Presently most electrical/electronic equipment (EEE) is not designed for recycling, let alone for circulation. Plastics in these products account for 20% of material use, and through better design, significant environmental and financial savings could be gained. Technological solutions and circular design opportunities already exist, but they haven’t been implemented yet. Some challenges, such as ease of disassembly, could be resolved through better communication and by sharing learnings across the value chain.Instead of WEEE, we should focus on developing CEEE: Circular Electrical and Electronic Equipment.The case examples of this report show how different stages of the lifecycle can be designed so that plastics circulation becomes possible and makes business sense. It is time to take a leap in material flow management and scale up these circular solutions across the industry.

• A comprehensive book which collates the experience of two well-known US plastic engineers.• Enables engineers to make informed decisions.• Includes a unique chronology of the world of plastics.The use of plastics is increasing year on year, and new uses are being found for plastics in many industries. Designers using plastics need to understand the nature and properties of the materials which they are using so that the products perform to set standards.This book, written by two very experienced plastics engineers, provides copious information on the materials, fabrication processes, design considerations and plastics performance, thus allowing informed decisions to be made by engineers.It also includes a useful chronology of the world of plastics, a resource not found elsewhere.

Design and Manufacture of Plastic Components for Multifunctionality: Structural Composites, Injection Molding, and 3D Printing presents the latest information on how plastics manufacturers are increasingly being driven towards carbon emission reduction, lightweighting, and cost savings through process integration. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize future products with built-in functionality such as sensors, smart packaging, and damage detection technology for everything from milk bottles and salad packaging to automotive bumpers and plane fuselages. This book introduces the three core manufacturing methods for multifunctional materials, composites, injection molding, and 3D printing, all processes facing challenges for the implementation of new technology. Users will find a book that brings together both process and material advances in this area, giving process engineers, designers, and manufacturers the information they need to choose the appropriate material and process for the product they are developing. - Provides an introduction to the latest technologies in the area of multifunctionality, enabling engineers to implement new breakthroughs in their own businesses - Gives an understanding of the processes that need to be considered in both design and manufacture of future devices, while using materials from a broader palette than used in existing manufacturing processes - Includes best practice guidance and flow charts to aid in material and process selection - Covers revolutionary future products with built-in functionality such as sensors, smart packaging, and damage detection technology for everything from milk bottles and salad packaging to automotive bumpers and plane fuselages

Plastics have now been our most used materials for over fifty years. This book adopts a new approach, exploring plastics’ contribution from two perspectives: as a medium for making and their value in societal use. The first approach examines the multivalent nature of plastics materiality and their impact on creativity through the work of artists, designers and manufacturers. The second perspective explores attitudes to plastics and the different value systems applied to them through current research undertaken by design, materials and socio-cultural historians. The book addresses the environmental impact of plastics and elucidates the ways in which they can and must be part of the solution. The individual viewpoints are provocative and controversial but together they present a balanced and scholarly un-picking of the debate that surrounds this ubiquitous group of materials. The book is essential reading for a wide academic readership interested in the Arts and Humanities, especially Design and Design History; Anthropology; and Cultural, Material and Social Histories.

While plastics are extremely useful materials for modern society, plastics production and waste generation continue to increase with worsening environmental impacts despite international, national and local policy responses, as well as industry commitments. The first of two reports, this Outlook intends to inform and support policy efforts to combat plastic leakage.

Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions begins with an introduction to the different types of plastic materials, their uses, and the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle before examining plastic types, chemistry and degradation patterns that are organized by non-degradable plastic, degradable and biodegradable plastics, biopolymers and bioplastics. Other sections cover current challenges relating to plastic waste, explain the sources of waste and their routes into the environment, and provide systematic coverage of plastic waste treatment methods, including mechanical processing, monomerization, blast furnace feedstocks, gasification, thermal recycling, and conversion to fuel. This is an essential guide for anyone involved in plastic waste or recycling, including researchers and advanced students across plastics engineering, polymer science, polymer chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable materials. - Presents actionable solutions for reducing plastic waste, with a focus on the concepts of collection, re-use, recycling and replacement - Considers major societal and environmental issues, providing the reader with a broader understanding and supporting effective implementation - Includes detailed case studies from across the globe, offering unique insights into different solutions and approaches

The circular economy describes a world in which reuse through repair, reconditioning and refurbishment is the prevailing social and economic model. The business opportunities are huge but developing product and service offerings and achieving competitive advantage means rethinking your business model from early creativity and design processes, through marketing and communication to pricing and supply. Designing for the Circular Economy highlights and explores ‘state of the art’ research and industrial practice, highlighting CE as a source of: new business opportunities; radical business change; disruptive innovation; social change; and new consumer attitudes. The thirty-four chapters provide a comprehensive overview of issues related to product circularity from policy through to design and development. Chapters are designed to be easy to digest and include numerous examples. An important feature of the book is the case studies section that covers a diverse range of topics related to CE, business models and design and development in sectors ranging from construction to retail, clothing, technology and manufacturing. Designing for the Circular Economy will inform and educate any companies seeking to move their business models towards these emerging models of sustainability; organizations already working in the circular economy can benchmark their current activities and draw inspiration from new applications and an understanding of the changing social and political context. This book will appeal to both academia and business with an interest in CE issues related to products, innovation and new business models.