Underpin circular policy choices with scenario analyses for material flows
What impact do policy choices have on material use, recycling and the availability of raw materials?
How much material will be available for recycling in the future? Which products and components, and in what quantities, are suitable for reuse? What is the effect of a longer product lifespan? And how do material flows change as consumption patterns, collection systems or recycling technologies evolve?
VITO helps public authorities and sector organisations to quantify the impact of various policy and future scenarios. Using stock-flow modelling, we map out how products, materials and raw materials move through society and how these flows evolve over time.
What are the benefits?
- Insight into current and future material stocks and flows
- Insight into the impact of various future scenarios on material use and recycling
- Forecasts for material use, waste streams and material availability
- Evidence to support policy decisions regarding raw materials, materials and circularity
- Insight into the future availability of materials for reuse and recycling
Who is it for?
This service is relevant for:
- Public authorities
- Sector federations and trade associations
What questions can we answer?
Using stock-flow modelling, we analyse, amongst other things:
- How do changing consumption patterns affect material demand, material stocks and waste streams for a product, sector or region?
- What is the impact of longer product lifespans on material use, material flows and environmental impact?
- How does a change in product composition affect recyclability and material recovery?
- How much material becomes available for reuse or recycling under different future scenarios?
- What impact does a higher collection rate of end-of-life products have on the availability of secondary raw materials?
- How are end-of-life products currently collected, and what measures could improve this collection?
- What impact do new collection, sorting, reuse or recycling systems have on the recovery of specific materials?
- What materials are required under different future scenarios for a sector, region or technology?
What we do
Mapping material stocks and flows
We map how products, materials and raw materials move through society and how stocks, inflows and outflows evolve over time.
Comparing scenarios
We analyse how changes in consumption, product lifespans, collection and recycling affect the future availability of materials.
Quantifying future material availability
We identify which materials will become available for reuse, recycling or further processing in the future under various scenarios.
Applications
VITO has previously developed stock-flow models for, amongst others:
- aluminium and copper flows;
- construction materials such as sand and aggregates;
- plastics;
- electrical and electronic equipment;
- vehicles and batteries;
- material requirements for the energy and mobility transition.
Why collaborate with VITO?
Experience in various material flows
We have developed stock-flow models for, amongst others, metals, plastics, construction materials, vehicles, batteries and electronic equipment.
Strength in scenario analysis
We quantitatively assess the impact of changes in consumption, product lifespan, collection and recycling.
Insight into future material availability
Our models highlight which materials will become available in the future for reuse, recycling or further processing.
Discuss your challenge
Would you like to gain an understanding of the impact of circular policy measures, future material flows or raw material requirements? Please contact Anse Smeets.
