievable influence the acceptance rate of pay-per-wash models. Thus, when offering pay-per-wash schemes, suppliers should emphasize the information on the environmental benefits of this alternative, and that with such models they take over the responsibility and costs for maintenance and repair. On the other hand, providers of refurbished products should target younger consumers, who are less affected by a bias against second-hand goods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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18 pages, 1247 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Management Control and Business Model Innovation in the Context of a Circular Economy in the Dutch Construction Industry

by Henk Ruiter, Frank De Feijter and Koos Wagensveld

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010366 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3529

Abstract

This study explores how different forms of management control support and enable business model innovation in the context of the principles of the circular economy. Following a qualitative research approach, empirical data is collected from construction companies and governmental organizations in the Netherlands. Building on Simons’ four levers of control. This paper illustrates how to balance the intended and emergent strategies via the organization’s management control system. According to Simons, the four levers encompass the beliefs systems, the interactive control systems, the diagnostic control systems, and the boundary controls. The empirical findings uncover the beliefs systems and the interactive control systems to be the most relevant levers that enable and drive business model innovation striving for the effective use of materials. Rather than measuring the output with predefined performance indicators, business model innovation in this context is better served by diagnostic controls which evaluate how innovative business models contribute to the organization’s mission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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18 pages, 16579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recycling REEs from the Waste Products of Silius Mine (SE Sardinia, Italy): A Preliminary Study

by Giuseppina Balassone, Carla Manfredi, Ermanno Vasca, Mariacristina Bianco, Maria Boni, Aldo Di Nunzio, Francesco Lombardo, Rosaria Mozzillo, Antonio Marino, Angela Mormone, Guido Mura, Marco Trifuoggi and Nicola Mondillo

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 14000; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132414000 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2692

Abstract

The present research represents an approach toward the recycling of extractive waste inspired by circular economy and sustainability that is developed in accordance with Goal 12 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. A new procedure for the recovery of REEs from fluorite–barite–galena ores with calcite gangue from the Silius mine (Sardinia, Italy) is presented. The considered samples are waste materials of Silius mineralization, collected in the old processing plant of Assemini (near Cagliari). In this orebody, REE minerals consist of prevailing synchysite (a REE-bearing fluorocarbonate) and subordinate xenotime-Y (a Y-bearing phosphate). REE fluorocarbonates are extracted using 50% K₂CO₃ as the leaching solution, at 100 °C. Using a solution (mL)/sample (g) ratio of 25, about 10% of the total REE content of the considered sample is extracted within 1 h. At the laboratory scale, such alkaline leaching of REE from the waste materials allows the recovery of the CO₂ produced as K₂CO₃ from concentrated KOH, in accordance with a circular flow. Further work is ongoing to scale up the process into a pilot plant, to prove that the method developed within this research can be economically feasible, socially suitable, and environmentally respectful. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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18 pages, 2026 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Technological Sustainability or Sustainable Technology? A Multidimensional Vision of Sustainability in Manufacturing

by Marco Vacchi, Cristina Siligardi, Fabio Demaria, Erika Iveth Cedillo-González, Rocío González-Sánchez and Davide Settembre-Blundo

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9942; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179942 - 4 Sep 2021

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 9504

Abstract

The topic of sustainability is becoming one of the strongest drivers of change in the marketplace by transforming into an element of competitiveness and an integral part of business strategy. Particularly in the manufacturing sector, a key role is played by technological innovations that allow companies to minimize the impact of their business on the environment and contribute to enhancing the value of the societies in which they operate. Technological process can be a lever to generate sustainable behaviors, confirming how innovation and sustainability constitute an increasingly close pair. However, it emerges that the nature of this relationship is explored by researchers and considered by practitioners almost exclusively in terms of the degree of sustainability of technological solutions. Lacking is an in-depth exploration of how a product or process, in addition to being environmentally and socio-economically sustainable, must or can also be technologically sustainable. This research therefore aims to build a theoretical foundation for technological sustainability seen as a possible fourth dimension of sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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14 pages, 1318 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Cost of Reducing Municipal Unsorted Solid Waste: Evidence from Municipalities in Chile

by Maria Molinos-Senante and Alexandros Maziotis

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6607; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126607 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3398

Abstract

The management of municipal solid waste sector is crucial for a sustainable circular economy. Waste utilities are expected to provide high quality solid waste services at an affordable price. The efficient management of solid waste requires its assessment from an economic and environmental perspective, i.e., eco-efficiency assessment. Although the reduction of unsorted waste incurs an economic cost, its positive externalities are huge for the well-being of society, the environment, and people. Our study quantifies the marginal cost of reducing any unsorted waste using stochastic frontier analysis techniques which allow us to estimate the eco-efficiency of the waste sector. Our empirical approach focuses on the municipal solid waste collection and recycling services provided by several waste utilities in Chile. The results indicate that substantial eco-inefficiency in the sector exists, since the average eco-efficiency score is roughly 0.5 which means that the municipalities could approximately halve their operational costs and unsorted waste to produce the same level of output. The average marginal cost of reducing unsorted waste is 32.28 Chilean pesos per ton, although notable differences are revealed among the waste utilities evaluated. The results provided by this study are of great interest to stakeholders to promote sustainable management solutions and resource efficient solid waste services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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16 pages, 640 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Three Futures Scenarios of Policy Instruments for Sustainable Textile Production and Consumption as Portrayed in the Finnish News Media

by Laura Virta and Riikka Räisänen

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020594 - 9 Jan 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5545

