Perspectives of the circular economy in the production and consumption of electrical and electronic equipment

Dinu, Vasile A icle Pe spec i es o he ci cula economy in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen Am i ea u Economic P o ided in Coope a ion wi h: The Bucha es Uni e si y o Economic S udies Sugges ed Ci a ion: Dinu, Vasile (2023) : Pe spec i es o he ci cula economy in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen , Am i ea u Economic, ISSN 2247-9104, The Bucha es Uni e si y o Economic S udies, Bucha es , Vol. 25, Iss. 62, pp. 6-9, h ps://doi.o g/10.24818/EA/2023/62/6 This Ve sion is a ailable a : h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/281687 S anda d-Nu zungsbedingungen: Die Dokumen e au EconS o dü en zu eigenen wissenscha lichen Zwecken und zum P i a geb auch gespeiche und kopie we den. Sie dü en die Dokumen e nich ü ö en liche ode komme zielle Zwecke e iel äl igen, ö en lich auss ellen, ö en lich zugänglich machen, e eiben ode ande wei ig nu zen. 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Pe spec i es o he Ci cula Economy in he P oduc ion and Consump ion o Elec ical and Elec onic Equipmen . Am i ea u Economic, 25(62), pp. 6-9. DOI: 10.24818/EA/2023/62/6 The ansi ion o a mo e ci cula economy is making p og ess in mos a eas, al hough he pace o change di e s signi ican ly om sec o o sec o . In his con ex , elec ical and elec onic equipmen o household and pe sonal use (classi ied and lis ed in Annexes III and IV o Di ec i e (EU) 2012/19) makes a disco dan no e. The ci cula i y o echnical p oduc s implies he ex ension o he du a ion o use, he sha ed use, he acili a ion o epai and upg ading, edis ibu ion, e u bishmen , specialized collec ion, and ecycling. I a p esen he emphasis is on p ope was e managemen , o he u u e, he e will be a ocus on inco po a ing ci cula i y in o he concep ion and design o p oduc s. In ela ion o he s a ed deside a a, con adic o y e olu ions a e obse ed. Fac o s in a o o main aining he adi ional linea model may con inue o p e ail. The eplacemen o elec ical and elec onic equipmen is done a sho e and sho e in e als, wi h ew excep ions, he upg ade o p oduc s is no possible, and epai is discou aged, he deli e y o obsole e appliances o specialized ope a o s is hi by a numbe o ba ie s. Among he possible causes o he delay in adop ing he ci cula model, analys s highligh he legi ima e in e es o manu ac u e s o gain compe i i e ad an age by accele a ing inno a ion, p omo ing newe gene a ion p oduc s, and s imula ing he demand o enewal, as well as he legi ima e desi e o consume s o equip hemsel es wi h equipmen ea u ing s a e-o - he-a echnology, which p o ide enhanced unc ionali y and imp o ed com o . A he same ime, equipmen main enance, edis ibu ion, and ecycling a e, in many cases, ine icien due o high cos s. On he o he hand, mo e unjus i iable p ac ices a e also men ioned, such as p oduc planned obsolescence, agg essi e p omo ion o no el p oduc s wi h insigni ican imp o emen s, and loosely applied hesi an public policies. Agains his backg ound, he pe spec i es o he ci cula economy in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen a e s ill unclea . Economic and business esea ch needs o con ibu e o a deepe unde s anding o cu en mechanisms and d i e s o u u e ends, iden i ica ion o new oppo uni ies, mo e sys ema ic documen a ion o successes and ailu es, inc eased exchange o knowledge, and s eng hening s akeholde pa icipa ion in he de elopmen and implemen a ion o sus ainable p ac ical solu ions. In iew o all his, Am i ea u Economic jou nal in i es esea che s and specialis s wi h p eoccupa ions in he ield o p opose o publica ion in issue 62 o he jou nal o iginal empi ical esea ch pape s on he s a e and p ospec s o he ci cula economy in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen . Vol. 25 • No. 62 • Feb ua y 2023 7 An impo an issue om a ci cula economy pe spec i e in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen is consume beha iou . In his ega d, wo a icles a e highligh ed (i) "The elec ical and elec onic p oduc s consume s’ sus ainable beha iou in he con ex o consolida ing hei undamen al igh s", whose pu pose is o iden i y and es ablish he impac o some ac o s ha may in luence he beha iou o Romanian consume s in he p ocess o pu chasing elec ical and elec onic p oduc s, hei en i onmen al beha iou and hei in en ion o ecycle old p oduc s. In iew o hese aspec s, he pape b ings o he o e wo de e mining ac o s in he ield o consume p o ec ion, which may in luence hei inclina ion owa ds he pu chase o sus ainable and en i onmen ally iendly elec ical and elec onic goods, namely: he deg ee o awa eness o consume s o hei igh s and he measu es