PhD student: Mrs M. Kajić

Promotors: Dr A. van den Brink, Prof Ch.W. Backes

Duration: 1/10/2019 - 30/9/2023

PhD defence: Utrecht, 15/3/2024

Abstract:

Energy and nutrients can be extracted either directly from a primary source (biomass) or from a secondary source (waste). The latter has fewer negative environmental implications, such as greenhouse gas emissions and over-use of land, and is inherently more circular. There are an abundance of available biotechnological methods for energy-nutrient extraction from waste streams, but many of these methods are not being harnessed by EU Member States to their full potential, according to a 2019 Commission opinion. Against this backdrop, the present research asks: To what extent could law and governance, at both the EU and national level, facilitate EU Member States to achieve better implementation of circular methods in their waste treatment systems?