Abstract

This research uses futures studies as background methodology and presents three scenarios for sustainable textile production and consumption based on the data of the Finnish news media. The scenarios extend to 2050, and the emphasis is on recognising policy instruments that can potentially support sustainable textile production and consumption. The first data set included 214 news articles from 2019 that were analysed using theory-guided qualitative content analysis. The second data set consisted of five textile experts’ evaluations of the probability and preferability of claims based on the first data set. As a result, a table of futures scenarios was created, including descriptions of the current state and preferable, threatening and probable textile futures. The data show that textile and fashion sustainability issues are strongly presented in the media as part of the comprehensive climate-change-driven criticism of consumerism. The data emphasised a need for a holistic change in production and consumption. The most likely forms of policy instruments appear to be stronger corporate responsibility legislation (regulatory), environmental taxation of goods and services (economic), and eco-labelling of goods and services (information). These help in reaching the preferable scenario for 2050, which suggests a carbon-neutral textile production based on a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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16 pages, 626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Process and Product Innovation in the Eyewear Sector: The Role of Industry 4.0 Enabling Technologies

by Federica Murmura, Laura Bravi and Gilberto Santos

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010365 - 3 Jan 2021

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 10415

Abstract

This paper aims to provide the reader with an organic view of the eyewear sector considering both market and quality aspects and evaluating the role of Industry 4.0 in process and product innovation for managing consumer health, analyzing a case study of a leading multinational company in the eyewear and ophthalmic lenses sector. The research has been developed with a qualitative approach. The study is a conceptual development and it uses an exploratory interview to create a single case study. The case study was developed with the realization by the researcher of a semi-structured interview. The selected interlocutor was the Innovation Manager of Alpha Optics. It has been decided to focus the attention on this figure, as it was responsible for the realization and introduction into the company of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies for developing health innovations. From this case study it was possible to observe how the connection with the trends that influence the demand for eyeglasses is a driving factor for product innovation. Products increasingly adapted to the needs of young people and the use of digital devices seem to be the ones on which the greatest number of innovations are concentrated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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16 pages, 2331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remote Teaching of Building Information Modeling During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

by Conrad Boton

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8665; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208665 - 19 Oct 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2942

Abstract

This article reports on a Building information modeling (BIM) distance learning experience in a pandemic context. Based on a description of the experience and a survey completed by the learners at the end of the course, the article presents and discusses various aspects of the training, including the overall satisfaction of the learners, their evaluation of the technical aspects and the practical work, as well as the proposals made to improve the course. The analysis shows that some elements of the teaching functioned well, while others were rated as being less satisfactory by the students. More specifically, the learners highlighted the need to find ways and means to improve the level of interaction, which is reduced by online education. The use of video clips as a support for practical work was recognized as being effective, but it seems useful also to resort to the use of collaborative platforms dedicated to the construction industry. A critical aspect is the remote access to computer labs with computers where the taught software is installed, as not all of the learners will always have the option of having it on their personal computers. Although the results of the experiment are difficult to generalize due to its particular context, they identify interesting avenues for improvement while paving the way to unique opportunities for the use of active pedagogy principles in BIM education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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Review

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32 pages, 61545 KiB

Open AccessReview

Circular Economy and Internet of Things: Mapping Science of Case Studies in Manufacturing Industry

by Adriane Cavalieri, João Reis and Marlene Amorim

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3299; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063299 - 17 Mar 2021

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 5678

Abstract

This study investigates the “Internet of things” (IoT) and “Circular Economy” (CE) relationship in the current scientific literature focused on case studies or use cases on manufacturing context. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to map the science centered on “case studies” with respect to the “IoT” and “CE” connection, contributing to fill the gap of the subject that is already relevant to the scientific community and practitioners. The research methodology consists of developing a bibliometric study, employing PRISMA process, whose data is obtained from the Web of Science database. The VOSviewer was the computer program selected for the bibliometric analysis. The Web of Science (WoS) analysis tool supports VOSviewer. The papers were analyzed according to network analysis principles. The qualitative content analysis complements these results. The results show the high-frequency keywords and topics associated with the theme “IoT and CE”; the most cited papers; the intellectual structure of “IoT and CE”; the new emerging themes in scientific research; and social networks among the researchers. The paper’s contribution is the results of the bibliometric analysis and a better understanding of the relationship of “IoT” and “CE” by the “case studies” addressed in the empirical investigations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Manufacturing Based on Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy)

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