Review on Application of Sustainability, Circular and Digital Economy on Bioplastics Production

Toward a circular economy for plastics

Bioengineering textiles across scales for a sustainable circular economy

The Government “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” Program describes future economic development of Russia, its regions and industries. However, this Program has not been scrutinized for the modern economic theories and inner conceptual inconsistencies. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to identify the Program’s conceptual uncertainties which could give rise to the alternative scenarios of the economic development of Russia and to inconsistent managerial decisions resulted in the dramatic differences in unfolding the digital economy in different regions and industries. It has been found that the Program contains three definitions for the digital economy – declared (with the focus on the digital data), latent (with the focus on the digital platforms), and promising (with the focus on the artificial intelligence) ones. The Program’s content was compared with the modern economic theories, which revealed five levels of strategic uncertainty: 1) cluster or platform economy; 2) dispersed or agglomeration economy; 3) linear or circular economy; 4) homogeneous or heterogeneous economic landscape; 5) smart cities, smart agglomerations or smart regions. The reviewed Program lacks a clearly defined priority in the development of the cluster or post-cluster (platform) economy in Russia, which creates the theoretical (conceptual) and practical (connected with the development of the social and economic strategy) uncertainties for the industries and regions. With a stronger focus on the latent definition of the Program, there is a risk of extreme monopolization of the digital markets in Russia by the platform leading companies which are mainly located in Moscow and established with the public support under this Program implementation. The article offers to expand the concept of platform economy with a new type of digital ecosystem – a territorial digital platform to construct regional digital platforms and to develop business-ecosystems around them. It has been found that the digital economy in Russia is developed together with the implementation of the previously adopted spatial development strategy aimed to diminish the inter-regional differences, therefore, the dispersed digital economy should be seen as a promising approach. At the same time, there is a risk to activate the process of extreme territorial concentration of digital economic activities as the reviewed Program contains no measures aimed to disperse the agents of digital economy with any financial and other public mechanisms. One more strategic uncertainty induced by the fact that the Program lacks any priorities in preserving or expanding value chain is connected with linear or circular economy dichotomy. This uncertainty misinforms the domestic economic agents and could lead to the technological retardation of Russia from the leading countries in the circular digital economy. The advent of the artificial intelligence gives rise to the debate about the alternative routes of development with the homogeneous (human only) types of agents or heterogeneous (humans, intelligent machines and human-machine systems) economic landscape. It has been shown that the Program does not regulate the interaction of the different economic agents and the development of the economic landscapes, which could result in the unwanted transformation of the Russian economic space. In connection with the smart territorial units, the conclusion is that the Program does not contain any instructions concerning a preferable theory for the territorial organization of digital economy (smart city, smart region, smart agglomeration). This could lead to the situation when different regions observe different theories, with their implementation violating the equilibrium in the digital economic space of Russia. Interception of all alternative theories gives 48 possible development scenarios for digital economy in Russia. It has been established that Russia is likely to follow the platform agglomeration linear digital economy in homogeneous landscapes and smart cities. It is noted that the development of platform dispersed circular digital economy in heterogeneous landscapes and smart regions is seen to be the most favorable scenario in terms of modern studies and digital economy practices in other countries. The practical value of the study is determined by the adjustment of the existing Program or a development of a new document. Further studies are seen to be performed in the field of finding new uncertainty levels, one of them being “4G-, 5G- or 6G-determined digital economy”.

Strategic priorities of social production digitalization: world experience

Toward a circular economy: The role of digitalization

This research explores the strategic implementation of digital economy principles to achieve environmental sustainability and economic prosperity, utilizing the SmartPLS method. In an era marked by heightened awareness of environmental challenges and the urgent need for sustainable economic solutions, the digital economy emerges as a promising and innovative approach. This study primarily focuses on the integration of digital technologies throughout the product and service life cycle, with the objectives of extending product longevity, minimizing waste, and enhancing resource efficiency. Through an extensive review of literature and multiple case studies, we delve into various dimensions of the digital circular economy. These dimensions include innovative business models, the pivotal role of consumers, the challenges encountered during implementation, and their overall impact on economic growth. The findings underscore the crucial importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and the formulation of supportive policies to unlock the full potential of this economic model. Moreover, this research highlights the synergies between digital transformation and circular economy practices, suggesting that their convergence can significantly drive sustainable progress in contemporary society. By presenting comprehensive insights into the digital economic cycle, this study aims to contribute to the discourse on sustainable innovation and provide a roadmap for policymakers, businesses, and researchers to foster a more sustainable and prosperous future.

