Introduction to Systems for Material Sustainability (How to Recycle Everything)

Institute for Material Sustainability
Introduction to Systems for Material Sustainability
How We Can Recycle Everything
19 May 2010
Copyright © 2010, Janet Unruh, all rights reserved Contact Us

Contents
The Linear Production-consumption System
Systems for Material Sustainability
The Challenges
The Institute and Its Goals
Contact Us
1 June 2010
2
Welcome! In this presentation, we’re going to look at a plan for recycling everything that’s made by us human beings. Let’s start by looking at our current linear production-consumption system.
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The Linear Production-Consumption System
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This is the linear production-consumption system that we have in the world today.
This system, although it provides a good lifestyle for some, consumes resources and produces garbage. There is no incentive to conserve.
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Landfills are Growing
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Most people are aware of growing landfills, garbage dumps and islands of trash in the oceans …
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Resources are Being Depleted
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But resource depletion is becoming a greater threat to the continued production of all the things we consume.
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Linear Systems are Unsustainable
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Essentially, this linear system is not sustainable in the long term. A sustainable system must be cyclical, self-contained and self-perpetuating.
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Eliminate Extraction and Disposal
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x
x
The main thing we must do is eliminate the extraction (of inorganic materials) and disposal from the system. Then we take the remaining roles and connect them in a circle.
This may sound a little far-out at first, but we’re eventually going to have to do it—if we want to continue to produce and consume. We believe it is possible. We’re going to show you how.
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The Challenges
Contact Us
1 June 2010
8
Next we’re going to see a few examples of systems for material sustainability.
There are two main kinds of systems, one for inorganic materials (metals, minerals and plastics) and one for organic (agriculture, etc.)
The chief difference is that organic materials are composted to provide soil nutrition.
Let’s take a look…
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1 June 2010
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New, Sustainable Systems
This is a generic version of a system for material sustainability.
The materials that make up all the things that we produce and consume are contained within this system.
Note that extraction and disposal are eliminated.
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Inorganic Materials System
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This version of the system applies to things such as appliances, some furniture, electronics, vehicles, and buildings.
Things such as these are made of inorganic materials— metals, minerals, plastics and industrial and household chemicals.
These kinds of materials must be engineered to be 100% recyclable.
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Two Important Roles
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Let’s look briefly at two of these roles: the disassembler and the materials processor.
These two roles exist now but they will be greatly expanded in the new system.
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Disassembler
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The disassembler is a factory for taking things apart.
First, the plans for assembling and disassembling products are developed by the producer.
The producer collaborates with the disassembler to design the disassembly factory and select equipment.
It may even be possible to use the same factory for assembly and disassembly.
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Reuse, Repair or Reprocess
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The disassembler uses a computerized system to automatically route products to the correct equipment to be disassembled.
The disassembler then sorts the parts into three types: reuse as is, repair and reprocess.
Parts that can be reused (after repair) are sent back to the producer.
Parts that can’t be reused are sent to the materials processor.
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Materials Processor
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The materials processor is a facility that reprocesses unusable parts into stock.
These parts are transformed by various means (e.g., melting down) and made ready for use in new parts and products.
Here again, the plans for (re-) processing materials must be developed by the producer, who then collaborates with the materials processor to design the facility and select equipment.
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Organic (Biological) Systems
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Naturally, some products are organic, meaning that their source is biological.
Organic raw material producers are farms, logging and fishing operations, orchards, vineyards, meat and dairy producers.
Things like wooden furniture, natural fiber cloth and food waste are routed to compost and then to fields and forests to provide nutrients to new crops.
Let’s look at an example of a sustainable system for a product that uses both organic and inorganic materials: blue jeans…
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Organic and Inorganic Products
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In this system, the product, blue jeans, is made of cotton and metal (snaps and zippers).
Since clothing may pass through several hands, the consumer is responsible to turn in items that are no longer usable.
The cloth is shredded and used in agriculture and the metal returns to the producer.
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Organic-only Products
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If the product (e.g., blue jeans) was made completely of organic materials like natural fiber cloth, wood, bone or even biodegradable plastic, it could go from the consumer directly to the materials processor.
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More Information on Systems
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These systems are explained in depth in the book, Recycle Everything—Why We Must, How We Can.
View the book on Google Books
Buy the book on Amazon
Let’s move on to the challenges…
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The Challenges
Contact Us
1 June 2010
19
The Challenges
Naturally, there’s a lot more to making sustainable systems successful. Let’s look at a few of the challenges…
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Materials, Products, Costs, Experts and Mindset
1 June 2010
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These are some of the challenges that we face in implementing systems for material sustainability:
Materials must be engineered to be recycled and reused. Material processing plants must also be designed, equipment created and processes defined.
