IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v11y2022i2p24-d754306.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using New Spare Parts for Repair of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment? The Material Footprint of Individual Components

Author

Listed:
  • Nadja von Gries

    (Center for Environmental Systems Research (CESR), University of Kassel, Wilhelmshoeher Allee 47, 34117 Kassel, Germany)

  • Stefan Bringezu

    (Center for Environmental Systems Research (CESR), University of Kassel, Wilhelmshoeher Allee 47, 34117 Kassel, Germany)

Abstract

The growing production of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) requires close loop management to protect the environment and save resources. Repair and reuse can extend the product’s life span. However, debates on the differences seen in resource consumption linked to the different ways of repairing devices have received a limited amount of attention. This article demonstrates quantification of the resource consumption (cradle-to-gate) of five types of appliances on a component level based on life-cycle assessment within the framework of the product-material-footprint. The data for this assessment is based on the dismantling of these products, weighing their components, and determining their material composition. The results show that the resource relevance of all devices is dominated by a few individual components. For example, for flat-screen monitors, 5 out of 17 components per device account for more than 90% of resource consumption (abiotic total material requirement). Hence, repairing devices while using new spare parts is not always the most resource-efficient way of handling WEEE. The results of this investigation suggest that the resource consumption in repairs should be taken into account at different levels, e.g., regulatory, with regard to eco-design requirements, or for informational purposes with a view to the consideration of the repair and reuse practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Nadja von Gries & Stefan Bringezu, 2022. "Using New Spare Parts for Repair of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment? The Material Footprint of Individual Components," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:24-:d:754306
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/11/2/24/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/11/2/24/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Natalia M. Gusmerotti & Filippo Corsini & Alessandra Borghini & Marco Frey, 2019. "Assessing the role of preparation for reuse in waste-prevention strategies by analytical hierarchical process: suggestions for an optimal implementation in waste management supply chain," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2773-2792, December.
    2. Sohani Vihanga Withanage & Komal Habib, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flow Analysis: Two Under-Utilized Tools for Informing E-Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Clemens Mostert & Stefan Bringezu, 2019. "Measuring Product Material Footprint as New Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method: Indicators and Abiotic Characterization Factors," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Daniel R. Cooper & Timothy G. Gutowski, 2017. "The Environmental Impacts of Reuse: A Review," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(1), pages 38-56, February.
    5. Ritthoff, Michael & Rohn, Holger & Liedtke, Christa, 2002. "MIPS berechnen: Ressourcenproduktivität von Produkten und Dienstleistungen," Wuppertal Spezial, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, volume 27, number 27.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Matthias Kalverkamp & Alexandra Pehlken & Thorsten Wuest, 2017. "Cascade Use and the Management of Product Lifecycles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Leonidas Milios, 2021. "Towards a Circular Economy Taxation Framework: Expectations and Challenges of Implementation," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 477-498, September.
    3. Wang, Yingjia & Fan, Di & Fung, Yi-Ning & Luo, Suyuan, 2022. "Consumer-to-consumer product exchanges for original fashion brands in the sharing economy: Good or bad for fashion knockoffs?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Panagiotis Stavropoulos & Alexios Papacharalampopoulos & Konstantinos Tzimanis & Demetris Petrides & George Chryssolouris, 2021. "On the Relationship between Circular and Innovation Approach to Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Hampus André, 2024. "Opening the black box of the use phase in circular economy life cycle assessments: Environmental performance of shell jacket reuse," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(3), pages 542-555, June.
    6. Florian Lüdeke‐Freund & Stefan Gold & Nancy M. P. Bocken, 2019. "A Review and Typology of Circular Economy Business Model Patterns," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 36-61, February.
    7. Hampus André & Anna Björklund, 2023. "A framework to open the black box of the use phase in circular economy life cycle assessments: The case of shell jacket reuse," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(4), pages 1137-1150, August.
    8. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    9. Valentina Romagnoli & Joachim Felix Aigner & Thomas Berlinghof & Niki Bey & Jan-Markus Rodger & Cordelia Patz, 2020. "Identification and assessment of opportunities and threats for the Circular Economy arising from E-commerce," JRC Research Reports JRC122233, Joint Research Centre.
    10. Beatriz Pozo Arcos & Conny Bakker & Ruud Balkenende, 2023. "How User Manuals Support the Diagnosis of Common Faults in Household Appliances: an Analysis of 150 Manuals," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 535-555, March.
    11. Gimhan Jayasiri & Sunil Herat & Prasad Kaparaju, 2023. "Management of Small WEEE: Future Directions for Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    12. Mohamad Kaddoura & Marianna Lena Kambanou & Anne-Marie Tillman & Tomohiko Sakao, 2019. "Is Prolonging the Lifetime of Passive Durable Products a Low-Hanging Fruit of a Circular Economy? A Multiple Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-22, September.
    13. Koide, R. & Murakami, S. & Nansai, K., 2022. "Prioritising low-risk and high-potential circular economy strategies for decarbonisation: A meta-analysis on consumer-oriented product-service systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    14. Shahjadi Hisan Farjana & Tatenda Miriam Mungombe & Hasith Madhumahda Kahanda Gamage & Anmol Sarfraj Rajwani & Olubukola Tokede & Mahmud Ashraf, 2023. "Circulating the E-Waste Recovery from the Construction and Demolition Industries: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-20, August.
    15. Elsa Dominish & Monique Retamal & Samantha Sharpe & Ruth Lane & Muhammad Akbar Rhamdhani & Glen Corder & Damien Giurco & Nick Florin, 2018. "“Slowing” and “Narrowing” the Flow of Metals for Consumer Goods: Evaluating Opportunities and Barriers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-23, April.
    16. Efstathios Kakkos & Felix Heisel & Dirk E. Hebel & Roland Hischier, 2020. "Towards Urban Mining—Estimating the Potential Environmental Benefits by Applying an Alternative Construction Practice. A Case Study from Switzerland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    17. Dhiya Durani Sofian Azizi & Marlia M. Hanafiah & Kok Sin Woon, 2023. "Material Flow Analysis in WEEE Management for Circular Economy: A Content Review on Applications, Limitations, and Future Outlook," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    18. Stefan Bringezu, 2019. "Toward Science-Based and Knowledge-Based Targets for Global Sustainable Resource Use," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-21, August.
    19. Chen Jin & Luyi Yang & Cungen Zhu, 2023. "Right to Repair: Pricing, Welfare, and Environmental Implications," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(2), pages 1017-1036, February.
    20. Katharina Reindl & Carl Dalhammar & Emma Brodén, 2024. "Circular Economy Integration in Smart Grids: A Nexus for Sustainability," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 2119-2145, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:24-:d:754306. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.