DT 2.2 Waste Mitigation Strategies, Study Notes

Examples of Repair

mending clothing, repairing damage to vehicle bodywork, replacing faulty computer components

Aim of reconditioning

Aims to extend product life until it is no longer commercially viable May also refer to upgrading of components as new technologies become available

Waste Management Hierarchy (from least favoured to most)

Disposal energy recovering recycling reuse minimisation prevention

Methodologies for waste reduction and designing out waste

In order to move toward sustainable manufacturing designers are increasingly focusing on reducing waste that will otherwise find its way into landfills or as environmental pollution

Repair vs Replacement

Increasingly, the cost of repair for consumer products has become such that replacement is often cheaper in this respect many items today are manufactured on the basis of *planned obsolescence* in which it is expected they will have a limited useful life, at the end of which they will be replaced rather than repaired

Pollution/Waste

Most production processes result in the creation of pollution and/or waste during the various stages of manufacture from raw material extraction to transport, processing, manufacture and packaging

Design for Manufacture Guidelines

The most efficient means of reducing waste is to address the problem at the design stage following design for manufacture (DfM) guidelines) DfM guidelines include provisions for adoption of designs that favour the efficient selection of materials, ease of assembly/disassembly along with repair, recovery and recycling the DfM process may be deconstructed into three complimentary components incorporating design: 1. materials 2. process 3. assembly

Recondition (remanufacturing)

The process by which used products may be returned to their original manufactured specifications or a close approximation Reconditioned products generally come with amrenewed warranty guaranteeing their quality

Re-engineering

The revision of an established design to achieve an improved quality. Improvements could be: cost performance safety manufacturability quality waste reduction usability, etc.

Examples of Re-use

examples include: glass, containers, plastic drink bottles, fabric bags

Recycling

often defined as the series of activities, including collection, separation and processing, by which products or other materials are recovered from the waste stream for use in the form of raw materials in the manufacture of new products Recycled products may be reprocessed back into their original form: e.g. used glass jars recycled back into new bottles or, may involve materials being reprocessed into a new product: e.g. waste paper being recycled into cardboard This reprocessing excludes the recovery of materials for energy; thus it does not include reclaiming materials for use as fuel for producing heat or power by combustion

Forms of Pollution/Waste

pollution/waste comes in many forms such as: excess heat exhaust chemical discharge product rejects left over packaging

Methods of waste reduction

product recovery and reuse avoid use of unnecessary packaging produce to order, eliminate over supply production optimization to reduce waste material substitution that favours recycling use energy efficient equipment and lighting storage designed to reduce product deterioration quality assurance practises to reduce rejects based on poor quality

Examples of reconditioning

reconditioned car engines re-treated tires upgrading computers with replacement modules

Repair

relates to the restoring a product or component to a good or sound working condition after deterioration or damage repairs may be functional or cosmetic

Re-use

the repeat use of components or product, either for the same purpose or an alternative one. i.e. re-using plastic water bottles to store dry goods like rice