Sustainability

EcoDesign

Many of the environmental, economic and quality impacts of a product are determined during product development through the choice of materials, components, production processes, and performance, use, maintenance and disassembly.

EcoDesign, or Design for Environment, is a structured approach for implementing environmental innovation at the earliest stages of product development to avoid unforseen issues later in the product life cycle.

The principles of eco-design are sometimes summarised as the "6 RE philosophy", namely:

  • Re-think the product and its functions: For example, the product can possibly be used more efficiently thereby reducing energy use and other natural resources.
  • Re-duce energy and material consumption throughout the product's life cycle.
  • Re-place harmful substances with more environmentally friendly alternatives.
  • Re-cycle: Select materials that can be recycled, and build the product such that it can be easily disassembled for recycling.
  • Re-use: Design the product so parts can be reused.
  • Repair: Make the product easy to repair so life of the product is extended.

In each stage of the life cycle of a product there is the potential to lower resource consumption and improve the product's environmental performance.

If you are involved in product design, you need to understand how a product impacts on the environment. In order to incorporate eco-design in your company, let us:

  • Assist you in implementing eco-design principles in your company.
  • Aid you in applying eco-design principles to a product of yours.
  • Develop eco-design guidance and checklists for your product or packaging developers to use in their daily work.
  • Provide you with the tools to assist you develop truely sustainable products.

 

 

For further information contact

Gary Parker

T +44 1372 802049

M +44 7816 485345

F +44 1372 802249

E gary.parker@cibasc.com

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