Remanufacturing in the Circular Economy

Chapter 1Value-Retention Processes within the Circular Economy

Jennifer Russell¹ and Nabil Nasr²*

¹Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

² Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA

*Corresponding author: [e-mail]

Abstract

The circular economy offers a framework for transforming wasteful and inefficient linear systems into cascading systems that retain the inherent value of products, reduce negative externalities, and improve resource-efficiency. The cycling of technical nutrients within a circular economy can be achieved through product value-retention processes (VRPs) that include direct reuse, repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing. Product case studies reveal that VRPs offer differing degrees of process and resource-use intensity, and as such, each contributes different economic and environmental benefits and circularity. Value-retention and impact metrics, measured relative to new product options, include new material use (kg/unit), energy use (MJ), emissions (kg CO₂-eq.), production waste (kg/unit), cost advantage (% $USD/unit), and employment opportunity (Full-time Laborer/unit or FTE/unit). When compared to a traditional new product, all VRPs create significant resource efficiency and circularity opportunities. When compared to other VRPs, Partial Service-Life VRPs (direct reuse and repair) require significantly fewer resources, and thus result in relatively lower environmental and economic costs than Full Service ...