Circular by Design (CbD)
Author: Simone Raatz
More circular economy thanks to thoughtful product design and targeted material selection. Using a current model of a fridge-freezer as an example, the CbD project researched innovative design approaches for improved recycling in order to significantly increase the current recycling rate in Germany and the EU, which stands at only 13 percent. The project uses a specific household product to demonstrate the potential for material efficiency that can be leveraged, thus making an important contribution to the resource transition.
Figure 1: Types of connections and their effects on material separation.
How is it researched?
The study examined how the product design of refrigerators influences resource consumption and recyclability. In-house dismantling studies and a large-scale recycling trial showed that steel and plastics can be recovered by type. The situation is different for materials such as aluminum, copper, and cables—they often end up in the wrong collection group and contaminate it. The main reasons for this are designs that make recycling difficult, such as permanently installed electronics that cannot be removed, adhesives, or protective coatings. As a result, valuable raw materials cannot be cleanly separated and recycled (see Figure 1). This reduces the quality of the collected materials and means that they can only be further processed in a lower quality – this is referred to as “downcycling.” Based on the recycling trials, a fridge-freezer combination was developed that meets the requirements of the circular economy. Among other things, the “7circle-18” concept relies on a modular design: Standardized individual parts are connected via plug connections instead of adhesive, making them easy to disassemble, repair, or replace. At the end of its service life, the technical module with electronics, circuit boards, display, and cables can be easily removed. This makes it easy to separate the materials by type, allowing components and raw materials to be recovered in high quality and recycled into materials of equal value.
What is the benefit for society?
Raw material-conscious product development that takes into account usability, reparability, life cycle material flow management, and recyclability strengthens the circular economy, secures raw materials in the long term, and thereby reduces dependencies on Germany and the EU—a win for the environment, the economy, and society.