The circular economy aims to optimise resource use through strategies such as extending product lifespans, increasing utilisation rates, repair, reuse, and recycling. To ensure that these strategies deliver genuine environmental benefits without unintended consequences, life cycle management can rely on key tools and indicators. This session will explore:

1. Recent methodological advancements and their applications, enabling a more precise assessment of the benefits and limitations of circular models. At the product level (micro), this may include LCA approaches for improved consideration of recycling or the development of resource-related indicators (e.g. metal dissipation, plastic footprint). At the meso and macro levels, the session will examine how combining LCA with other methodologies (such as dynamic Material Flow Analysis – MFA) can support a more systemic evaluation of circular strategies’ effectiveness.

2. Concrete case studies to identify which circular economy models effectively reduce environmental impacts across different materials and sectors, without leading to adverse trade-offs.

The objective is to highlight the most robust and innovative approaches to guide the transition towards truly sustainable circular models.