Sustainable Products & Material Flows

Inga Hilbert

Researcher

Special Expertise

Main areas of research:

  • Resources and circular economy
  • International cooperation and development policy concepts
  • Sustainable products and consumption

Topics:

  • Circular economy, especially for rural electrification projects + battery storage
  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
  • Criteria development for (international) sustainability standards and eco-labels
  • Method development for assessing social and environmental impacts of global supply chains
  • Impact analysis of sustainability standards in different supply chains (especially cotton and palm oil)
  • Sustainability cooperation with emerging countries

Methods:

  • Assessment and improvement of recycling processes
  • Analysis of environmental, social and economic potential hazards of primary raw materials
  • Benchmark assessments of secondary lead smelter
  • Expert interviews
  • LCC
  • Train the trainers
  • Transdisciplinary sustainability research

Key Projects

  • Environmentally sound disposal and recycling of e-waste: Capacity Development and operation of the Technical Training Centre at the Old Fadama Scrap Yard
  • Sustainable Recycling Industries Ghana (www.sustainable-recycling.org), Phase II, 2019-23
  • Development of a Directive/Regulation on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and take-back systems for used lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries in Ethiopia (GIZ)
  • Bioeconomic power in global supply chains – approaches, impacts and perspectives of certification and due diligence for biogenic bulk commodities (BMBF)
  • CEWASTE – Voluntary certification scheme for waste treatment (EU Commission)
  • Revision and further development of the environmental criteria in the clothing and textiles product group as part of the sector project „Sustainability standards and public-private responsibilities“ (GIZ)
  • Extending the integration of social aspects in the ecolabel Blue Angel

Professional Training and Career

  • Since 2015: Researcher at Oeko-Institut, Sustainable Products & Material Flows Division
  • 2019-2020: International Consultant for Solidaridad, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 2012-2014: Master of Science in Renewable Energy Management at University of Freiburg
  • 2011: Academic Semester Abroad at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • 2008-2011: Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering (Environmental Technology) at Münster University of Applied Sciences

Language Skills

  • English
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Italian

Contact

Inga Hilbert

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