Towards a multi-tool approach to close-the-loop on critical raw materials: a case study on platinum from catalytic converters.

Summary Implementing circular economy practices can lead to both environmental savings and competitive advantage for companies. While transitioning from a linear production system to a closed-loop system is not straightforward (Franco, 2019), adequate methodology and tools can support industrialists in this sustainable shift. This research work proposes a multi-tool approach (Figure 1) to systematically identify, classify, and assess the contribution of influence parameters and action levers to close-the-loop on industrial components and critical materials. It combines previous insights from material flow analysis (Figure 2), with new findings from fuzzy cognitive mapping (Figure 3), structural analysis (Figure 4), and system dynamics in a stepwise methodology. A case study is carried out on a real-world industrial product to illustrate each step of the developed methodology.