Downloaded 12 times
Uploaded byInstitute for Material Sustainability
Re for santa barbara 2
The document discusses the feasibility of recycling everything by redesigning the current linear production-consumption system into a cyclical model that emphasizes sustainable practices. It highlights the need for recyclable materials, design for disassembly, and a shift in mindset, urging both industries and consumers to adapt to a closed-loop system. The author envisions a world where materials can be reused indefinitely while addressing urgent recycling challenges and resource depletion.
![Product lifecycleassessment[1]](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/productlifecycleassessment1-120905083626-phpapp01-thumbnail.jpg?width=640&height=640&fit=bounds)
Re for santa barbara 2
- 1. Can we really Recycle EVERYTHING? Yes, we can. Here’s how…
- 2. Recycling Everything • Seewhat’s needed to make it happen • Jettison current assumptions that prevent change • Take a trip into the world of industry and science • Explore breakthrough ideas 2
- 3. Introduction Janet Unruh Institute for Material Sustainability www.rebk.org Portland, Oregon 3
- 4. Vita • Instructional designer25 years • Manufacturing industry 10 years • Masters of Engineering and Technology Management, Portland State University 2002 • Author, Recycle Everything— Why We Must, How We Can • Passion for the Earth and its ecosystems 4
- 5. My Journey • ETM program • Designing and optimizing systems • Re-ignited interest in sustainability • Searched for sustainable systems • Didn’t find any • Decided to design some • Finally wrote book 5
- 6. This is onebook that talks about systems for recycling everything. Read this book, then read my book! Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart 6
- 7. We’re Going toPick Up Where the Story Left Off Annie Leonard, Story of Stuff 7
- 8. But first, a quickreview of the situation. 8
- 9.
- 10.
- 11. Raw Materials Problems for Industry 11
- 12. Cost of RawMaterials Ups and downs over the past five years 12
- 13. Can Materials KeepOn Flowing? • Impacts on supply • Price fluctuations and speculation • Decreasing quality, lower grades • More technology and fuel needed for extraction • Resources in conflict areas or unfriendly countries • Sudden increase in demand from multiple industries • War—weapons, bombs, vehicles, materiel • Dependency on oil and petrochemicals 13
- 14. How much dowe have left of the world’s resources? 14
- 15. Earth's natural wealth:an audit • Dr. Armin Reller at the University of Augsburg in Germany • Dr. Thomas Graedel at Yale University • Data from the US Geological Survey's annual reports • UN statistics on global population 15
- 16. Earth's natural wealth:an audit For a closer look at this graphic, check my website… http://www.recycle everything book.org/sb.html 16
- 17. We’re going to runout of Indium in 4 to 13 years??? 17
- 18. ‘Short-term shortages haveperiodically occurred because global production and usage are so finely balanced.’ (We can hardly produce it fast enough to keep up with demand.) ‘However, these shortages have historically been corrected by increasing refining capacity and ultimately supply.’ (We’re taking care of the problem by expanding our ability to produce it faster and in greater quantities.) 18
- 19. Resource Wars Thesis: asresources become depleted, countries will go to war to obtain them. 19
- 20. Recycling is an urgentmatter. For industry, too. 20
- 21. The burden of recyclingfalls on consumers, local governments and concerned non- profits, all of whom are at the end of the process. 21
- 22. What Do WeMean by RECYCLING? • Upcycling • Downcycling • Freecycling • Blended recycling • ‘Real’ recycling 22
- 23. Upcycling Upcycling isdefined as using every aspect of waste as value. 23
- 24. Downcycling Used products aremade into something else of lesser value, such as filler or fuel. After the second use, they are discarded. Examples: • Plastic milk jugs made into insulated coat filler • Used running shoes made into rubber flooring • Used tires made into sandals 24
- 25. Freecycling Used products aregiven away or traded at swap-meets. 25
- 26. Blended Recycling Materials fromused products are processed with the addition of new, raw materials to bolster their quality. Examples • Recycled steel • Recycled aluminum • Recycled paper 26
- 27. (‘Real’) Recycling Recycling isdefined as extracting the materials that make a product to make a new product using those same materials. This is the one we’ll focus on in this presentation. 27
- 28. Goal: recycle materialsin cars, trucks, airplanes, furniture, vinyl siding, plastic dishware, electronics, washers and dryers, microwave ovens, lawnmowers, toys, buildings— everything. 28
- 29. Can we reusethese materials to make the same or similar products countless times into the future? I believe the answer is YES! 29
- 30. What Would ItTake To Recycle Everything? Next • Sustainable Systems • Recyclable Materials • Design for Disassembly • New Mindset • People 30
- 31. Let’s look atthe current linear production-consumption system… 31
- 32. Raw Materials Extractors Raw Materials Extractors Mining, agriculture, logging, dairy and feedlots 32
- 33. Primary Processors Raw Primary Materials Processors Extractors Ingots of metal, bags of rice, tanks of chemicals 33
- 34. Parts Suppliers Raw Primary Parts Materials Processors Suppliers Extractors New parts and assemblies for a variety of products 34
- 35. Producers Raw Primary Parts Materials Producers Processors Suppliers Extractors Finished goods of all types 35
- 36. Distributors, Retail Outlets Raw Distributors, Primary Parts Materials Producers Retail Processors Suppliers Extractors Outlets Distributors and retail outlets 36
- 37. Consumers Raw Distributors, Primary Parts Materials Producers Retail Consumers Processors Suppliers Extractors Outlets Individuals, families, governments and businesses 37
- 38. Landfill Operators Raw Distributors, Primary Parts Landfill Materials Producers Retail Consumers Processors Suppliers Operators Extractors Outlets Landfills, incineration, pollution and waste dumps 38
- 39. Remanufacturing Raw Distributors, Primary Parts Landfill Materials Producers Retail Consumers Processors Suppliers Operators Extractors Outlets Distributors, Producers Retail Consumers Outlets 39
- 40. Take-back Laws Raw Distributors, Primary Parts Landfill Materials Producers Retail Consumers Processors Suppliers Operators Extractors Outlets Producers don’t know what to do with the stuff, either. 40
- 41. Once a thingcan be imagined, it can be engineered.
