Title: Leasing and extended producer responsibility for personal computer component reuse

Authors: Deborah L. Thurston, Jessica P. De La Torre

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 117 Transportation Building MC-238, 104 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 117 Transportation Building MC-238, 104 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Abstract: Although extended producer responsibility legislation creates economic incentives for manufacturers to recycle or remanufacture product components, this has proven to be very difficult. Leasing arrangements where the manufacturer sells a service rather than a product might facilitate more cost-effective product take-back. This paper presents a mathematical model for product design that considers leasing programs and their impact on cost, reliability and environmental impact. The optimal combination of new, recycled and remanufactured components over several product lifecycles is determined by maximising a multiattribute utility function for a portfolio of customer market segments.

Keywords: personal computers; recycling; remanufacturing; product design; reliability; cost; leasing; multiattribute utility; sustainability; sustainable development; pollution prevention; environmental pollution; producer responsibility; PC component reuse; product take-back; environmental impact.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2007.012799

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2007 Vol.29 No.1/2/3, pp.104 - 126

Published online: 15 Mar 2007 *

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