Chapter 6 Sustainability 3

Designers need to consider how a product may be dismantled at the 6.3 The 6Rs end of its life so that parts may be reused. ឣ Refuse Many consumers are trying to think of the environment and Objectives The consumer has the choice as to whether they buy a product or not. sustainability when they buy things; they are thinking of ‘green’ issues. They can ask the following questions: Designers and manufacturers are required by law to try to reduce Understand the meaning of the the environmental impact of the products they create. Six keywords 6Rs. ឣ Should they refuse the product because it is too ineffi cient (in use, summarise approaches that can be taken by the consumer, the Name and explain examples for or in its use of materials)? designer, the manufacturer and the retailer: each category. ឣ Should they refuse the product because its packaging creates too ឣ Reduce ឣ Refuse much ? (Disposable cups from the coffee shop, plastic carrier bags from the supermarket, plastic water bottles.) ឣ Recycle ឣ Rethink Key terms ឣ ឣ Repair. The designer and manufacturer have an increasing need to think about 6Rs: six words beginning with how the consumer will react to their products; will they refuse them? ឣ Reduce the letter R. Each describes an action that can be taken ឣ Rethink Consumers need to look to reduce the number of products they buy, or to reduce the environmental Consumers can ask the question, “Do I really need this product?” (Do consider buying products that use less energy. impact of products. you really need to replace your mobile phone every year?) B A classic example of reusing a Manufacturers are looking to design products that: product Designers and manufacturers can make products that do the same job ឣ have less materials in the product more effi ciently. They can design the packaging so that it is easier to ឣ take less energy to manufacture recycle (for example, by making the packaging from a singlengle materialmaterial)material). Key terms ឣ need less packaging during transport. , No deposit ឣ Repair Precycling: delaying the Retailers can reduce carbon emissionsons by transporting products or disposal of products, by rn, Designerss have a responsibility to design products that can be rerepaired straight to the consumernsumer from the place of manufacture, instead oof via no retu repairing, reusing, or refusing. warehouses and shops.sho side more easily. It takes fewer resources to replace a part of a product,produc than no kerb to replace the whole item. ឣ Recycleycle collection ឣ Precyclingcycling Products are converted back to their basic materials and remade into Examiner’s tip new products. Examples include:inclu The aim of precyclingprecycli g is to delay de recycling for as long as possible. ConsumersConsumer shouldshou consider some of the other Rs before making the ឣ Understand the meaning of ឣ Americans throw Glass crushed, c melted and made into new bottles. decisiondec to dispose of the product: each of the 6Rs. ឣ Aluminium cans melted down to make new products. 25 million plastic ឣ Be able to describe how they DRAFT DRAFTឣ repairing a product instead of disposing of it (e.g. fi tting a new ឣ could be applied to everyday Plastic bottles recycled into drainage pipes and clothing. (It takes 25 bottles per hour bearing to a washing machine, upgrading a computer) two-litre plastic bottles to make one fl eece.) products. ឣ refusing a product (refuse a disposable cup from a coffee shop; take Designers and manufacturers of products need to design products for your own mug instead!) recycling. Car manufacturers are obliged to label all plastic parts in Plastic recycl ឣ reusing a product (a cotton carrier bag at the supermarket, or using new cars to aid recycling of all those parts. Electrical and electronic ing fi rm a food container to store and organise other products). products now have to include recycling instructions for the consumer. repor ts shortage of These state that products should be taken to special recycling points at plastic Precycling reduces the need to recycle. A product may have many Summary the end of their life. Many local councils now collect materials that can bottles different uses with more than one consumer/owner. The designer and manufacturer be recycled separately from normal domestic waste. Products collected Activity include cardboard packaging, and aluminium food cans, plastic need to produce products that A Recycling the headlines bottles, glass bottles and jars. Applying the 6Rs to everyday products can be reused or recycled easily. For each of these products, describe how the consumer or designer can Products need to be effi cient in ឣ Reuse think about the 6Rs and precycling: their use of resources. Glass milk bottles are a classic product that is reused. A more recent ឣ Mobile phone The consumer needs to decide product that can be reused is a printer cartridge, which can be refi lled. ឣ Tetrapak drinks carton if they really need the product. Some products have fi lters that can be washed rather than using ឣ Wooden dining table disposable, single-use fi lters. links The consumer is responsible for ឣ Metal desk lamp what happens to a product at Consumers could sell or donate products they no longer use Check the codes for plastics on page 10, 1.5 Plastics. ឣ Child’s toy. the end of its life. themselves, so that someone else can use them.

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