Waste Reduction Practices

Concrete is the second most consumed substance on Earth (after water). With 30 billion tons produced annually, our concrete foundations have a lasting wet concrete footprint! But what if we stopped treating concrete as disposable? Design for Disassembly (#DfD) is transforming how we view this ubiquitous material. Rather than demolishing and landfilling, DfD enables us to deconstruct and reuse—unlocking significant carbon and cost savings. The Betonakkord initiative in the Netherlands proves it works: they've established clear standards for reusing concrete elements, creating a true circular concrete economy where "waste" becomes a valuable resource. Rethinking concrete isn't just environmentally responsible—it's economically savvy. As material costs rise and supply chains face disruption, companies that design for reuse gain resilience against market volatility. That's why Coreo and #Built partnered to create a comprehensive DfD guide. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g4t-U2bU

We’re now at the point where mountains of clothing waste are shaping EU law. With the new EU textile EPR rules, responsibility for that waste shifts directly to producers. From 2025, brands will fund the collection, reuse, and recycling of the products they put on the market. Fast fashion will mean higher fees. Circular design will mean lower ones. Consider this: a €5 T-shirt made from blended fibres, badly constructed, and treated with harsh chemical finishes may be nearly impossible to recycle—under the new EPR regime, such garments will now attract significantly higher fees from producers. But a jacket designed for repair, with mono-material fabrics and safer dyes, could cost less to place on the EU market. For those of us working on sustainable production and eco-design, this is a turning point. Change begins with how we design, source, and shape supply chains. #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #FashionInnovation #EcoDesign #EPR #EUTextiles #GreenProduction #SustainableFashion

62 billion kg of e-waste in 2022. Only 22% was recycled. That’s 48 BILLION KGs.. ...either dumped, burned, or forgotten in storerooms. The real issue? Most firms don’t track what they own. Discarded switches, laptops, and servers become invisible liabilities. E-waste isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s a failure in governance, process, and accountability. The solution isn’t new technology. It’s: Better records Smarter workflows Certified partners... ...who show up with trucks and certificates You can automate IT asset disposition inside ServiceNow or OTRS Group. ▸Set end-of-life triggers. ▸Attach recycling certificates. ▸Report WEEE compliance directly. Enviroserve UAE and Sims Limited India are certified ITAD partners. Dell Technologies, Lenovo, and Huawei run take-back schemes with secure data wipes. Do this ↬ Catalogue every IT asset. ↬ Assign an owner and disposal date. ↬ Automate disposition in your ITSM tool. ↬ Partner only with certified e-waste recyclers. ↬ Refurbish and reissue internally where possible. ↬ Use OEM programs to close the loop securely. E-waste is not someone else’s problem. It’s your hardware lifecycle. And ESG recovers real asset value. Track it. Reuse it. Prove it. Save this if you manage infrastructure.

Coldplay cut their carbon emissions by 59% while entertaining 7 million fans globally. The band's Music of the Spheres tour achieved this remarkable reduction compared to their 2016-17 tour, with results verified by MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative (according to a July 2025 article by Sustainability Magazine). What struck me most was their systematic approach to measurement and innovation. They didn't just set targets but created entirely new solutions. Here's what I found most impressive ... → The band partnered with BMW Group to develop the world's first rechargeable show battery system made from recycled BMW i3 batteries. → 80% of emissions came from air freight. So they partnered with DHL to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel from waste cooking oil, cutting flight emissions by 85%. → Kinetic dance floors captured fan energy, generating 17kWh per show. → Solar panels installed behind the stages charged batteries before performances even began. → An 86% return rate on compostable LED wristbands made from plant materials reduced production by 80%. → Through their SAP-powered tour app, fans who chose public transport got discounts. This led to 48% lower travel emissions on average. The ripple effects extended beyond the concerts themselves. 📍The band partnered with The Ocean Cleanup on their river interceptor technology. 📍They partnered with local food banks to donate 9,625 surplus meals. 📍Coldplay sourced merchandise from vendors with ethical work practices and fair wages. 📍The band also diverted 72% of waste from landfills and planted 7 million trees - one for each ticket sold. 📍Even the show confetti became 100% biodegradable with new pyrotechnics using less harmful chemicals. I believe this demonstrates that large-scale events can achieve a meaningful environmental impact without compromising the experience. The band's approach of measurement, innovation, and leveraging scale offers a roadmap for others. Do you think that environmental sustainability and sustainable procurement can be part of every live concert or show? #sustainability #greenconcerts #circulareconomy

