2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
CIVE5984M Circular Economy and Resource Recovery from Waste
15 creditsClass Size: 50
Module manager: Dr. Costas Velis
Email: c.velis@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
Pre-requisites
| CIVE5040M | Solid Waste Management |
This module is mutually exclusive with
| CIVE5985M | Circular Economy and Resource Recovery from Waste |
This module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
The circular economy and resources recovery (CERRY) module offers a comprehensive introduction to the concepts, science and engineering to make most of the existing solid waste, but also the transition to the ideal of a world without solid waste. The curriculum is highly customised, offering step-by-step approach, with everything eventually culminating an integrated and systems understanding of circularity. The emphasis is enabling resources recovery and quantifying circularity. An environmental engineering and wider scientific principles focus is adopted, whilst wider socioeconomics sustainability are interestingly incorporated in the critical analysis. Some unique features of the module involve understanding of early aspects of the waste hierarchy (e.g., reduce, re-sue, refurbish), deep dive into incorporating the informal recycling sector (IRS) activities prevalent in the Global South, and a hand-on take on analysing and quantifying circularity at a systems level.Objectives
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the emerging theory and core practical aspects of engineering application of recovering of resources and value from waste, within the context of a circular economy.Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the module, students will have:
1. Apply a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles and methodologies necessary to underpin the design of complex resources recovery from waste and wider circular economy systems. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M1)
2. Developed and applied an understanding and know-how of the scientific principles of related disciplines, with core focus on environmental engineering, to enable appreciation of the scientific and engineering context of circular economy, and to support the development of critical awareness of relevant current challenges (for example, (e.g. setting up re-use schemes or operating on a global supply chains of secondary materials, such as after-use plastics), current and future developments on technological applications in the wider context of engineering. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M1)
3. An ability to formulate and analyse complex circular economy and resource recovery systems problems to reach substantiated conclusions on most suitable interventions to be applied, through evaluating available a wide range of data using first principles of mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles, including using engineering judgment to work with information that may be uncertain or incomplete, which is often the case with waste, especially in a supply chain context. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M2)
4. An ability to select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques to model complex circular economy problems, whilst discussing the comparative advantages and limitations of any of the techniques employed (for example, as applied to designing system-level interventions (extended material flow analysis, complex value optimisation, and carbon accounting). (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M3)
5. An ability to apply an integrated and/or systems approach to the solution of complex circular economy challenges, recognising the multiple scientific, engineering and wider societal considerations and embedding such a systems thinking into identifying and prioritising suitable practical solutions, as for example in the case of social context of the challenge at hand (e.g., using the InteRa methodology for waste picker just transition assessment). (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M5 and M6)
6. An ability to critically evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to complex circular economy problems, including many different stages of the entire life-cycle of an materials/ products / services / infrastructure (for example, across the life-cycle of plastics) and minimise any adverse impacts, in an effective and practicable way, namely with locally and case-by-case adapted solutions. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M7)
7. An ability to understand, evaluate realities on the ground and adopt an inclusive approach to engineering practice, recognising the responsibilities, benefits and importance of supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in the SWM services design and delivery - for example in servicing the underservices communities residing in informal settlements, in preventing exposure of women and children to the toxic emissions of open uncontrolled burning; in considering a just transition for waste picker activities, being socially vulnerable and stigmatised. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M11)
8. An ability to select and apply appropriate materials, equipment, engineering technologies (for example, technological and engineering means to recover resources and value from waste, including materials, energy and nutrients) and processes to offer circularity solutions, whilst recognising their limitations and being able to navigate the related trade-offs, justifying and prioritising choices. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M13)
9. An ability to design solutions for complex circularity / resources recovery problems that demonstrate originality and meet a locally established combination of societal, user, business and customer needs as appropriate: for example, when required to assess the complex value optimisation across an entire reverse supply chain system to inform circularity policy and its implementation. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M5)
10. An ability to apply knowledge of engineering management principles, commercial context, project and change management, relevant legal matters, and the role of quality management systems as for example in the case of generating circularity quantifiable assessment, taking into account wider socioeconomic considerations and understanding change management in cases of competing multiple possible circularity pathways. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M14 and M15)
11. An ability to function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader of a team, as for example in the team effort of applying the InteRa and CVORR methodologies, and effectively communicating the complex considerations, evidencing and results. To technical or decisions-making audiences – e.g., serving as engineering consultants. (AHEP 4 Learning Outcome M16 and M17)
This module contributes to the AHEP4 learning outcomes: M1, M2, M3, M5, M6, M7, M8, M11, M12, M13, M14, M15, M16, M17.
Skills outcomes
In general students should be able to demonstrate core analytical skills along with improving transferable skills, such as communication skills, creative problem solving, critical thinking, team working, and apply this to hands-on real life cases. Specifically they would be in position to apply specific tools for the resource recovery from waste within a circular economy, such as the novel and customised CVORR ("Complex Value Optimisation for Resource Recovery from waste") analytical and decision-support methodology developed by the University of Leeds, combining elements of material flow analysis, environmental and social life cycle assessment, cost-benefit analysis and heterodox economics. They will also learn how to apply InteRa, a specialised analytical framework and tool to assess design of interventions for the inclusion of waste pickers (informal recyclers) into formal waste management systems in the Global South.
Syllabus
The module includes core knowledge and technical skills development on:
Key concepts for resource recovery from waste (RRfW)
What is circular economy / circularity (CE)
Learn how to apply Complex Value Optimisation for Resources Recovery methodology (CVORR)
Learn how to apply Integration Radar for waste picker (informal recyclers’) inclusion and just transition: InteRa
Disruptive innovation - 4th industrial revolution: materials and automation
Circular economy in the Global South (developing countries)
Waste prevention, reuse and remanufacturing
Recycling and global supply chains
Transition from solid waste management (SWM) to CE
Cities and circular economy
Strategies, policies and implementation plans for circular economy
Indicators and systems assessment for CE (cities, business)
Case Study: CE and RRfW for waste plastics
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Class tests, exams and assessment | 1 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Group learning | 1 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Lecture | 22 | 1.00 | 22.00 |
| Practical | 4 | 4.00 | 16.00 |
| Seminar | 2 | 2.00 | 4.00 |
| Private study hours | 102.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 48.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
The students will be learning from revisiting the lecture notes and wider learning resources available on the VLE and the reading list and by hands-on working on the specific case study.Opportunities for Formative Feedback
In-course MCQ's. The students have extensive opportunities to work in teams on case studies and present within the module, where feedback is provided on the spot on their engineering and communication skills.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Presentation | Group project (Assessed as, 10-20 minutes presentation with 5 min Q&A). Individual marks obtained by peer marking for the half team mark. | 30.00 |
| Group Project | Group project (Structured report demonstrating application the CVORR approach principles and elements of methodology for a specific case study). Individual marks obtained by peer marking for half of team mark. | 70.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Although group efforts (project and presentation), the marks allocated for the 70% will be individual, and overall 15% will be gained via peer (student to student) marking. Group allocations will be totally randomised. Resit 100% Project Report.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 01/11/2024 16:14:40
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