Improving areas with a circular economy approach for plastic from the target environment. A case study

Abstract

Environmentally friendly upgrading of urban areas can enhance human living in cities all around the world. Circular economy is a game-changer in almost all economies. Looking into plastics and the broad usage of different kinds of plastics in daily living, especially this resource provides a high potential to implement resource-saving approaches like circular economy, cleaner production, sustainable materials and recycling. Taking the public part of the port of Valencia in Spain as an example, this work discusses the added value of the re-usage of bottle caps and fishing nets found in this area to create plastic slaps as a raw material to build up products for public usage in the port of Valencia. The overall objective of the work is to create a modern and convenient product designed from recycled plastics in the marina area of Valencia. Goal is to take the peoples opinion into account be designing the product for public usage and show off the impact factors and different stakeholders who can have an influence on product development when operating in the field of circular economy. Creating something new from the old requires taking into account various parameters. Value chain, production, energy consumption, logistics and availability of materials are contrasted by the social and environmental added value, sustainable designs, safety and benefits in cleaner waste systems. The versatility of parameters and influencing factors in circular economy yields into multiple solutions. A survey, dialogues with the local administration and discussions with the production company as well as prototyping products in the workshop are part of the approach. Three final products were developed enhancing the urban surroundings of the showcase area. These products were evaluated considering the identified key indicators for suitable and sustainable products as outcome of the circular economy approach. Suitable products for a target environment hinge on a variety of different aspects identified in this study. A universally applicable approach depends on the marginal conditions of the target area where circular economy takes place. An example for the port of Valencia is provided with this work.