How do we encourage the design of longer lasting and easily repairable consumer items?
Background
Defra seeks to increase the circularity of our economy through greater resource efficiency, waste prevention, and maximising recycling. Research is required on:
Next steps
Get in touch with Research.Interests@defra.gov.uk
Source
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Related UKRI funded projects
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CLEVER - Closed Loop Emotionally Valuable E-waste Recovery
The rapid turnover in consumer electronics, fuelled by increased consumption, has resulted in negative global environmental and social consequences. These appliances are typically disposed of into UK landfills or to deve...
Funded by: EPSRC
Why might this be relevant?
The project CLEVER - Closed Loop Emotionally Valuable E-waste Recovery addresses the issue of encouraging the design of longer lasting and easily repairable consumer items by developing a function-oriented business model and new materials that age gracefully, as well as exploring consumer responses to these materials.
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Queen’s University of Belfast and Somerville (NI) Limited KTP 21_22 R3
To integrate and embed sustainable design engineering and circular economy principles for the closed-loop repair, reuse and recovery of high-value end-of-life retail fixtures to create new and innovative recycling servic...
Funded by: Innovate UK
Why might this be relevant?
The project specifically focuses on integrating sustainable design engineering and circular economy principles for the repair and reuse of consumer items.
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ReMake Value Retention Centre
Manufactured products account for 45% of total global CO2 emissions, while only 7% are currently recycled and starkly only 2% go through higher-value retention processes such as remanufacturing, whereby worn or non-funct...
Funded by: NERC
Why might this be relevant?
The project addresses the need for value retention processes, remanufacturing, and repair of consumer items to increase circularity and resource efficiency.