The EU Parliament has given the final green light to the revised 'Waste Framework Directive'. It sets new rules to cut food waste and requires producers to take full responsibility for textile waste, from collection to recycling. 🔹 Textiles: Producers selling textiles in the EU must cover the costs of collection, sorting, and recycling. EU countries must introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme to enforce the new rules. All producers are covered, including e-commerce sellers, whether based in the EU or outside. Producers must disclose data on volumes of waste and their handling. The new rules apply to clothing, footwear, accessories, hats, blankets, bed & kitchen linen, curtains. 🔹 Food waste: Binding reduction targets by 2030: 10% in processing/manufacturing and 30% per capita in retail, restaurants, food services, and households. Key business players must help prevent food waste and ensure safe, unsold food is made available for donation. 👉 Yes, some sustainability regulations (like CSRD and CSDDD) face headwinds. But let’s not forget: progress continues in other key areas. === Press Release: https://lnkd.in/dkYnNzvT

After its glory days, does your product become a landfill monster? Sadly, most of them do. It’s a HUGE waste and a burden on our planet. ️ But there's a better way → Design for Disassembly (DfD)! These are products designed to be easily broken down and have parts reused in new creations! DfD isn't just a feel-good concept––it's a big leap for sustainability! Here's why: ✂️ Cuts Costs: Faster disassembly = faster reassembly on the production line. ❤️ Happy Customers: Easy repairs, extended lifespans, and upgrade options lead to more loyal fans 🌎 Saves the Planet: By using fewer resources, these products are inherently more environmentally friendly. ♻️ Second Life for Parts: New life to old components in different markets. But how do you implement designing for disassembly? → Know your end-of-life (EOL) destinations. Think about where will each component go when the product reaches its end of life. → Design for the long-term. Is it a single-use disposable item, or are you aiming for a product that can be repaired and upgraded over time? → Planning your product's entire lifecycle from the get-go: product architecture, component design, type of fasteners used, and even the materials themselves. → Even disassembly is an economic equation. Consider the cost of labor for disassembly, disposal of any waste generated during the process, and potential revenue from selling EOL components. Tips for designing for disassembly: → Use high-quality components: Durable parts minimize collateral damage during repair. → Standardize components: Opt for readily available components to make replacements a breeze for both you and your customers! → Offer repair documentation: Share repair guides and manuals publicly to help your users extend the life of your product themselves! → Consider including repair tools: This shows your commitment to user empowerment and product longevity. → Think about the incentive to repair: Motivate users to replace a part, because the easiest thing to do is often to just throw it away ☂️ A great example is the @Ginkgo umbrella, which is 100% recyclable! ✅ Made from 20 pieces, instead of the traditional 120+ piece umbrella designs. ✅ Designed with no screws or pivots necessary for assembly–– reducing the number of parts and materials needed. ✅ Can be put apart quickly and easily, and every single element can be recycled or repurposed. Fairphone and Framework are other great modular electronics that follow Design for disassembly 🌍 Designing for disassembly is about creating products that are good for business, good for your customers, and good for the planet. What are products that you’ve seen that are have been designed for disassembly? #climatesolutions #sustainability #circulareconomy

Indians throw away 17.51 lakh tonnes of old Phones and laptops every year. Most people see WASTE. But, it's a $6B opportunity! To END Chinese Rare Earth Dependency. E-Waste surged 72% in 5 years. Bengaluru alone generates massive streams, with 66% handled by informal recyclers who miss critical minerals like neodymium and cobalt. THE SOLUTION: companies like ATTERO are proving it works. - >98% recovery efficiency (vs <75% global average) - 40% lower costs than competitors   - ₹8,300cr investment to scale to 415,000 tonnes/year by 2027 - Zero pollutants, zero water usage THE POLICY PUSH: Modi govt is backing... - ₹5,000cr critical mineral mission - ₹1,500cr recycling initiative   - EPR rules: 60% recycling mandate by 2024-25, rising to 80% by 2027-28 - Upcoming PLI scheme for mineral recycling We're sitting on an "urban mine" worth billions while importing 90% of rare earths from China. India could flip from importer to EXPORTER of critical minerals. Attero already processing global e-waste in India. Your old phone isn't garbage. It's a Goldmine we're finally learning to dig.

