3D Printing as a Path to Circular Economy: An analysis on the supply chain barriers
Abstract: Worldwide plastic production is expected to reach an amount of 34 billion tons by 2050, and a large portion of plastic used is for single-use packaging and low-cost consumer plastic products that are discarded. It is important to have a path to a circular economy by recycling and producing locally. The following potential research questions were identified to contribute to the existing knowledge in this field of study: How the supply chain barrier is impacting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the 3D Printing industry to migrate from a linear to a circular economy? Is it a stand-alone barrier or is it dependent on other barriers listed in the current literature? The purpose of this study was to contribute to the theoretical and practical knowledge on how the supply chain barriers correlate with five other barriers that could advance the path to a circular economy in the additive manufacturing sector within the EMEA region. The focus is on the five segments of additive manufacturing (3D printing) and if the barriers are interconnected. Empirical data was gathered by a qualitative method of six semi-structured in-depth interviews utilizing the grounded theory. The analysis of the grounded methodology facilitated the correlation between the data points of each barrier for attaining circularity. The theoretical and practical implications will be of interest to the chemical, producers, and waste industries, as well as to policymakers.
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