PhD student: Mrs I.M. de Waal

Promotor: Prof Ch.W. Backes

Duration: 1/9/2019 - 31/8/2023

Abstract:

Nowadays, humanity uses such a large amount of resources that, to keep up with this demand, 1.6 earths would be needed. Due to the continuous growth of the world's population and the increasing prosperity, the demand for resources will keep on expanding. This will eventually lead to the depletion of non-renewable resources on earth. To prevent this and to simultaneously foster sustainable economic growth in the EU, the current linear way of using resources will have to change. The European Union is therefore moving towards a more circular economy: an economy in which the value of resources, materials and products is maintained as long as possible and in which the volume of waste is minimised. The realisation of (the transition towards) a circular economy will raise several questions of EU and national law. Some of these questions relate to chemicals, product and waste legislation. For example, how one should deal with obstacles regarding the recycling of certain products, which are currently caused by a discrepancy between chemicals law and waste law. In short, in order to realise a circular economy, not only the relationship between chemicals, product and waste legislation is important, but above all the question should be answered of how chemicals, product and waste legislation can be aligned in such a way that the transition towards a circular economy will be stimulated. This research focuses on the relationship between the European chemicals, product and waste legislation in the light of stimulating the transition towards a circular economy. This research will, inter alia, be based on several case studies, which will be decided upon in a later stage.