A technical and economic model for end-of-life (EOL) options of industrial products
by Hartmut Kaebernick, Maria Anityasari, Sami Kara
International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development (IJESD), Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002

Abstract: In the field of sustainable manufacturing, many research efforts have been focused on the redesign of products towards improved disassemblability and recyclability. However, recycling as an end-of-life (EOL) option is only the first step towards sustainable manufacturing. A more efficient strategy is the reuse of the components, sub-assemblies or entire products. The decision between using an old component or producing a new component depends on a variety of parameters with many uncertainties. This paper presents a decision making model, integrating technical, economic and environmental considerations for the product's evaluation. The model uses new parameters such as the product value, representing the technical status of a component, or the environmental value, representing the life cycle impact of a component. The model is used for comparing the values of a new component with an old component, thus supporting the decision between reuse, remanufacture or disposal. Furthermore, the model can be used to investigate redesign suggestions.

Online publication date: Thu, 17-Jul-2003

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