Products have to be designed to be disassembled easily and cost-effectively. Disassembly factories must be designed, equipment created and processes defined.
The entire system must be optimized to be cost-effective. Some of the roles may be combined (disassembler, used-parts broker, materials processor, producer-assembler) to reduce floor space, equipment needs and transportation costs.
For this effort to be a success, we’ll need a lot of help from experts in various fields.
Everyone needs to adopt a new mindset of borrowing products (leasing, to be exact) rather than owning them.
The Institute for Material Sustainability (i4ms) is working toward these changes…
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The Challenges
Contact Us
1 June 2010
21
Now we’re going to look at the Institute for Material Sustainability and its plans for making these systems a reality.
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The Four Goals
The institute plans to accomplish four main goals:
Develop 100% recyclable materials for industry
Design products using these new materials and new processes for material recovery
Construct working models of systems for material sustainability
Establish a consulting agency to work with industry to co-develop and implement these systems
1 June 2010
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The mission of the Institute for Material Sustainability is to help industries make the transition to systems for material sustainability (s4ms).
Let’s look at each of these briefly…
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1 June 2010
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Develop 100% Recyclable Materials
First, we need materials that are 100% recyclable. We call these ‘perpetually reusable materials, or PRMs.
We plan to solicit materials engineers worldwide to develop these materials through R&D challenges and prizes.
Prize for Innovation
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1 June 2010
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R&D Challenges
Here’s an example of a product with several challenges to be solved by materials engineers. First these materials have to be created, then the product can be designed.
Challenge #1: Rigid plastic.
Requirements:
Challenge #3: Steel.
Requirements:
Non-toxic, no leaching
100% recyclable
Washable
Durable
Stainless
100% recyclable
Additional challenges:
Requirements:
Challenge #2: Glass.
Requirements:
Heating element
Electronic controls
Tempered
100% recyclable
100% recyclable
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Design Products for Recycling
Factories and equipment must be designed for disassembly
Processes must be optimized and documented
All joins between parts must be reversible
Parts must be designed to be recoverable and reusable
Parts must be designed to have separable materials (for material reprocessing)
Longevity replaces planned obsolescence (products will be leased to 2nd-tier customers)
Disassembly must be cost-effective
1 June 2010
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Product designers and manufacturing engineers work together to design a product that is easy to assemble. Now they must also design the product to be easy to disassemble. Here are some of the things to consider:
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Working Models of Systems
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1 June 2010
We intend to run ‘full system tests’ using working models of systems. To do this, we need:
Key success factors (success criteria)
Materials
Engineering designs
Parts
Assembly plans and processes
Assembly facilities
Disassembly plans and processes
Disassembly facilities
Materials processing plans and processes
Materials processing facilities
Parts creation facilities
Experts in process optimization (lean manufacturing)
Personnel
Let’s take a quick look at the test model…
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Alpha and Beta Tests
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1 June 2010
Start: System test team provides materials and parts designs to new parts suppliers
Here is an example of an alpha test for a 100% recyclable product. The distributor/collector and consumer would be added in the beta test.
Materials Processorreprocesses materials into stock for new parts
Disassemblerdisassembles product s into parts, sends usable parts to producer; non-usable parts to materials processor
New-Parts Suppliercreates parts needed for products
Unusable parts
Reprocessed materials
Reusable parts
Used products
New parts
Testingtests products and documents any issues
Producerassembles parts into finished products
New products
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Consulting, Collaborating with Industry
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After the Institute has developed a knowledge base, its experts will establish a consulting agency to work with industry to co-develop and implement these systems.
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There’s Much More Detail in the Book
1 June 2010
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The book, Recycle Everything—Why We Must, How We Can explains everything we discussed in this presentation in much more detail. The book puts these concepts within the reach of managers and enables them to apply the concepts in their organizations and supply chains.
View the book on Google Books
Buy the book on Amazon
Let’s work together to make the concept of recycling everything a reality…
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The Challenges
Contact Us
1 June 2010
30
Contact Us
We’re looking for people to support the work, discuss the ideas and provide expertise in several areas.
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1 June 2010
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Help Us Spread the Word
We need popular support to spread the word that it’s possible to recycle everything! Here are some things you can do to help:
Buy the book, read it, recommend it to others (buy it on Amazon)
Share the website with others (www.rebk.org)
Share this presentation with others
Like and share our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/recycle.everything)
Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/recycleevrythng)
Write about us in blogs
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1 June 2010
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Let’s Collaborate
We are looking for people who are experts in…
Materials engineering
Computer simulations
Systems optimization
Requirements engineering
Lean manufacturing
Product design
Process design
Assembly and disassembly
Equipment and facilities design
Finance
Business consulting
Website design
Funding
Please contact us if you can help.
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More About Us
Contact us here…
Email: info@recycleeverythingbook.org
Check out…
www.rebk.org
www.facebook.com/recycle.everything
www.twitter.com/recycleevrythng
www.slideshare.net/i4ms (this presentation is available here)
We look forward to hearing from you.
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1 June 2010
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Thank you
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Introduction to Systems for Material Sustainability (How to Recycle Everything)

by Institute for Material Sustainability on May 19, 2010

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Introduction to Systems for Material Sustainability (How to Recycle Everything) — Presentation Transcript