Circular Urban Metabolism Framework

The study covers both the conceptual and applied aspects of the digital circular economy. It examines the evolution of this concept as a distinct field. The study also systematizes the approaches of domestic and foreign scholars to defining the concept of the “digital circular economy”, its key provisions, and its application at various levels of the economic system. The author’s own interpretation of this concept is proposed. It has been found that the effective implementation of the principles of the digital circular economy is based on the synergy of digital, economic, environmental, and social development factors, taking into account the interests of ecosystems and society as a whole. It is substantiated that the structural components of the digital circular economy are interdependent and complementary, providing a holistic approach to the transformation of economic processes. Their integrated implementation helps achieve a balance between economic growth, efficient use of resources, and the reduction of anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems, which is a key goal of sustainable development in the digital age. It has been found that the digital circular economy relies on the latest information and communication technologies to optimize production, consumption, and recycling processes. This contributes to economic, social, and environmental sustainability while reducing negative environmental impacts. A synergistic model of interaction between circularization processes and the digital economy is developed, demonstrating the complex impact of these processes on the economic system. The tools for digital transformation in the context of implementing the principles of the circular economy are systematized. It has been established that digital transformation tools provide effective data collection, analysis, and exchange, optimize resource flows, increase supply chain transparency, and promote innovative business models. It is substantiated that the integration of digital solutions into circular business models creates a synergistic effect, increasing the efficiency of resource use and reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Digitalization and circular economy are slowly being adopted by industries and are starting to reshape sustainable development and climate change mitigation. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain are presenting new methodologies in handling resources, waste, and sustainability systems. At the same time, Circular Economy principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle are guiding sustainable production and consumption. In combination, these forces serve to shape proper strategies in the face of environmental threats, as well as contribute toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. In this book, the link between digitalization and circular economy is explored with regards to the ways in which the two paradigms can help the development of sustainable solutions to address resource management and climate change.

Developing countries are becoming the factory of the world where sustainable production is still far from developed countries. However, the acceleration of the 4.0 revolution with a close connection with the Internet of Things (IoT) achievements has forced developing countries to integrate with the trend of a circular and sustainable economy. In this paper, the emerging digital technologies of Industry 4.0 which concentration on the contribution of IoT, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Big Data in remanufacturing are reviewed. Based on IoT, remanufacturing, circular economy, and smart manufacturing, this paper has made the assessment and discussed the challenges and barriers of the 4th industrial revolution to remanufacturing, as well as the amazing opportunities that IoT technologies can contribute to the growth of the remanufacturing industry in developing countries. A value-creation perspective consists of the product which is remanufactured, the equipment and processes of remanufacturing which are adopted and associated with troubles of organization, are used to identify trends and gaps. Suggestions from findings show that it is necessary to detect the combination between cyber-physical systems and the IoT architecture to assistant smart remanufacture, parallel with developing data and infrastructures of communication and circular economy management models. It is clear that, in order to successfully develop the remanufacturing industry, emerging economies need to fully utilize the achievements of IoT technology through economic development strategies and policies in line with Industry 4.0 to create breakthroughs in sustainable circular economy development.

Agri‐food waste valorisation

Today, plastics are ubiquitous in everyday life, problem solvers of modern technologies, and crucial for sustainable development. Yet the surge in global demand for plastics of the growing world population has triggered a tidal wave of plastic debris in the environment. Moving from a linear to a zero-waste and carbon-neutral circular plastic economy is vital for the future of the planet. Taming the plastic waste flood requires closing the carbon loop through plastic reuse, mechanical and molecular recycling, carbon capture, and use of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. In the quest for eco-friendly products, plastics do not need to be reinvented but tuned for reuse and recycling. Their full potential must be exploited regarding energy, resource, and eco-efficiency, waste prevention, circular economy, climate change mitigation, and lowering environmental pollution. Biodegradation holds promise for composting and bio-feedstock recovery, but it is neither the Holy Grail of circular plastics economy nor a panacea for plastic littering. As an alternative to mechanical downcycling, molecular recycling enables both closed-loop recovery of virgin plastics and open-loop valorization, producing hydrogen, fuels, refinery feeds, lubricants, chemicals, and carbonaceous materials. Closing the carbon loop does not create a Perpetuum Mobile and requires renewable energy to achieve sustainability.

