Measuring the performance of more circular complex product supply chains

Abstract

This paper researches the possibility to measure the performance of more circular complex product supply chains. Although a number of circularity indicators have already been proposed in literature, none was found to properly describe the product system taking into account the tightness of the material cycles and the relationship with other product systems such as the use or supply of recycled material. Therefore, a new Product Circularity Indictor (PCI) is developed in this paper. The ability of the PCI to overcome the main limitations identified is demonstrated in a comparative study with the existing Material Circularity Indicator (MCI). In addition, the new indicator is applied and tested in a case study for Washing Machines (WM). The case study results show that the proposed PCI is a useful indicator to quantify the effectiveness of different circular economy (CE) strategies. A shift to CE presents the challenge of recirculating material flows in a manner that can promote eco-effectiveness. Therefore the potential trade-off between increasing circularity and minimising the environmental burden of the WM is investigated using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify the potential environmental impact of the product system.