Circularity Glossary
This glossary compiles the most commonly used Circular Economy terms in the automotive industry, aiming to establish a shared language among industry professionals. Its purpose is to lay the groundwork and provide a foundational understanding of the complex and evolving concept of the circular economy for automotive suppliers. During its creation, a comprehensive review of available sources, including legal documents, reputable standards, and recognised associations, was conducted.
Approximately 150 terms were analysed, and more than 50 were selected for the final version. Terms were chosen based on their relevance to the automotive industry and the reliability of the sources, with legally defined terms given the highest priority, followed by standards and reputable associations. Each term was thoroughly discussed, and additional comments were added to clarify their meanings in the automotive context when necessary. It is important to note that some relevant terms (e.g., closed-loop and open-loop) are still under development, or lack commonly aligned legal standards. Therefore, ongoing discussions with policymakers and other stakeholders are essential to further enhance the quality of existing terms, synchronise definitions, avoid duplications, and address the need for new terms. Consequently, this glossary is a living document that will be updated accordingly.
In addition to the CLEPA members’ review, this glossary was shared with the Drive Sustainability Partnership for an alignment and feedback. The initiative was widely appreciated and considered a necessary step forward.
B
Biobased resource
Definition: resource derived from biomass.
Notes on definition:
- Note 1 to entry: Biobased resources exclude any material embedded in geological formations or transformed to fossilized material.
- Note 2 to entry: Biobased resources include, for example, trees, crops, grasses, tree litter, algae, microorganisms, animals and wastes of biological origin, e.g., manure.
- Note 3 to entry: Biobased resource focuses on the source of the material and not the ability of the resource to cycle through the technical or biological cycles.
Source: ISO 59004:2024
Type of source: Standards
CLEPA comment:
- Comment 1: further categorizations of biobased materials based on the origin of materials are available as follows:
” first-generation” were the crops and plants are used to produce bio-based chemicals and materials.
” Second generation” biomass / feedstock refers to lignocellulosic crops, such as forest wood or fibre crops, or the non-edible part of food and feed crop.
“Third generation” biomass / feedstock is biomass derived from algae .
Source: Dammer, L., Carus, M., Porc, O. 2023: The Use of Food and Feed Crops for Bio-based Materials and the Related Effects on Food Security. Renewable Carbon Initiative (ed.), Hürth 2023
C
Cascading
Definition: repeated use of a resource usually starting at a level of high value with decreasing quantity and quality at each subsequent stage or cycle, depending on the processes used.
Source: ISO 59004:2024
Type of source: Standards
CLEPA Comments:
- Comment 1: cascading can include up-and/or downcycling.