Project Module „Sustainable Operations“: Data-Driven System Analysis of Plastics Circularity and Recycling Constraints
SoSe 2026
Content and Objective of the Project Module
The global plastic pollution crisis represents a major environmental and societal challenge. Addressing this challenge requires more than technological solutions alone; it also demands a detailed understanding of how plastics are embedded in products, how material choices and design features shape recyclability, and how these factors interact with existing waste management and recycling systems.
This project module introduces students to a data-driven system analysis of plastics in everyday products and packaging. The module focuses on product-level material composition and examines how design choices, material heterogeneity, and functional requirements create structural constraints for recycling. Using real-world data from online marketplaces, manufacturer disclosures, and publicly available product information, students will work in groups to analyse plastics circularity across different product systems, including packaging, clothing, and home textiles. A description of the four main topics can be found under section 9. Topics and Introductory Literature.
A central objective of the module is to enable students to critically assess sustainability claims by linking digital product information and market narratives to physical material realities. By systematically extracting, classifying, and analysing material composition data, students learn to evaluate to what extent products are compatible with existing recycling pathways and where material combinations or design features limit recyclability.
Through this project module, students will:
- Understand key challenges of the linear plastics economy and the role of product design and material composition in shaping recycling outcomes,
- Analyse how plastics are embedded in products and packaging across different sectors using product-level data,
- Apply data-driven methods to extract and analyse material composition information from real-world sources,
- Evaluate recyclability and identify recycling constraints associated with material choices and product design,
- Critically assess sustainability claims and transparency in product and packaging markets,
- Derive evidence-based insights and recommendations relevant for circular economy strategies, industry practice, and policy discussions.
Overall, the module equips students with analytical skills to bridge product-level data and system-level sustainability questions, fostering a critical and practical understanding of plastics, recycling constraints, and circular economy challenges.
The following in-depth analyses could be performed by the students:
- Data Mining and Data Analysis
Extraction, structuring, and analysis of product-level information from online marketplaces, manufacturer disclosures, eco declarations, and other publicly available sources to identify material composition, product characteristics, and patterns across products and categories.
- Material and Product System Analysis
Interpretation of product-level material composition data to understand how plastics are embedded in products and packaging, and how material choices and design features shape recycling feasibility and constraints within existing systems.
- Market and Sustainability Claim Analysis
Examination of sustainability-related claims (e.g. biodegradable, recyclable) by comparing digital product information and market narratives with underlying material composition and recycling feasibility.
- System-level Interpretation
Discussion of empirical findings in a broader system context, including implications for waste management systems, circular economy strategies, industry practices, and policy debates.
Target Group and Prerequisites
- Target Group: Master BWL (CDS, SC, ORM), Master WiWi (CDS, SC, ORM, GM), Master Wirt.-Ing (CDS, SC, ORM)
- Max. Number of Participants: 18
- Language of Instruction: English
- No prior knowledge is required
Organizational Structure and Schedule
- Mandatory attendance: Kick-off Meeting (20.04.2026), Introduction to Scientific Writing (30.04.2026), Interim presentation (01.06.2026), Final presentation (02.07.2026)
- Final grade: paper (65%), colloquium (35%)
Registration details:
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