A System Dynamics Model for Evaluating the Circular Economy Strategy of Marine Debris Recycling

• Main Authors: Min-fang Tsai, 蔡旻芳
• Other Authors: Yang-Chi Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/6sxpy6

碩士 === 國立中山大學 === 海洋環境及工程學系研究所 === 106 === The issue of marine debris has been getting more attention around the world recently. The rapid growth of marine debris not only cause visual impact on landscape but also affect marine environment and ecology profoundly. Plastics are mostly found in marine debris worldwide, due to industrialization of plastic products production and easy disposal without careful management. Such “take-make-dispose” step plan of using plastic products is the traditional linear economy which impact marine environment. Nowadays, the new concept of circular economy, which is to reuse waste as raw material for new products, is emerging. To shift from linear economy to circular economy can avoid resource depleting and environmental impact. This study proposes a circular economy channel of managing marine debris such that plastic waste in marine environment are reusable and thus reduced. We conducted literature review and expert interviews to realize the characteristics of current plastic recycling and reuse system. In consequence, the feedback relations between key factors within such circular economy system are realized. Then, we applied the technique of system dynamics to model the circular economy of marine plastic debris recycling and reuse processes. The system dynamics model was integrated with the Monte-Carlo simulation and the decision tree analyses to identify the important policies of developing circular economy. The result indicates that the authority should enhance people’s environmental conscious, restrict plastic production, improve the efficiency of waste management, and encourage well design of green products. The implementation of these policy combination can therefore decrease marine debris and create profit for the involved stakeholders. In the long term, the vision of circular economy for dealing with the problem of marine plastic debris can be fulfilled.