From: IN%"[email protected]" "Industrial Design Forum" 18-OCT-1993
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To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
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Subj: ID FORUM ARTICLE
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From: sweatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: ID FORUM ARTICLE
Sender: Industrial Design Forum <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Industrial Design Forum <[email protected]>
Message-id: <01H49VA7YGZ896VJZ1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Dear ID Forum,
Here is an outline of a research project that the Centre for Design is currently
undertaking. I hope it is suitable for the Forum, if you require further
information we
have article written for an Australian consumer magazine.
-----------------------------Extended Producer
Responsibility---------------------------------------
-------------A move toward recycling more complex products and
appliances-------------
Recycling and other waste minimisation activities continue to evolve as new
problems arise, regulations change and community demand increases.
The days of recycling initiatives being limited to bottles, cans and paper-based
products are hopefully coming to an end.
A new concept emerging from Europe known as 'Extended Producer Responsibility'
(EPR) aims to encourage manufacturers to be responsible for the complete
life-cycle
of the product, but especially for the take-back, recycling and final disposal.
The
value of EPR is in its ability to achieve increased waste minimisation in more
complex products and appliances such as whitegoods and automobiles.
The issue of product take-back has been identified as a priority in the European
waste stream with electrical/electronic products and automobiles receiving early
attention. The European Community (EC) is gradually moving toward closing the
loop between manufacture and ultimate disposal. Some analysts are predicting
that
EPR will be addressed in legislation across the EC by 1998, with Germany in
particular setting the precedent.
Manufacturers, recyclers and legislators in North America are also rising to the
challenge. Associations representing home appliance manufacturers and are
joining efforts with major US government agencies to conserve materials and
energy through recycling. Currently over 40 million appliances are being
disposed
of annually in the US, with projections rising to 53 million by the year 2000.
This
translates into more than two million tonnes of otherwise valuable and
recyclable
materials and components ending up in the landfill every year. In Canada,
British
Columbia Hydro, a major electricity utility is offering to buy back old
inefficient
refrigerators in an effort to cut energy demand, rather than construct new
power
stations.
Major companies establishing their own product recovery schemes in Europe
include IBM, Electrolux and BMW. Other manufacturers have also established
collection systems specifically for recycling electronic office equipment.
Companies
such as Philips, Grundig and Rank Xerox are reported to be successfully sharing
a
product recovery and recycling system in Germany.
Realising the potential benefits through EPR will not be a straight forward
process
however. The idea of manufacturers taking back products at the end of their
life has
significant implications not only for product design and production processes,
but
also for recycling infrastructure. All three areas need to be effectively
addressed if
EPR is to become a reality. Most importantly Australia will need to carefully
consider
the design, manufacturing and distribution aspects if products are being
exported to
markets where EPR legislation is in place.
This point in particular illustrates the need for Australian design and
manufacturing
to meet the challenge of waste minimisation on both a national and international
scale.
Developing and implementing environmentally oriented design strategies such as
EPR forms the core research activity at the Key Centre for Design at RMIT. With
funding from the Commonwealth Environment Protection Agency, the Centre has
established a unique national initiative. EcoReDesign is a program aimed at
protecting the environment by assisting manufacturing companies to improve the
environmental performance of their products for competitive advantage. Selected
companies will be provided with design and environmental consultants and related
research support to ensure that environmentally improved products reach the
market.
A vital part of the Program, involves the Centre continually identifying and
researching new approaches that will facilitate and encourage the design of
environmentally improved products. Given EPR trends in important export
markets,
the Centre has developed a research project to investigate the role of design in
facilitating product take back. To make the process highly effective and
efficient,
EPR will necessarily demand products that are designed for disassembly and
recycling. EPR will therefore not only be seen as an 'end of pipe' response,
but
rather a 'closed loop' solution requiring the entire production and collection
of
products to be re-evaluated. Where relevant the EcoReDesign Program will
explore
opportunities for incorporating EPR into the company's product development
process.
It is hoped that the Centre's research will be an important step toward building
Australian knowledge on EPR, its viability, feasibility, and most importantly
its
opportunities for improved environmental protection through innovative design.
