Fishing for Litter – Circular Sourcing Strategies in Networks of Markets

The transition from a linear economy to a circular economy requires the management of complex, interconnected resource flows. From a systemic perspective, value chains that were previously considered in isolation form a complex network of communicating markets. This complexity makes it difficult to effectively use a mix of instruments to manage material flows, such as political persuasion and information strategies, state funding in the form of subsidies and tax incentives and, above all, state regulation in the form of laws, ordinances, bans and prohibitions. Using illustrative case studies from the plastics and wood sectors, Dr. Emma Gothár’s dissertation project examined analytical approaches for identifying leverage points for the efficient implementation of a circular economy at the micro level of companies, the meso level of markets and the macro level of market design.

Results:

• Gothár, E., & Schanz, H. (2024). Dynamics in the evolution of circular sourcing strategies: Evidence from German frontrunners sourcing for recycled plastics. Journal of Cleaner Production, 435, 140561. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.140561
• Gothár, E., & Schanz, H. (2022). Bringing a governance perspective to plastic litter: A structural analysis of the German PET industry. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 31, 630-641. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.03.019

Contact person

Dr. Emma Gothár

• emma.gothar@ifp.uni-freiburg.de