Materials & Sustainability: Building a Circular Future

This book examines sustainable manufacturing, from the extraction of materials to processing, use, and disposal, and argues that significant changes in all of the above are needed for the world to progress toward a more circular economy.

Materials and processing methods are usually chosen with performance as the key metric. Why has our society embraced plastics? Because they work. In most cases, they are lighter, easier to manufacture, and less expensive than the metal, wood, glass, or stone they have replaced. Why do industrial manufacturers use toxic chemicals? Because they are effective, but the unintended consequences may be severe. By learning how various materials are made and what happens when they are recycled, readers will better understand the value of materials and the challenges that manufacturers face when trying to make their facilities and products less toxic and less wasteful. The three chapters in Part I provide essential background about materials in the circular economy, chemicals, and waste. Part II delves into specific materials. It includes chapters on plastics, metals, wood and paper products, glass, and novel materials. Part III covers recycling and manufacturing processes, and Part IV delves into practical considerations, including the effect of regulations, concluding with a chapter that helps readers translate the information presented into action. Interviews with industry experts round out the chapters and offer valuable insights.

Materials and Sustainability is a must-read for business professionals who are serious about making their companies as environmentally responsible as possible and for business and engineering students who want to begin their careers with practical knowledge about materials and their impacts.

Julia L F Goldstein is the founder of JLFG Communications, a member of 1% For the Planet. Her company works with manufacturers to help them connect business goals, environmental action, and effective communication strategies. She has a background in engineering, journalism, content writing, and teaching and holds a PhD in materials science from UC Berkeley. Julia has over 25 years of experience working in and writing about the semiconductor manufacturing industry. She writes a Sustainability 101 column for 3D InCites, an online publication and membership community serving that industry. Julia’s book Material Value is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree, Finalist in the 2019 San Francisco Writers Contest, and Semifinalist for the 2020 Nonfiction BookLife Prize. She is also the author of two other books and many articles in trade and business publications.

Paul Foulkes-Arellano is the founder of circular economy consulting business Circuthon(R) Consulting, where he advises global brands and bioeconomy start-ups. His areas of expertise are raw materials, packaging, apparel and footwear. His particular focus is NextGen fibers, biomaterials, and novel material development. Paul sits on the advisory boards of alternative fiber producer, ReStalk and textile upcyclers, Must Had. He is a non-executive director at cellulosic pigments specialist Sparxell. Paul runs two non-profit initiatives: The Circular Footwear Initiative and The Circular Fashion Initiative.