Sustainable design processes we've implemented at Entwurfreich ♻️ (And how you can adopt them) We're prioritizing sustainability by integrating design for disassembly into our projects. It seems simple: products are designed to be easily taken apart, allowing us to reuse and recycle more, reduce waste, and care for our environment. With waste projections reaching 3.4 billion tons by 2050, we need to act now. By designing with disassembly in mind, we align our products with the principles of a circular economy. This approach extends their usability and minimizes environmental impact. Here’s how you can start: - Integrate disassembly from the initial stage of design. - Optimise for materials that are dismantled easily. - Clearly label parts for quick identification. - Utilize design software to model disassembly. - Iterate based on feedback to streamline the process. Every step towards sustainability is a step towards a healthier planet. P.S. What sustainable practices have you implemented? — Like this? I’m Simon T. Gorski, an industrial designer and entrepreneur with 12+ years of experience designing products that impact markets. Follow me for daily insights about industrial design. #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #Innovation

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the UK and around the globe. In 2023, the UK generated an estimated 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste, making it one of the top producers of e-waste per capita in the world. To put this into perspective, that’s roughly 23.9 kg per person yearly! 🔻 The Major Sources of E-Waste The primary contributors to this mounting pile of electronic waste include: 1️⃣ Household Electronics: TVs, refrigerators, and other large appliances contribute to nearly 50% of the UK’s e-waste. 2️⃣ IT and Telecom Equipment: Laptops, mobile phones, and tablets form around 25% of the total e-waste. 3️⃣ Consumer Electronics: Devices like cameras, gaming consoles, and audio equipment add up to about 20%. 4️⃣ Small Domestic Appliances: Items such as toasters and hairdryers make up the remaining 5%. 🛑 The Environmental Impact The environmental toll of e-waste is substantial. Electronics contain harmful substances like mercury, lead, and cadmium, which can seep into the soil and groundwater when improperly disposed of. The UK currently recycles only 45% of its e-waste, leaving a significant portion to end up in landfills or being exported, often to developing countries, where they are processed under dangerous and unregulated conditions. Fortunately, several UK-based startups and companies are stepping up to tackle the e-waste crisis: 📦 Circular Computing: This company remanufactures laptops, giving them a second life and reducing the need for new electronic production. ♻️ Recycle IT 4U Ltd: Specialising in the safe and certified recycling of IT equipment, this company ensures that old electronics are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. 🔄 The Restart Project: A London-based social enterprise, they focus on extending the lifespan of electronics by teaching repair skills through community events and workshops. 📱 Envirofone: They buy back old mobile phones and refurbish them, making technology accessible while reducing e-waste. 🔍 The Economic Potential The UK can save millions of pounds by improving its e-waste management practices. If e-waste recycling rates were increased to 85%, it’s estimated that the UK could recover materials worth over £400 million annually. This includes precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum that are used in electronic devices. Pictures - Real World Visuals

Every second, the equivalent of a dump truck full of clothes is sent to a landfill. Could California’s bold new law help end this cycle of waste? The Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB 707) is the first of its kind in the U.S., requiring textile and apparel companies to take responsibility for their products after consumers are done with them. This means less waste, more repair options, and the potential for a thriving circular economy. 🟢 Globally, 85% of clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators, despite efforts to recycle. 🟢 California alone disposes of 1.2 million tons of textiles annually—clothing, linens, and more. 🟢 The fast fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, making it a bigger polluter than aviation and shipping combined. Under the law, companies must: 🔵 Set up free drop-off and mail-back programs for consumers. 🔵 Join producer responsibility organizations (PROs) to fund and manage repair and recycling networks. 🔵 Innovate with recyclable and sustainable materials to meet new standards. This initiative shifts the financial burden of textile waste management from taxpayers (who spent $70M on disposal in California in 2021) to the companies producing the waste. It’s also a win for resale, repair, and upcycling industries. With compliance expected by 2030, California is setting the stage for a global shift in how we approach fashion. Could this legislation be the catalyst for a truly circular fashion economy? What do you think—will this help rethink fast fashion? 🌍