Indicators for Measuring Circularity of Bio-based Products: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55845/joce-2026-4136Keywords:
Circular Bioeconomy, Biocircularity, Circular Economy, Environmental Product Management, Fertilizers, Packaging, TextilesAbstract
Circular bioeconomy is emerging as an alternative framework to produce and consume bio-based resources while reducing damage to nature. But after a decade of development of circular economy (CE) indicators, bio-based products are still missing an appropriate body of product-level measurement tools. This review mapped the CE indicators that have been applied to bio-based fertilizers, packaging, and textiles, with the aim of supporting the further development of decision-relevant tools for product circularity (within the BIORADAR project context). Using a systematic literature review of English-language publications (2016-2025) complemented with widely adopted grey literature and standards, 162 scientific literature documents were retained, and complemented with 16 grey literature documents, resulting in 123 distinct indicators that were extracted, coded, and critically assessed. Although general-purpose and sector-applied indicators together form and extensive body of knowledge, the mapped tools remain uneven in robustness and practical applicability: they often rely on context-sensitive assumptions and data that are not consistently available across firms and regions, and they frequently aggregate multiple circularity features into composite scores that can obscure trade-offs. The indicator set also shows persistent gaps, including limited operationalization of the biological cycle, and weak coverage of key life-cycle stages beyond manufacturing. Overall the main challenge is less the absence of additional metrics than the lack of coordination and transparent, comparable calculation conventions; future work should prioritize a tiered, modular measurement architecture combining a standardized core indicator set with bio-based and sector-specific modules supported by clear data requirements and disclosure rules.
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