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Design for Circularity Guidelines for the EEE Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Anton Berwald

    (Environmental & Reliability Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM, 13355 Berlin, Germany)

  • Gergana Dimitrova

    (Environmental & Reliability Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM, 13355 Berlin, Germany)

  • Thijs Feenstra

    (Pezy Group Groningen, 9723 TV Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Joop Onnekink

    (Pezy Group Groningen, 9723 TV Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Harm Peters

    (Pezy Group Groningen, 9723 TV Groningen, The Netherlands)

  • Gianni Vyncke

    (Center for Polymer & Material Technologies, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium)

  • Kim Ragaert

    (Center for Polymer & Material Technologies, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium)

Abstract

The increased diversity and complexity of plastics used in modern devices, such as electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), can have negative impacts on their recyclability. Today, the main economic driver for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recycling stems from metal recovery. WEEE plastics recycling, on the other hand, still represents a major challenge. Strategies like design ‘for’, but also the much younger concept of design ‘from’ recycling play a key role in closing the material loops within a circular economy. While these strategies are usually analysed separately, this brief report harmonises them in comprehensive Design for Circularity guidelines, established in a multi-stakeholder collaboration with industry leaders from the entire WEEE value chain. The guidelines were developed at the product and part levels. They are divided in five categories: (1) avoidance of hazardous substances; (2) enabling easy access and removal of hazardous or polluting parts; (3) use of recyclable materials; (4) use of material combinations and connections allowing easy liberation; (5) use of recycled materials. These guidelines are the first harmonised set to be released for the EEE industry. They can readily serve decision-makers from different levels, including product designers and manufacturers as well as policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Anton Berwald & Gergana Dimitrova & Thijs Feenstra & Joop Onnekink & Harm Peters & Gianni Vyncke & Kim Ragaert, 2021. "Design for Circularity Guidelines for the EEE Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:7:p:3923-:d:528618
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dimitris S. Achilias & Eleni V. Antonakou, 2015. "Chemical and Thermochemical Recycling of Polymers from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment," Chapters, in: Dimitris S. Achilias (ed.), Recycling Materials Based on Environmentally Friendly Techniques, IntechOpen.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nichele Cristina de Freitas Juchneski & Adelaide Maria de Souza Antunes, 2022. "Do the Main Developers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Comply with the Precepts of the Circular Economy Concepts? A Patent-Based Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.
    2. Hilal Shams & Altaf Hossain Molla & Mohd Nizam Ab Rahman & Hawa Hishamuddin & Zambri Harun & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar, 2023. "Exploring Industry-Specific Research Themes on E-Waste: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Ceri Fenwick & Kieren Mayers & Jacquetta Lee & Richard Murphy, 2023. "Recycling plastics from e‐waste: Implications for effective eco‐design," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(5), pages 1370-1388, October.

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