Circular Bioeconomy: An Analysis of Operational Principles and Limits

The necessary transition from a linear to a circular system based on second raw material, biomass, and renewable energy sources has paved the way for new, more stable, resilient, and sustainable production models. Circular economy (CE) strategies have defined closed economic cycles, where the use of biomass to produce materials is preferred, promoting ad hoc bioeconomy strategies. In these economic cycles, waste ceases to be called such to acquire added value for reuse in the same or new productions, becoming a secondary raw material. Over time, the synergies between the two concepts led to the concept of circular bioeconomy (CBE). In this context, although there is particular interest in the scientific field, there is still no clear definition of the concept, much less how to apply it. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to provide a first analysis of the circular bioeconomy (CBE) concept, outlining its basic characteristics and defining the operational principles through which it operates and its limits.