aken by he au ho i ies in his ield o s eng hen hei undamen al igh s h ough he legisla i e sys em, and no only. (ii) "In eg a ion o ci cula economy p inciples in consume beha iou o elec ical and elec onic equipmen " aims o iden i y consume beha iou ega ding he pu chase, use, and disposal o his ype o equipmen in he con ex o he ansi ion o a ci cula economy. The esea ch esul s show he exis ence o a a he a ional consume p o ile in ela ion o his ype o p oduc s and whose in ol emen in epai , ecycling, o euse ac ions is di e en depending on he ca ego y o equipmen , while also obse ing a ela i ely low willingness o Romanian consume s o pu chase second-hand elec ical and elec onic p oduc s. The a icle p o es i s use ulness by p oposing a se o measu es o imp o e he ci cula i y o elec ical and elec onic p oduc s, in which bo h p oduce s and consume s ac i ely pa icipa e. "Bibliome ic analysis o elec ical and elec onic equipmen p oduc ion and consump ion in he con ex o he ci cula economy" aims o highligh he mos ele an elemen s a ising a he in e sec ion o he concep s o ci cula economy and elec ical and elec onic equipmen , as e lec ed in he main s eam o scien i ic publica ions o da e. This app oach was made possible h ough he use o a bibliome ic s udy, based on he use o specialised so wa e (VOSViewe and Ci espace), which allowed he iden i ica ion o bo h cu en ends and possible new pe spec i es and esea ch di ec ions ha could con ibu e o he p omo ion o ci cula i y in he p oduc ion and consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen . The main esul s ob ained ela e o he exis ence o ou clus e s co e ing was e managemen o elec ical and elec onic p oduc s, ci cula economy, ma e ial ecycling, and en i onmen al managemen , espec i ely. The a icle "Ci cula economy p ac ices in he elec ical and elec onic equipmen sec o in he Eu opean Union" discusses speci ic ci cula economy p ac ices implemen ed by manu ac u e s in he household appliances sec o . The s udy p o ides an o e iew o he solu ions adop ed by appliance companies o espond o ma ke challenges and oppo uni ies. Among he ac o s in luencing esou ce e iciency acco ding o he Ex ended P oduc Value (EPV) business model, he mos equen ly conside ed by he companies analysed a e: ene gy consump ion du ing use, anspo , epai , and e u bishmen . Using he VEP concep ual model, he p esen esea ch highligh s he in en ions and p og ess made by appliance companies o mo e owa d he ci cula business model. The wide use o elec ical and elec onic equipmen in companies and households, as well as i s equen eplacemen due o physical o mo al dep ecia ion, ha e caused an ex emely apid ise in elec ical and elec onic was e, compa ed o o he ypes o was e. 8 Am i ea u Economic Consequen ly, he in e es in he e icien managemen o collec ing such was e and in closing he ci cula lux by eusing i as a new esou ce has inc eased. This was e consis s o a complex mix u e o ma e ials, including dange ous ones, which equi e speci ic managemen in o de o a oid majo en i onmen al and heal h damage. Hence, a la ge numbe o esea che s ha e ocused on he ma e o elec ic and elec onic was e. The cu en issue o he jou nal includes six pape s ha app oach his ype o was e om a ious angles: (i) „Collec ion o was e elec ical and elec onic equipmen a he Eu opean le el” aims o iden i y he main ac o s ha in luence he elec ic and elec onic was e collec ion and u he o subs an ia e economic policies able o imp o e he collec ion a e; (ii) „Pe o mance o EU coun ies in managing elec ical and elec onic equipmen was e in he con ex o he ci cula economy” examines he managemen o elec ical and elec onic equipmen was e in he 27 Membe S a es o he Eu opean Union and highligh s he changes obse ed in he coun ies analysed be ween 2015 and 2020 (be o e and a e he cu en ene gy c isis). Based on a Hie a chical Clus e Analysis, he s a es a e g ouped in ou clus e s o wo di e en pe iods, wi h he ollowing de e minan s: he elec onic was e amoun gene a ed pe capi a, he amoun o elec ical and elec onic equipmen sold on he ma ke pe capi a, he ecycled elec ical and elec onic was e ha is eady o euse and he a e o ci cula i y; (iii) “In es iga ing de e mining ac o s a ec ing he was e collec ion a e om elec ical and elec onic equipmen ” measu es he ac o s leading o an inc ease in he collec ion a e o was e om elec ical and elec onic equipmen in he EU 27 coun ies, om 2009 o 2020. The esul s show ha a be e quali y o he oad in as uc u e, as well as a mo e in ensi e online campaign, can b ing abou an ob ious imp o emen in he amoun o used elec ical and elec onic equipmen collec ed, while a iables like he GDP pe capi a, p i a e consump ion, go e nmen e ec i eness and esea ch and de