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Location: Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
Focus Area: Research into the application of circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. principles into private, public and third sector organisations.
Key Projects
Swansea University has engaged considerably with the principles of the circular economy over the last few years. Wales was the first country to introduce a statutory legislation to protect our future generations, outlined in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.
The School of Management and the Faculty of Science and Engineering have recently received multimillion-pound Welsh Government grants to deliver circular economy related projects.
Teaching & Learning
Circular economy is taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across a range of modules at Swansea University. In the School of Management, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation video “Dame Ellen MacArthur shares her vision of a circular economy for a better planet” to introduce the concept of the circular economy.
The Circular Economy modules in the Engineering School use various Ellen MacArthur Foundation resources, including videos explaining the concept of the circular economy. The modules introduce the circular economy butterfly diagram and discuss the power of the loops to demonstrate how the circular economy delivers sustainable development to break the link between consumption and emission and economic development. A focus area of the course discusses numerous aspects of the circular economy and how these can be applied in all student projects.
Several modules at the university explore the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health, sustainability, and climate change. The circular economy features explicitly in the following taught programmes:
Research & Leadership
Circular Economy Research and Innovation Group Wales (CERIG) -
Chaired by Dr Gavin Bunting, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University. The group has representation from all universities in Wales, WRAP and the Welsh Government. The aim of the CERIG is for members to work together to connect complementary expertise and experiences to facilitate circular economy innovation and research in Wales.
CEIC project
Swansea and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities deliver the collaborative Circular Economy Innovations Communities (CEIC) project, funded by the Welsh Government and European Social Fund. The CEIC programme will help public service and third sector organisations collaborate on the creation of new products or services and the implementation of solutions to maximise their values and minimise waste, improving circular economy thinking in public services. The CEIC programme undertakes research with public and third sector practitioners, creating case studies to ascertain how circular economy benefits for their organisations and their regions are implemented.
Circular Revolution
Designed and delivered in partnership with Riversimple, Swansea University and the University of Exeter, Circular Revolution is a business-led hub focused on circular thinking. The £2.3m operation is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government who are contributing over £1.5m. The Circular Revolution will be run from a dedicated centre in Riversimple’s HQ in Llandrindod Wells and will deliver two programmes of activity. The first is an outreach programme for business in West Wales and the Valleys who are keen to engage with more sustainable products, services, and business models. Swansea University and the University of Exeter will be supporting companies in discovering the latest practices and exploring how to embed circular principles into their business.
SUSTAIN
The SUSTAIN Future Manufacturing Research Hub is an ambitious £35M (funded by EPSRC, Universities, Trade Bodies, RTOs and Businesses) collaborative research project led by Swansea University. Working with the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the University of Sheffield, and the UK steel producing industrial community, SUSTAIN leads grand challenge research projects in carbon neutral steel and iron making and smart steel processing. Carbon neutral steel-making explores transitioning the industry from coal as its primary energy source, to a mix of waste materials, renewable energyrenewable energyEnergy derived from resources that are not depleted on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. and hydrogen. Smart steel processing examines how digital technology and sensors can increase productivity; at the same time exploring how a transformation in steel processing can add significant value and create new markets afforded by resilient solutions for tomorrow's transport, energy and building needs, whilst delivering societal waste and energy challenges.
Life Cycle Analysis for Circular Economy (LCA4CE) Research Lab
This project builds on existing expertise to develop life cycle analysis capacity and capability at Swansea University.
ACceleration of Circular Economy for Printable Photovoltaics Through Eco-Design (ACCEPTED)
The project aims to create truly sustainable PV technologies by developing tools, material sets and enabling processes to optimise product lifecycles and integrate photovoltaics with the wider circular economy. The project is delivered in partnership with Imperial College London.
Campus Management and Student-led initiatives
Student Sustainability Award and ‘SWell, rewards programme
Students at Swansea University in any year and across any subject can take part in an interactive and rewarding programme, the Sustainability Award. Students take part in volunteering, engagement activities, audits and workshops to fulfil criteria towards the award, which contributes to their HEAR record. Student societies can also apply to the Sustainability Team for Green Grant Funds of up to £100 for sustainability related projects. Through SWell, staff at the university are undertaking over 20,000 actions each month. Learn more.
Grants from Welsh Government
The University was recently successful in securing funding through the Welsh Government Circular Economy Funding Grant.
The Green Grant Tool
The Green Grant Tool is a step-by-step tool and guidance with the aim of embedding sustainability into research bids operations and infrastructure, delivering more sustainable research and reducing environmental impacts and support the circular economy through innovation and reusereuseThe repeated use of a product or component for its intended purpose without significant modification..
Tendering processes, Net Positive and procurement
Swansea University's Sustainability and Procurement teams have joint sustainability strategy commitments to integrating positive procurement into purchasing policy and arrangements following ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement guidance. The Sustainable Procurement Policy outlines the University’s requirements to embed sustainability, ethics, health and wellbeing in all aspects of the university purchasing and through work with Net Positives Supplier engagement tool.
Recycling and circular economy across the campus, zero waste to landfill, and Carbon Trust Waste Standard
Swansea University has a range of campus recycling initiatives, including audits, in collaboration with the Sustainability Team/Students Union and hosting waste related campaigns: Love Food Hate Waste/Food Waste Action Week and Be Mighty by WRAP/Wales Recycles and IntheLoop by Hubbub.
On 01/08/20 the University was awarded the Carbon Trust Waste standard for year-on-year reduction in waste production. Additional circular economy activities on campus include:
Unigreen: A company that sells used equipment on behalf of the University, saving items from the WEEE disposal route.
TerraCycle: Swansea University is a registered public drop-off location for TerraCycle.
LEAF - More than 150 staff working in laboratories at Swansea University in the College of Engineering, College of Science and the Medical School have joined the LEAF initiative. Developed by UCL, this tool helps researchers, staff and students improve the sustainability and efficiency of teaching and research labs by taking users through a step-by-step process to reduce their environmental impact.
Nappycycle - The University’s appointed sanitary waste provider processes sanitary waste into products e.g. fiberboards and acoustic paneling.
Grounds green waste recycling - The University holds waste exemptions with NRW allowing the University Grounds Team to mulch green waste, which is then utilised across the estate grounds.
On campus Zero waste shop - The University has an on campus Zero Waste mini-supermarket called Root Zero run by the Students' Union, which offers a range of products with zero waste and plastic-free products. The shop was created through a university and students union partnership and crowd funding project.
Connect with:
Sustainability Team: sustainability@swansea.ac.uk
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/sustainability/contact-us/
