Circular Plastic System Design
Optimizing the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) value chain requires navigating a complex web of interconnected challenges. To make the invisible drivers in plastics recycling visible, the INCREACE project utilized system mapping and causal loop diagrams (CLDs). This approach pinpoints exactly where interventions can have the greatest impact—shaping better business decisions, informed policies, and smarter circular design.
Watch the explanatory video to explore our system design approach, how we used causal loop modeling to map complex feedback loops, and how these insights are paving the way for sustainable, closed-loop plastic systems.
What this video covers:
- The Interconnected Recycling Ecosystem: A visual breakdown of how material flows, consumer behavior, technology, and policy dynamics influence one another.
- The “Chicken and Egg” Supply Dilemma: How system mapping addresses the critical bottleneck between the lack of steady, high-quality recycled plastic supply and low OEM demand.
- Leverage Points & Interventions: An exploration of key system interventions identified using the “Iceberg Model” to make a sustainable circular plastic vision a reality.
EXPLORE THE TWO SYSTEM DESIGN GUIDES
This project applies systems design to address the complex challenges of the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) value chain as an interconnected system. The current-state causal loop diagram illustrates present complexities, while the future vision defines the intended destination.
This detailed Causal Loop Diagram illustrates the interrelated parameters that influence the current WEEE value chain. By analyzing it, one can better understand the existing system and its shortcomings. It also helps identify barriers within the value chain and supports the assessment of potential interventions needed to reach the Ideal State.
This graphic illustrates our vision of the Ideal State of the WEEE value chain, where the process is fully circular and existing gaps are addressed. This vision outlines the conditions that need to be met in order to achieve a truly circular WEEE value chain.