elopmen expenses ha e asymme ical e ec s on he collec ion a e, bu can lead o he imp o emen o his ac i i y unde ce ain ci cums ances; (i ) “E-Was e and esponsible consump ion in EU coun ies - de elopmen s and o ecas s 2025-2030” shows he ex en o which he EU coun ies eached hei assumed a ge s conce ning he managemen o was e om elec ical and elec onic equipmen , as well as he pace o adap ing o he inc easingly s ic e Eu opean equi emen s o he ansi ion o a low ca bon economy, based on ci cula i y p inciples. The analysis is based on i e ele an indica o s: he amoun o elec ical and elec onic equipmen in oduced on he ma ke , he collec ed was e amoun , he amoun o was e ea ed in au ho ized acili ies, he eused and ecycled was e amoun , and he ecycle a e o was e om elec ical and elec onic equipmen . The esul s can be highly ele an o he managemen o companies in his ield, and can u he p o ide a solid base o es ablishing public policies, o speci ic ini ia i es ha mo e e icien ly suppo he p omo ion o esponsible consump ion o elec ical and elec onic equipmen , especially in coun ies whe e less posi i e ends a e o ecas ed; ( ) “An eceden s o consume in en ions owa ds E-Was e ecycling. A pe spec i e on he oy indus y om Romania” poin s o he ac ha , al hough Romania has made signi ican p og ess in collec ing, ecycling, and eco e ing la ge was e, less a en ion has been paid o ecycling smalle elec ical was e, such as elec ical oys. Hence, he au ho s poin o he impo ance o examining he beha iou o pa en s in espec o ecycling elec ical oys, in he con ex o he ci cula economy. Mo e p ecisely, he aim o his s udy is o iden i y he an eceden s ha can in luence consume in en ions o ecycle elec ical oys. The esea ch esul s p o ide impo an in o ma ion o implemen ing good p ac ices o ci cula economy, by means o educa ing he popula ion and aising awa eness h ough social ma ke ing campaigns; ( i) “The impac o globaliza ion on he a e o E- Was e ecycling: e idence om Eu opean Coun ies” emphasizes ha ecycling and he Vol. 25 • No. 62 • Feb ua y 2023 9 be e collec ion o elec onic was e a e wo mos impo an s a egies o implemen bo h he ci cula economy, and he educe – euse – ecycle pa adigm, pu sued by he Eu opean Union and he Uni ed Na ions De elopmen P og amme. In his line, he ac o s ha a ec ecycling should be iden i ied, and hei in luence should be measu ed. The s udy examines he e ec s o globaliza ion and o i s h ee sub-dimensions (economic, poli ical and social) on he ecycle a e o elec onic de ices o he pe iod 2008 – 2018. The esul s show ha globaliza ion has a posi i e impac on he ecycling a e o elec onic was e and con ibu es o he de elopmen o a ci cula economy. The s udy on "Examining ci cula economy p ac ices and sus ainabili y pe o mance in knowledge-based companies in I an" is based on a su ey o a sample o 384 manage s and expe s om knowledge-based companies in he ield o elec onics and elec ical equipmen manu ac u ing in I an. The esul s show ha echnology adop ion, ze o-was e p ac ices, and g een economic incen i es ha e a posi i e and signi ican e ec on ci cula economy p ac ices. The esul s also show ha ci cula economy p ac ices ha e a posi i e and signi ican e ec on he sus ainable pe o mance o elec ical and elec onics companies. The a icle "Ci cula beha iou s o Polish consume s in ela ion o elec ical and elec onic p oduc s" p esen s he concep o ci cula beha iou in ela ion o elec ical and elec onic p oduc s as pa o he implemen a ion o he ci cula economy in e e yday household li e. The aim o his a icle is o analyse he ela ionship be ween he adop ion o ce ain beha iou s in ela ion o hese ypes o p oduc s and hei e ec s in he o m o pe cei ed household bene i s. The ci cula economy is an ex emely impo an opic because i is an e icien solu ion o manage collec ing and e-use o all ypes o was e. In he ield o elec ical and elec onic equipmen , he issue o i s ci cula i y has become one o he p io i ies o he Eu opean Union economy and o he wo ld. Elec onic de ices and elec ical equipmen de ine mode n li e: om washing machines and acuum cleane s o sma phones and compu e s, i is ha d o imagine li e wi hou hem, bu he was e hey gene a e is he as es g owing in he EU and only 40% o i is ecycled, and some o i con ains po en ially ha m ul ma e ials ha pollu e he en i onmen and inc ease heal h isks. As a esul , hey ha e become an obs acle o he EU's e o s o educe i s en i onmen al oo p in . In Ma ch 2020, he Eu opean Commission p esen ed an ac ion plan o he ci cula economy ha aims o make p oduc design mo e sus ainable, educe was e, and gi e ci izens new igh s, such as he igh o epai . The plan pays pa icula a en ion o he elec ical and elec onic equipmen sec o . Edi o in Chie , Vasile Dinu