CRESTING: CiRcular Economy: SusTainability Implications and guidING progress

In this project eight European universities, and partners in Africa and Asia, collaborate in deepening the understanding of CE discourses and practices across the world based on both primary and secondary data. It aims at 1) critically analysing the development of CE in science, policy and the market to provide a synthesis for all stakeholders to clarify the currently contradictory use of concepts; 2) analysing policy and practice in CE internationally, to contextualise the effectiveness of policies relating to key materials and 3) examining the processes governing flows of residues beyond Europe. Vermeulen leads WP 1, with three PhD’s, analysing the state of the art in circular economy practices, many of which build on ideas that are not new. The recent policy prominence of the topic in the EU has inspired much activity, but practice is variable, both by location and between different materials, also including transboundary movement of waste. WE co-supervise PhD’s in WP 2 (on corporate engagement in CE) and WP5 (on impact measurement).