Naoko Tojo

Naoko Tojo is Associate Professor in environmental product law and policy at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University, Sweden.  She has a BA in law from Keio University, Japan, MSc in environmental management and policy and Ph. D in Engineering (industrial environmental economics) from Lund University. She evaluates and analyses product, recycling and waste policies in Europe and Asia and seeks for the design and implementation of government interventions that effectively enhance eco-innovation. One of her strong focus areas has been on policies based on the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and their effect on design change and waste prevention. Examples of products she looked into include electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), cars and textiles. Her work has been commissioned/financed by entities such as the OECD, EU, Nordic Council of Ministers, national government agencies and NGOs. She teaches her research area as well as international environmental law and policy in the MSc programmes run by the IIIEE.  She is the study coordinator of MESPOM programme in Lund. She is currently on partial parental leave.
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Ongoing projects

MEMIMAN: Material Efficiency Management in Manufacturing

MEMIMAN is one of the research projects financed by MISTRA closing the loop programme. In close collaboration with partners with industry, we week to assess current and future trends/drivers/challenges/obstacles related to recycling of waste from industrial facilities, in order to improve the closure of recycling loop.

An extended producer responsibility (EPR) system and new business models to increase reuse and recycling of textiles in the Nordic region

This two-year project seeks to develop and propose possible policy packages which would encourage the establishmentof extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems and innovative new business models aimed at increasing reuse and recycling of textiles in the Nordic region.

Forwading interdisciplinary education for international students with diverse academic/professional background

This project seek to contribute to the enhancement of the pedagogical capacity of Lund University in the area of interdisciplinary education for international students with diverse academic/professional background.

New business models and commercial opportunities in lighting

Policies and business models will be decisive for the development of new solutions in lighting.

Policy instruments and business models for closed material loops

The shift to energy-saving lamps has made effective collection and treatment of discarded lamps a priority to reduce mercury emissions. Knowledge about today's systems and experiences from similar products are limited and scattered.

European Topic Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (ETC/SCP)

The IIIEE researchers continued to provide expertise work on the European Topic Centre on Sustainable Production and Consumption. They worked, for instance, on a project on understanding the potential of recycling of electronic waste in capturing critical metals in Europe.