Any queries regarding the project should be directed to:
Andrew Sweatman
Project Officer
Centre for Design at RMIT
GPO Box 2476V
Melbourne 3001 Australia
Phone: +61 3 6603903
FAX: +61 3 663 2891
E Mail: sweatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
22:18:50.45
To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
CC:
Subj: ID FORUM ARTICLE
Return-path: <[email protected]>
Return-path: IDFORUM <@PSUVM.PSU.EDU:[email protected]>
Received: from Jnet-DAEMON by ARCH.PSU.EDU (PMDF #12866) id
<01H49VA7YGZ896VJZ1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; Mon, 18 Oct 1993 22:18 EDT
Received: From PSUVM(MAILER) by PSUARCH with Jnet id 2213 for HRL@PSUARCH; Mon,
18 Oct 1993 22:18 EST
Received: from PSUVM.PSU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@PSUVM) by PSUVM.PSU.EDU
(LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 5906; Mon, 18 Oct 1993 22:10:49 -0400
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1993 12:06:32 UTC+1000
From: sweatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: ID FORUM ARTICLE
Sender: Industrial Design Forum <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Industrial Design Forum <[email protected]>
Message-id: <01H49VA7YGZ896VJZ1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Dear ID Forum,
Here is an outline of a research project that the Centre for Design is currently
undertaking. I hope it is suitable for the Forum, if you require further
information we
have article written for an Australian consumer magazine.
-----------------------------Extended Producer
Responsibility---------------------------------------
-------------A move toward recycling more complex products and
appliances-------------
Recycling and other waste minimisation activities continue to evolve as new
problems arise, regulations change and community demand increases.
The days of recycling initiatives being limited to bottles, cans and paper-based
products are hopefully coming to an end.
A new concept emerging from Europe known as 'Extended Producer Responsibility'
(EPR) aims to encourage manufacturers to be responsible for the complete
life-cycle
of the product, but especially for the take-back, recycling and final disposal.
The
value of EPR is in its ability to achieve increased waste minimisation in more
complex products and appliances such as whitegoods and automobiles.
The issue of product take-back has been identified as a priority in the European
waste stream with electrical/electronic products and automobiles receiving early
attention. The European Community (EC) is gradually moving toward closing the
loop between manufacture and ultimate disposal. Some analysts are predicting
that
EPR will be addressed in legislation across the EC by 1998, with Germany in
particular setting the precedent.
Manufacturers, recyclers and legislators in North America are also rising to the
challenge. Associations representing home appliance manufacturers and are
joining efforts with major US government agencies to conserve materials and
energy through recycling. Currently over 40 million appliances are being
disposed
of annually in the US, with projections rising to 53 million by the year 2000.
This
translates into more than two million tonnes of otherwise valuable and
recyclable
materials and components ending up in the landfill every year. In Canada,
British
Columbia Hydro, a major electricity utility is offering to buy back old
inefficient
refrigerators in an effort to cut energy demand, rather than construct new
power
stations.
Major companies establishing their own product recovery schemes in Europe
include IBM, Electrolux and BMW. Other manufacturers have also established
collection systems specifically for recycling electronic office equipment.
Companies
such as Philips, Grundig and Rank Xerox are reported to be successfully sharing
a
product recovery and recycling system in Germany.
Realising the potential benefits through EPR will not be a straight forward
process
however. The idea of manufacturers taking back products at the end of their
life has
significant implications not only for product design and production processes,
but
also for recycling infrastructure. All three areas need to be effectively
addressed if
EPR is to become a reality. Most importantly Australia will need to carefully
consider
the design, manufacturing and distribution aspects if products are being
exported to
markets where EPR legislation is in place.
This point in particular illustrates the need for Australian design and
manufacturing
to meet the challenge of waste minimisation on both a national and international
scale.
Developing and implementing environmentally oriented design strategies such as
EPR forms the core research activity at the Key Centre for Design at RMIT. With
funding from the Commonwealth Environment Protection Agency, the Centre has
established a unique national initiative. EcoReDesign is a program aimed at
protecting the environment by assisting manufacturing companies to improve the
environmental performance of their products for competitive advantage. Selected
companies will be provided with design and environmental consultants and related
research support to ensure that environmentally improved products reach the
market.
A vital part of the Program, involves the Centre continually identifying and
researching new approaches that will facilitate and encourage the design of
environmentally improved products. Given EPR trends in important export
markets,
the Centre has developed a research project to investigate the role of design in
facilitating product take back. To make the process highly effective and
efficient,
EPR will necessarily demand products that are designed for disassembly and
recycling. EPR will therefore not only be seen as an 'end of pipe' response,
but
rather a 'closed loop' solution requiring the entire production and collection
of
products to be re-evaluated. Where relevant the EcoReDesign Program will
explore
opportunities for incorporating EPR into the company's product development
process.
It is hoped that the Centre's research will be an important step toward building
Australian knowledge on EPR, its viability, feasibility, and most importantly
its
opportunities for improved environmental protection through innovative design.
Any queries regarding the project should be directed to:
Andrew Sweatman
Project Officer
Centre for Design at RMIT
GPO Box 2476V
Melbourne 3001 Australia
Phone: +61 3 6603903
FAX: +61 3 663 2891
E Mail: sweatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx