Title: Eco-Innovation: opportunities for advancing waste prevention

Authors: Rene Van Berkel

Addresses: Eco-Innovation, P.O. Box 523, Inglewood WA 6932, Australia

Abstract: Eco-innovation concerns environment-informed and -driven improvements and innovations in products, services and processes that deliver more value to producers and/or consumers while progressively reducing net environmental impacts. A classification of approaches is proposed, and illustrated, in efficiency practices, design strategies and creativity templates. The efficiency practices, and to a lesser extent, the design strategies have demonstrated their usefulness in a variety of processes and products globally, often with environmental and economic benefits. The scarcity of examples where their application has resulted in highly innovative and resource-efficient products or processes, suggests that a niche remains, which can potentially be fulfilled with creativity templates.

Keywords: innovation; eco-efficiency; design for environment; DfE; creativity structures; waste minimisation; environmental impact; waste management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2007.015629

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.527 - 550

Published online: 06 Nov 2007 *

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