A new scientific publication developed within the BIORADAR Project has been published in the Journal of Circular Economy, addressing one of the key challenges facing the transition towards a circular bioeconomy: how to measure circularity in a coherent and transparent way.

The paper, titled “Indicators for Measuring Circularity of Bio-based Products: A Systematic Review”, was developed by researchers from CETENMA as part of BIORADAR activities.

Understanding Circularity Beyond Narratives

As circularity becomes increasingly central to sustainability strategies, industries are faced with a growing number of metrics and assessment approaches. However, according to the publication, the challenge is no longer the lack of indicators, but rather the lack of alignment between them. The study identified and analysed more than 120 indicators currently used to assess circularity in bio-based products across sectors such as packaging, textiles, and fertilisers.

The analysis highlights several  challenges, including:

• Context-dependent assumptions behind many indicators
• Inconsistent data requirements and methodologies
• Composite scores that may hide important trade-offs
• Limited comparability across sectors and products

These inconsistencies can make decision-making and benchmarking significantly more difficult for stakeholders working in the bio-based economy.

Towards a More Structured Assessment Framework

To address these limitations, the authors propose a more structured and modular approach to circularity assessment. The paper suggests combining:

• A shared core set of circularity indicators
• Sector-specific extensions adapted to different industries
• Clear calculation methodologies and transparent data requirements

Such an approach could help improve comparability, transparency, and practical implementation of circularity assessments across bio-based systems.

The article is available in open access and can be read here.