Ongoing policy negotiations, such as the negotiations for a future global plastics treaty, include calls for increased recycling of plastics. However, before recycling of plastics can be considered a safe practice, the flaws in today’s systems must be addressed. Plastics contain a vast range of chemicals, including monomers, polymers, processing agents, fillers, antioxidants, plasticizers, pigments, microbiocides and stabilizers. The amounts and types of chemicals in plastics products vary, and there are little requirements for transparency and reporting. Additionally, they are inherently contaminated with reaction by-products and other nonintentionally added substances (NIASs). As the chemical composition of plastics wastes is largely unknown, and many plastics chemicals are hazardous, they therefore hinder safe recycling since recyclers are not able to exclude materials that contain hazardous chemicals. To address this problem, we suggest the following policy strategies: 1) improved reporting, transparency and traceability of chemicals in plastics throughout their full life cycle; 2) chemical simplification and group-based approaches to regulating hazardous chemicals; 3) chemical monitoring, testing and quality control; 4) economic incentives that follow the waste hierarchy; and 5) support for a just transition to protect people, including waste pickers, impacted throughout the plastics life cycle.

Society’s most well-intended efforts to solve sustainability challenges have not yet achieved the expected gains due to rebound effects (i.e., negative consequences of interventions arising from induced changes in system behaviour). Rebound effects offset about 40% of potential sustainability gains, but the understanding of design as a key leverage point for preventing rebound effects is still untapped. In this position paper, three fundamental scientific gaps hampering the prevention of rebound effects are discussed: (1) limited knowledge about the rebound effects triggered by efficiency–effectiveness–sufficiency strategies; (2) the influence of the counterintuitive behaviour of complex socio-technical systems in giving rise to rebound effects is not yet understood and (3) the bounded rationality within design limits the understanding of rebound effects at a broader systemic level. To address the aforementioned gaps, novel methodologies, simulation models and strategies to enable the design of reboundless interventions (i.e., products, product/service-systems and socio-technical systems that are resilient to rebound effects) are required. Building on the strong foundation of systems and design theory, this position paper argues for the need to bridge the interdisciplinary gap in the interplay of design and rebound effects, qualitative and quantitative models, engineering and social sciences, and theory and practice.

The world is facing a global plastics crisis with more than 50% of plastics produced only being used once and then discarded. If nothing is done to put an end to plastic pollution, it is projected that by 2050, there will be more plastic (by weight) than fish in the ocean, affecting natural ecosystems, biodiversity and human health. While solutions often target governments and corporations, a crucial group is frequently ignored: informal waste pickers. Despite the limitations of recycling alone, waste pickers significantly impact the plastic recycling chain. This review addresses the gap in our understanding of their role. It argues that waste pickers are an essential component of the larger portfolio of solutions for the plastic crisis but face significant challenges.

In this special issue titled ‘Sustainability and SMEs: Opening the black box’, we compile eight articles that dissect the multifaceted relationship between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and sustainability. This special issue promoted interdisciplinary research at the intersection of the design, management, organisation, and reporting of sustainable actions in the context of SMEs. Stemming from the need to apply different theoretical and analytical lenses to the study of sustainability in SMEs than in large corporations, each paper provides unique insights into the formal and informal approaches, drivers, barriers, and enablers of sustainable practices in SMEs. The collection not only furthers the dialogue on the role of SMEs in sustainable development but also paves the way for future research directions and practical applications in this dynamic and still underexplored field.

After the second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Plastics Treaty meeting in Paris in June 2023, a Zero Draft of the Treaty was released for comment. Member states involved in the treaty negotiations were to respond to the Zero Draft before the third INC meeting in November 2023 in Nairobi. In this paper, we analyse the content and structure of the Zero Draft. We identify parts of the Zero Draft that work and others that will need further attention. These include applicability to different regions; atmospheric input; recycling and waste management; labelling and standards; harmful chemicals; scientific backing; the circular economy; just transition and climate change. We argue that this draft was a useful starting point for further negotiations for member states and the Revised version of the Zero Draft has resolved some of its shortcomings but not all. These are likely to contribute to further debate during future INC negotiations. We conclude with an overview of INC-3 and INC-4 and how the Zero Draft and Revised Zero Draft were received.

