The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union?
The creation of a more sustainable economy is one of the main targets of the European Green Deal and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. Technological innovation is needed, among other things, to render materials, products, and production processes more sustainable. Given the goals of the European...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-03-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X24000291/type/journal_article |
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| author | Leonie Reins Julia Wijns Herwig C.H. Hofmann Felix Pflücke |
| author_facet | Leonie Reins Julia Wijns Herwig C.H. Hofmann Felix Pflücke |
| author_sort | Leonie Reins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The creation of a more sustainable economy is one of the main targets of the European Green Deal and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. Technological innovation is needed, among other things, to render materials, products, and production processes more sustainable. Given the goals of the European Green Deal, the regulatory concept of “Safe and Sustainable by Design” is increasingly receiving attention. The concept is (arguably) a precautionary and preventative measure that is implemented at the early stages of the design of a technology. Therefore, it is often described as a tool for lowering the risks that follow from efforts to create a more circular economy. The concept was included in the European Chemicals Strategy of the European Commission. The aim of the strategy is to accelerate progress towards the discovery of more sustainable chemicals and towards a toxicity-free environment. In this paper, we will explore the benefits and disadvantages of integrating the “Safe and Sustainable by Design” concept into the regulation of technology. As a form of regulation by technology, this concept can enhance sustainability. We will first describe the origins of the concept and its current use. Then, we will analyse its implications for the circular economy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-15d78cb5c0e84853b532679fae99cab0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1867-299X 2190-8249 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
| spelling | doaj-art-15d78cb5c0e84853b532679fae99cab02025-08-20T13:03:13ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Journal of Risk Regulation1867-299X2190-82492025-03-01169611310.1017/err.2024.29The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union?Leonie Reins0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2191-2979Julia Wijns1Herwig C.H. HofmannFelix PflückeErasmus University Rotterdam Erasmus School of Law, Rotterdam, NetherlandsKU Leuven Faculty of Law, Leuven, Belgium 3BIO, Ghent, BelgiumThe creation of a more sustainable economy is one of the main targets of the European Green Deal and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. Technological innovation is needed, among other things, to render materials, products, and production processes more sustainable. Given the goals of the European Green Deal, the regulatory concept of “Safe and Sustainable by Design” is increasingly receiving attention. The concept is (arguably) a precautionary and preventative measure that is implemented at the early stages of the design of a technology. Therefore, it is often described as a tool for lowering the risks that follow from efforts to create a more circular economy. The concept was included in the European Chemicals Strategy of the European Commission. The aim of the strategy is to accelerate progress towards the discovery of more sustainable chemicals and towards a toxicity-free environment. In this paper, we will explore the benefits and disadvantages of integrating the “Safe and Sustainable by Design” concept into the regulation of technology. As a form of regulation by technology, this concept can enhance sustainability. We will first describe the origins of the concept and its current use. Then, we will analyse its implications for the circular economy.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X24000291/type/journal_articlesafetysustainabilitytechnology regulation |
| spellingShingle | Leonie Reins Julia Wijns Herwig C.H. Hofmann Felix Pflücke The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? European Journal of Risk Regulation safety sustainability technology regulation |
| title | The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? |
| title_full | The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? |
| title_fullStr | The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? |
| title_short | The “Safe and Sustainable by Design” Concept – A Regulatory Approach for a More Sustainable Circular Economy in the European Union? |
| title_sort | safe and sustainable by design concept a regulatory approach for a more sustainable circular economy in the european union |
| topic | safety sustainability technology regulation |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X24000291/type/journal_article |
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