How product design can influence product recyclability – a new assessment method based on statistical entropy.
Abstract
The European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) has put a strong focus on product design and manufacturing, as it became evident that recycling efforts increase with the complexity of products. To bring transparency in product design and its impacts on recycling, the assessment of product recyclability is highly relevant. Current recyclability assessment methods neglect to evaluate products from the product design perspective, or base on parameters that limit product comparability. Thus, we developed a new assessment method based on statistical entropy that reflects product recyclability at the stage of product design. The key point of the assessment method presented is the consideration of fundamental product information, namely material composition and product structure, which enable a profound assessment of products and further facilitate comparisons between different products. The novel Relative product-inherent recyclability (RPR) metric would bring important insights in product design and recyclability respectively, and further help to promote the European Union’s implementation of the CEAP.
Author(s)
| Name |
Affiliation |
|
Caroline Roithner
|
TU Wien, Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management |
|
Helmut Rechberger
|
Vienna University of Technology |
|
Oliver Cencic |
TU Wien, Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management |
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