Circular Supply Chains UPM 2025Dec

"What does the R 'Refuse' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Avoiding products, materials or services that are unnecessary or harmful, so the need for resources is eliminated before it appears. Example: saying no to single-use freebies or over-packaged goods."

"What does the R 'Rethink' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Changing how a need is fulfilled, often by changing the business model. Example: car-sharing or mobility-as-a-service instead of each person owning a car."

"What does the R 'Reduce' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Using fewer resources and less energy per unit of function. Example: lightweight design, energy-efficient appliances, reducing material content of packaging."

"What does the R 'Reuse' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Using a product again for the same purpose, without major changes. Example: refillable bottles, second-hand clothing, reusing a glass jar."

"What does the R 'Repair' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Restoring a faulty or broken product to working order by fixing or replacing limited parts, so that the product can keep its original function."

"What does the R 'Refurbish' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Restoring used products to a specified quality level, usually at module level: critical modules are inspected and repaired or replaced so the product works well again but not necessarily 'as new'."

"What does the R 'Remanufacture' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Disassembling to part level, inspecting all modules and parts, replacing or upgrading them so the product meets 'as-new' quality. Combines used and new parts to build a product equivalent to a new one."

"What does the R 'Repurpose' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Using a product or component for a different function and usually in a new value chain. Example: using shipping containers as building modules, or old ladders as shelves."

"What does the R 'Recycle' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Processing materials from used products to obtain raw materials for new products. Identity of the original product is lost

"What does the R 'Recover' mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Recovering remaining value from waste, often through energy recovery (incineration with energy generation) or extracting materials from mixed waste streams when higher-priority R’s are no longer possible."

"What does the R 'Remine' (or re-mine) mean in the circular economy hierarchy?"

"Extracting valuable materials from old landfills, dumps or end-of-life stocks, treating waste as a 'mine' of secondary raw materials."

"In the 11R hierarchy, which options are highest priority: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover?"

"From highest circularity to lowest: Refuse → Reduce → Reuse → (then Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose) → Recycle → Recover (energy etc.)."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Mussel is copied in technology?"

"Underwater adhesion: mussels synthesize sticky protein filaments that adhere strongly in seawater, inspiring underwater glues and medical adhesives."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Shark is copied in technology?"

"Anti-fouling / anti-adhesion: some shark skins have micro-structures and surface chemistry that make it hard for organisms to attach, inspiring drag-reducing and anti-fouling coatings for ships and surfaces."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the River vortex is copied in technology?"

"Vortex-based, physical cleaning: whirlpools in rivers remove solids, tear membranes of bacteria and dilute pollutants, inspiring vortex-based water treatment that needs few or no chemicals."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Cactus is copied in technology?"

"Water condensation and retention: cactus surfaces condense moisture and create a humid micro-layer, inspiring water-harvesting and passive cooling surfaces."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Lotus leaf is copied in technology?"

"Super-hydrophobic, self-cleaning surface: micro- and nano-scale roughness plus wax reduce contact area with water, inspiring self-cleaning paints, glass and textiles."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Sea sponge is copied in technology?"

"Low-temperature optical fibres: some sea sponges make flexible silica fibres that efficiently transmit light, inspiring low-energy optical fibre production and light-guiding materials."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Tomato skin is copied in technology?"

"UV protection: tomato skin is rich in lycopene, a strong antioxidant and UV blocker, inspiring natural-origin sun-protection ingredients."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Coral is copied in technology?"

"Solar UV filters: corals have natural sun-screening compounds to protect themselves from UV radiation, inspiring safer, bio-derived UV filters in sun creams."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Firefly is copied in technology?"

"Efficient light emission: micro-structures on the firefly’s lantern multiply and diffuse light without extra energy, inspiring more efficient LED surface patterns."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Shell is copied in technology?"

"Self-limiting growth / anti-scaling: shell growth via proteins in water can be stopped by another protein, inspiring anti-fouling treatments against scaling in pipes."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Spider web is copied in technology?"

"UV-reflecting silk: some spiders spin silk that reflects UV so birds can see and avoid webs, inspiring bird-visible window glass that reduces bird collisions."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Termite mounds is copied in technology?"

"Passive air-conditioning: mound geometry with chimneys and vents drives natural air circulation and cooling, inspiring naturally ventilated buildings."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Gecko is copied in technology?"

"Dry adhesion: microscopic hairs on gecko toes create van der Waals forces allowing climbing on smooth surfaces, inspiring reusable dry adhesives and climbing robots."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Zebra is copied in technology?"

"Thermal regulation via stripes: black and white stripes create local temperature differences and convection currents, inspiring passive cooling textiles and coatings."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Namib Desert Beetle is copied in technology?"

"Fog/dew harvesting: hydrophilic bumps and hydrophobic valleys collect and channel water droplets, inspiring water-harvesting materials in arid regions."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Eagle is copied in technology?"

"Efficient lift and low drag flight: feather and wing geometry that minimises drag and energy use, inspiring low-drag aircraft wings and gliders."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Trout is copied in technology?"

"Low-drag body shape and skin flow patterns that reduce friction in water, inspiring streamlined hulls for boats and underwater vehicles."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Burdock is copied in technology?"

"Hook-like burrs that stick to fur and clothing, inspiring hook-and-loop fasteners such as Velcro."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Abalone shell (nacre) is copied in technology?"

"Brick-and-mortar microstructure combining hard platelets and soft layers, inspiring strong, lightweight, impact-resistant composites."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Bamboo is copied in technology?"

"Fast-growing, hollow yet strong structure with fibre-reinforced walls, inspiring lightweight structural elements and scaffolding systems."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Humpback Whale is copied in technology?"

"Tubercles (bumps) on flipper leading edges that improve lift and manoeuvrability, inspiring more efficient wind-turbine and fan blades."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Lion is copied in technology?"

"Silent locomotion: cushioned paws and toe-walking reduce noise, inspiring quiet footwear and stealth vehicle tracks."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Mushrooms / mycelium is copied in technology?"

"Mycelium can be grown into shapes as lightweight, fire-resistant, sound-insulating material, inspiring bio-based building materials and packaging foams."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Bat is copied in technology?"

"Echolocation: emitting sound pulses and analysing echoes to map the environment, inspiring sonar, radar-like sensing and navigation for robots and drones."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Kingfisher is copied in technology?"

"Beak shape that enters water with minimal splash, inspiring the nose of Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains to reduce noise and energy use, especially when exiting tunnels."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Maggots is copied in technology?"

"Selective tissue cleaning: maggots eat only dead/infected tissue and disinfect wounds, inspiring medical maggot therapy and targeted debridement techniques."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Butterfly wing is copied in technology?"

"Structural colour: nano-structures that reflect specific wavelengths produce vivid colours without pigment, inspiring colour-changing banknotes and anti-counterfeiting features."

"Biomimicry: what key property of Trees is copied in technology?"

"Capillarity and controlled water distribution from roots to leaves, inspiring passive irrigation systems and water-distribution networks that minimise pumping energy."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Owl is copied in technology?"

"Silent flight: specialised feather structures break up airflow noise, inspiring quiet fans, wind-turbine blades and aircraft design."

"Biomimicry: what key property of the Dragonfly is copied in technology?"

"Highly manoeuvrable, efficient flapping flight using light wings and vortices between them, inspiring agile drones and micro-air vehicles."

"Define Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)."

"Policy principle where responsibility for post-consumer products shifts from taxpayers and governments to the producers/importers of those products, including financial and organisational responsibility for collection, treatment and recovery."

"What is the main objective of EPR policies regarding product design?"

"To incentivise a design shift so producers consider end-of-life from the beginning: designing products that are easier to reuse, repair, disassemble and recycle, and that generate less waste and toxicity."

"List the main product categories currently regulated by EPR in the EU, as shown in the course."

"Packaging and packaging waste, end-of-life vehicles (ELV), waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and batteries & accumulators (plus some emerging sectors like textiles and furniture)."

"What are the two basic ways a producer can comply with EPR obligations?"

"1) Set up their own individual take-back and recovery system (individual producer responsibility). 2) Join a collective Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that manages take-back and treatment on behalf of many producers."

"What is a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO)?"

"A collective entity, usually industry-owned and not-for-profit, that organises and finances collection, sorting and treatment of products/waste to fulfil EPR obligations for member producers."

"In the Ecoembes packaging system, who are the main shareholder groups of the PRO?"

"Roughly: 60 percent packaging users/producers, 20 percent raw material suppliers, 20 percent commerce and distribution companies."

"Name the main steps in how a packaging-waste PRO works (Ecoembes example)."

"Citizen contribution (separate collection) → Collection and transport → Sorting/selection plants → Treatment (recycling/energy recovery) → Final applications of recovered materials."

"What does the 'Green Dot' tariff represent in packaging EPR systems?"

"A fee per packaging unit or per kilogram that producers pay to the PRO, differentiated by material type

"In the ELV (end-of-life vehicles) directive, what are the reuse/recycling targets (approximate current level)?"

"As of around 2015: at least about 85 percent of vehicle weight must be reused or recycled, and 95 percent reused or recovered (including energy recovery)."

"What is the role of the dismantler in the ELV recycling process?"

"Depollute the vehicle (remove fluids, batteries, etc.), remove parts and materials suitable for reuse or high-value recycling, and send the remaining body to shredders for metal recovery."

"In product recovery management, what is meant by 'Direct reuse'?"

"Used products are used again for the same purpose without significant repair or modification, often via second-hand markets or shared use."

"In product recovery management, what is 'Repair'?"

"Restoring used products to working order at product level: limited disassembly, some parts repaired or replaced, quality below as-new but functional."

"In product recovery management, what is 'Refurbishment'?"

"Disassembly to module level, inspection and upgrading of critical modules so the product meets a specified quality level (not necessarily as-new), sometimes with technology upgrades."

"In product recovery management, what is 'Remanufacturing'?"

"Complete disassembly to part level

"In product recovery management, what is 'Cannibalization'?"

"Selective retrieval of useful parts or modules from returned products to be used as spare parts or in other products

"In product recovery management, what is 'Recycling' (in the Thierry framework)?"

"Processing products down to material level so materials can be reused to produce new parts

"How do repair, refurbish and remanufacture differ in level of disassembly?"

"Repair: to product level (minimal disassembly). Refurbish: to module level (critical modules handled). Remanufacture: to part level (full disassembly and inspection)."

"In the product recovery hierarchy, which options generally preserve the most value?"

"From highest to lowest value preservation: direct reuse/shared use → repair → refurbish → remanufacture → cannibalization → recycling → energy recovery / landfill."

"What is meant by 'downcycling' in recycling?"

"Recycling where the recovered material is of lower quality or functionality than the original, so it can only be used in lower-value applications (for example mixed plastics as low-grade filler)."

"What is 'waste-to-energy' in the context of waste management?"

"Incineration or other thermal processes where energy is recovered from waste, typically considered a lower-priority option than material recovery in the circular hierarchy."

"Name the main waste-management options shown in the course, from worst to better (but still below most R's)."

"Open dumping → controlled landfill → incineration with energy recovery (waste-to-energy) → composting / biogas for suitable organic fractions. All are below reuse, repair, remanufacture and high-quality recycling in the hierarchy."