Barriers and Enablers to a Circular Economy Transition in Ireland

Funder: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Duration: 03/2024 – 03/2027 (36 months)

Lead on Project: The Rediscovery Centre (RDC)

Other Partners: Clean Technology Centre (CTC) in Munster Technological University (MTU)

Status: Open

About:

This project seeks to develop solutions to current barriers to the circular transition in Ireland, by exploring the potential to substitute carbon intensive material imports with wastes, by-products, or extended use of existing products. The research will maintain a particular focus on potential to reduce Ireland’s material consumption by volume and the carbon savings involved in these replacements.

A number of key tasks are involved in this research project:

1. Identification of potential imported material/product replacements for further exploration;
2. Circularity and carbon footprint analyses in relation to those replacements;
3. Case-studies of successful examples and exploration of barriers and enablers for translating these into an Irish context;
4. Development of costed policy proposals. 

Background:

Transitioning to a circular economy, if implemented correctly, can bring about a range of benefits, including reduced demand for material extraction, reduced carbon emissions, economic efficiency, and creating green job creation. 

Like many European nations, Ireland imports large quantities of materials and products either for direct consumption or for further processing. Although a wealth of data is publicly available, the impact of imports on Ireland’s circularity and GHG emissions profile has not received sufficient attention to date. 

This project will help to fill this gap in knowledge and provide useful policy recommendations as a key output. 

Objectives:

This project has four main research objectives. First, the project will involve identifying areas for focus using existing public datasets, research literature, and stakeholder consultation. The following main tasks will be undertaken,

1.  Quantify the weight, carbon intensity and cost of Ireland’s imports using data publicly available through Eurostat. 
2. Identify mechanisms through which material imports can be replaced through a review of existing academic literature.
3. Consultation with stakeholders to discuss the feasibility of preliminary proposals. 

Second, circularity and carbon footprinting will be carried out on the material replacements selected for exploration. 

Third, a case-study approach will be utilised to explore successful examples of materials replacements, as well as the barriers and enablers to translating such solutions into an Irish context. 

Finally, building on each of these objectives, costed policy roadmaps will be developed in consultation with national stakeholders.