Designs allowing for reuse pave the way to the circular economy

• Manufacturers must begin to plan for the discontinuation of disposable materials

In the words of green activist Greta Thunberg, the world is on fire. Data from the US space agency Nasa shows the planet’s climate is changing significantly owing to human activity.

This includes material extraction and use, which has nearly quadrupled in 50 years, and the subsequent creation of waste. About 50-million tonnes of e-waste is produced globally every year, 80% of which ends up in landfills.

This cannot continue. Action is needed fast, and governments are taking heed. None more so than in Europe. In 2020 the European Commission adopted the new circular economy action plan. It’s one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal, the continent’s agenda for sustainable growth and becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Yet when it was announced, only 12% of secondary materials and resources were being brought back into the economy. There is a huge amount of work to be done, especially in relation to electronics. The circular economy action plan includes a circular electronics initiative. This will push manufacturers to ensure longer product lifetimes and give consumers the right to repair them and for obsolete software to be updated.

The circular economy is the opposite of the “take-makewaste” linear model, which has led to the production of singleuse, disposable products. This old economy gives little thought to the amount of irreplaceable resources used in manufacturing, or the amount of waste produced during the manufacturing process and disposal of the product at the end of its life.

Traditional linear models incur costs when manufacturers fail to use or recycle wasted material from production processes. As of April 1 the standard rate for landfill tax in some European nations is €114 per tonne, which can cost a company 4%-10% of its annual turnover on waste disposal.

With eyes on a net-zero emissions target and a greener future for the planet, a circular economy directs production and consumption into a model of repair and reuse, where products and materials are remanufactured and recycled all with the goal of extending their life cycles and reducing overall waste.

There are six steps to embrace the circular economy, starting with the sustainable sourcing of raw materials. The aim is to decouple growth from raw materials consumption based on three principles: removing waste, complexity and toxicity from products for more effective end-of-life resource management; keeping raw materials in use for as long as possible and at their highest quality; and returning materials into the environment with a positive impact outcome.

Then comes the design stage. Manufacturing in a way that fits into the circular economy begins here, for example with businesses cutting a product’s material content or making items easier to dismantle and repurpose. This helps them remain within the system for as long as possible.

The third step is to extend this new thinking throughout an organisation. Manufacturers must say goodbye to outdated business models, while welcoming new technology and IT infrastructure to the production and manufacturing process.

For example, using the internet of things to connect to the products they make. By doing so businesses can collect data on how products are used to make better decisions about their life cycle. Another example might be the use of robotics and automation to reduce human error or check for weaknesses in design. This can then be rectified on the production line to reduce waste.

3D PRINTING

The fourth step is to incorporate more sustainable methods of distribution. For example, 3D printers reduce the need for intermediate goods to be transported from one location to another. To reduce environmental impact and transportation costs, files of intermediate goods can be delivered digitally and printed where needed.

When the per-product mass of intermediate items is high and the distance between the two locations is large, additive manufacturing (as 3D printing is also known) is especially beneficial.

Finally, manufacturers need to consider a new step in the life cycle of their goods: collection and reuse. This is no longer the consumer’s responsibility. Reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling can all help to create a closed system, minimising the use of resources and waste, as well as carbon emissions.

By incorporating remanufacturing pathways into their practices manufacturers can extend the lifetime of products at the end of their “first life”. Repurposing them or enabling other, subsequent uses allows the product or its parts to be reintroduced into the supply chain.

In addition, manufacturers should constantly review techniques with legislation and certification in mind. It is essential to keep on top of regulations by assessing which aspects of the proposed new rules may apply and then preparing for them.

While most manufacturers see the circular economy as a benefit to their brand reputation and profitability, the reality of transforming manufacturing operations is a challenge. It involves substantial change, and the cost can be high when it comes to adapting supply chain practices and balancing sustainability with the bottom line.

Most manufacturers cannot do it alone. They must collaborate. For example, last year, electronic giants including Dell, Cisco, Google and Microsoft founded the global Circular Electronics Partnership, an alliance that maximises the value of components, products and materials through their full life cycles with the goal to enable a circular economy for electronics by 2030.

Since launching its first desktop with recycled plastic in 2007 Dell has set up the largest technology recycling programme, in which plastics from old computers have been recovered and turned back into plastic parts for new products. Now the company has pledged to get to 50% recycled or renewable materials across its product portfolio by 2030.

Epson has a number of initiatives, including decarbonisation and environmental technology development, and is working towards a closed resource loop, in which its resources are used more effectively. This means reducing the consumption of new underground resources by using previously mined minerals with the goal of becoming “underground resource free” by 2050. This will reduce its total resource inputs, eliminate waste and use 100% recycled resources.

Innovative solutions will help businesses get a step closer to closing the loop and becoming sustainable, but it will require all businesses and consumers to support the principles of the circular economy to ensure the goals set out by the EU are met.

It’s clear that the need for investment in a circular economy requires prioritising long-term goals. Overcoming knowledge and cost barriers can open the doors for manufacturing to achieve a more innovative and sustainable future — one that is developed to suit the future low-carbon, lowwaste economy.