The circular economy (CE) has become a key sustainability discourse in the last decade. The Netherlands seeks to become fully circular by 2050 and the EU has set ambitious circularity targets in its CE Action Plan of 2015. The plastics sector, in particular, has gained a lot of attention as it is a priority area of both the EU and Dutch CE policies. However, there has been little research on the different and often contested discourses, governance processes and policy mechanisms guiding the transition to a circular economy and society. This paper aims to fill these gaps by asking what circular discourses and policies are being promoted in the Netherlands and what sustainability implications and recommendations can be drawn from it. It does so through a mix of media analysis, policy analysis, semi-structured interviews, and surveys using Q-methodology. Results indicate a dominance of technocentric imaginaries, and a general lack of discussion on holistic, and transformative visions, which integrate the full social, political, and ecological implication of a circular future. To address those challenges, this research brings key policy insights and recommendations which can help both academics and practitioners better understand and implement the transition towards a sustainable circular plastics economy.

This article analyzes a circular economy, its digitization features and development models. It interprets the digitalization of the circular economy in the context of green development concepts. The article shows the importance of increasing resource efficiency and stimulating the use of renewable resources in the transition process of enterprises to the green and circular economy. The importance of reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse, and production is emphasized. The international experience on the development of the digital circular economy, various scientific trends and relevant related studies are analyzed. The structure of the integration of digital technologies into the circular economy is built. The introduction of new ICT technologies into the development of circular economy, such as the Internet of Things, machine learning, deep analytics, 3D printing, blockchain, etc. are explored. The integration model of Industry 4.0 and digital circular economy is schematically developed. The main structural elements of the digital circular economy with circular Industry 4.0 are presented. The article also studies the structural elements of the circular economy, such a business models, digital transformation, lifecycle management, resource efficiency, smart services, supply chain management, etc. It explores the ways to increase the sustainability of the digital circular economy through digital transformation technologies. In this regard, relevant proposals and recommendations are made, taking into account the technological requirements and priorities for the further development of the Industry 4.0 platform elements.

The article is concerned with studying the processes of forming strategies of agricultural enterprises in a circular economy. It is noted that the successful functioning of enterprises depends on the development and implementation of appropriate strategies. It is proved that when formulating a strategy by agricultural enterprises in the context of implementing the circular economy model, it is necessary to focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by introducing innovative methods and technologies that minimize the consumption of limited resources, stimulate their replacement with renewable ones, prevent losses and stimulate reuse and recycling. It is substantiated that the concept of circular economy in the agro-industrial complex corresponds to the basic principles of agriculture and has features that ensure its implementation. It is noted that only the introduction of digital innovations creates the conditions for the implementation of the circular economy concept in agriculture (due to the innovative component, a wide range of directions for the use of waste and secondary resources is provided, and the process of adaptation to natural, economic, environmental, social and sectoral features is carried out). Livestock waste (manure, dung, litter, etc.) can be used as a source of fertilizers for crop production and biogas production. At the same time, large quantities of livestock waste can be dangerous, pollute the environment, cause unpleasant odors, etc. Insufficiently developed technologies for processing manure and litter cause environmental, social and economic costs. All of this complicates the operations of livestock and poultry enterprises. The formation of a strategy by agricultural enterprises in a circular economy involves the use of innovative technologies for manure and litter processing, which should not only reliably disinfect them but also preserve their nutrients to the maximum extent possible. Increasing crop yields and preserving humus is achieved not only through fertilization. Soil cultivation technology also plays a significant role in this. The concept of a circular economy continues to evolve. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is achieved within the framework of general innovation processes taking place in the economy and society. Today, the introduction of innovations involves taking into account the social, economic and environmental needs of various economic actors. A promising area of research is the elaboration of a strategy for the development of a circular digital agricultural economy.