Sustainability evaluations are increasingly relevant in the design of products. Within sustainability-related frameworks, circular economy (CE) has gained attention in the last few years, and this has vastly affected design, leading, for example, to design for circularity. This article deals with the wide range of product-level CE assessment tools, out of which some are applied to a case study from the building sector, namely a tiny house made with hemp bricks. Attention was specifically paid to those methods through which a single circularity indicator could be extrapolated. Overall, the objective of this work is to study the convergence of existing CE assessment methods in providing consistent circularity performances. The results show similarities in the overall circularity scores despite differences in the variables used to achieve that final score. Thus, despite the lack of standard methods, the results suggest that many of these tools are sufficiently interchangeable, also in consideration of consistent indications to improve the circularity of the tiny house. This means that consistent inputs are provided to anyone willing to redesign the tiny house with the objective of making it more circular irrespective of the assessment tool used.

This study surveyed 190 healthcare professionals to examine attitudes towards reusable surgical gowns, aiming to reduce medical waste. Comfort (scoring 5.32 out of 7) and misconceptions about gowns serving as personal protective equipment (87% hold this belief) are crucial influencers. External motivators, trust, emotions, and workload also impact perceptions. The study recommends enhancing reusable gown design for comfort, multifunctionality, and hygiene trust. It calls for communication strategies to normalise reusables in healthcare and urges a transition to sustainable practices.

Extensive research found many barriers and drivers in second-hand clothing (SHC) acquisition. This study explores their relationships and the role of design in enhancing SHC experiences. 16 semi-structured interviews revealed insights into personal experiences and emotions. Customer journey mapping highlighted 5 design interventions: a. effective branding and marketing, b. appealing clothing presentation, c. facilitating garment search, d. aiding quality inspection, and e. optimizing price-quality balance. Future, quantitative, research is needed to confirm the findings for a wider public.

To enable a truly circular economy in product engineering, the development of products in generations must be considered. Thus, we strive to enable a forward-looking circularity approach, proposing the integration of system generation engineering (SGE) with circular economy principles. By analysing the qualitative interrelations among product generations driven by distinct value preservation strategies on various value creation tiers ("R-strategies"), we extend prior SGE research to advance model theory and support practical application of circular product engineering.

The landscape of reuse and repair (R&R) activities for manufactured products is vibrant: new European laws, research projects, local initiatives. Our aim is to capture the current and future challenges of the field through an industrial workshop held at the ICED23 conference. A collective reflection was conducted with three French stakeholders: a Product Responsibility Organization, a social and solidarity organization, and a private company producing water-driven dosing pumps. The study results in a multi-level perspective on the R&R value chain and four R&R future scenarios.

This paper examines the role of remanufacturing in healthcare as a key circular design strategy, particularly for medical devices, assessing its socio-technical, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. Through a detailed case of ultrasound catheters, it demonstrates how remanufacturing can lead to resource conservation, cost savings, and enhanced product lifecycles in health care without compromising quality and patient safety. The study argues for systemic changes in healthcare practices to fully integrate remanufacturing, underscoring its role beyond a technical solution.

Based on circular economy readiness assessments of six value chain layers, 18 design strategies and five collaboration strategies for circular economy were identified. The design strategies have many applications, from the design of materials, products, and processes to business models, and while some are specific to determined layers, others can be addressed by companies in multiple layers. Furthermore, collaboration across the value chain was found to affect positively the employment of circular economy design strategies, contributing to the fulfilment of solutions’ circularity potential.

This study envisions a unified paradigm for design for automated disassembly. The goal is to integrate disassembly insights related to precious material recovery with the design phase for sustainable lifecycle management.Targeting plastic products with embedded electronics, the collaboration between design and robotic engineers aims to program a robot for disassembly for the LEGO® motor (45603) as demonstration, emphasizing a disassembly map as a vital tool. By considering the limitations and strengths of robots, this research pioneers a design for disassembly framework.

The paper investigates approaches for implementing circular economy strategies, such as designing mechatronic products for longer service life by replacing, upgrading, or remanufacturing subsystems. The research aims at applying MBSE to provide the necessary support for dealing with the complexity of these approaches. Requirements and challenges for the development of MBSE support in this context are examined. An example of an EV battery system model shows the benefits and challenges of comprehensive system modelling and traceability in the context of circular economy strategies.

This study, conducted with Northvolt, examines battery system recyclability and disassembly dynamics. It introduces indices for material and product recyclability, along with disassembly time assessment. The goal is to create a design tool to streamline the evaluation of battery disassembly, aiding in designing recyclable and serviceable components. These methodologies serve as a blueprint for enhancing battery systems' overall sustainability and circularity design, presenting a base for future product development in alignment with environmental and economic objectives.