- 42. Reforming the System Effortsto reform the current production- consumption system focus on reducing the flow of materials through the system by: • Slowing it down • Decreasing the amount How about redesigning the system? 42
- 43. How to Redesignthis System? • Eliminate the beginning and the end stages. • Modify some of the roles. x Raw Materials Extractors Primary Processors Parts Suppliers Producers Distributors, Retail Outlets Consumers x Landfill Operators Materials Distributors, Reprocessors Collectors • Add a couple of other roles and form a circle… 43
- 44. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier System for Material Sustainability Disassembler Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 44
- 45. This Is It— the Cyclical System That Others Have Talked About 45
- 46. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier How does it Disassembler Producer work? Distributor Consumer / Collector 46
- 47. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier The Materials Processor: • No longer processes raw materials • Re-processes recyclable materials Disassembler Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 47
- 48. Materials Processor These roles don’t Used Parts New Parts change much, Broker Supplier except the producer re-uses parts from used products. Disassembler Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 48
- 49. Materials The Distributor: Processor • Takes on the additional role of Usedthe collector Parts New Parts Broker products to consumers • Leases Supplier • Tests used products and leases them to secondary markets Disassembler Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 49
- 50. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier Consumers lease products instead of buying them. Disassembler Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 50
- 51. Materials Processor The Disassembler: Used Parts • Disassembles used products New Parts Broker Supplier • Sends reusable parts to producer • Sends parts that can’t be re- Disassembler used to: Producer • Used Parts Broker • Materials Processor Distributor Consumer / Collector 51
- 52. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier The Used Parts Broker: • Sells used parts to new Disassembler Producer parts suppliers and producers • Sells non-usable parts to materials processor Distributor Consumer / Collector 52
- 53. Materials Processor Used Parts New Parts Broker Supplier System for Material Disassembler Sustainability Producer Distributor Consumer / Collector 53
- 54. Big • Extraction phases out Changes • Landfills stop growing • Consumers don’t own products; they lease them • Producers own materials and track them throughout the cycle • New jobs in collection, disassembly and re-sale of used products • The production-consumption system becomes sustainable 54
- 55. The Interface Story •Ray Anderson, CEO • Experienced an epiphany when he read Paul Hawken's, "The Ecology of Commerce" • Mission Zero • Recycling carpet • http://www.interfaceflooring.com/ 55
- 56.
- 57. Organic Systems • Lumber, crops, orchards, livestock, fishing • Rate of harvest limited by rate of regrowth • Used products routed through compost • Organic and inorganic materials kept separate in products 57
- 58. What Would ItTake To Recycle Everything? • Sustainable Systems Next • Recyclable Materials • Design for Disassembly • New Mindset • People 58
- 59. Recyclable materials are criticalto recycling everything. We have to back up all the way to the molecules. 59
- 60. Innovations in MaterialScience • NOVA’s series, Making Materials on PBS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/making- stuff.html • MIT’s Technology Review http://www.technologyreview.com/ • Discover magazine http://discovermagazine.com/ • New Scientist http://www.newscientist.com/ These links are on my website at… http://www.recycle everything book.org/sb.html 60
- 61. A Few Examples • Polymers that mend themselves • Two-dimensional graphene • Artificial diamonds, rubies Japanese scientists create world’s hardest • Morphing materials artificial diamond http://www.topnews.in/ Even more amazing… 61
- 62. Quantum Dots • Artificial atoms • Up to 50 times larger than a natural atom • Can simulate the properties of any element on the periodic table— Lin-Wang Wang by attracting / releasing Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory additional electrons • Hacking Matter, by Wil McCarthy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_dots 62
- 63. Programmable Matter Wikipedia or other reference 63
- 64. If science cancreate materials like these, why can’t they create recyclable materials? They probably can. 64
- 65. What Is a‘Recyclable’ Material? SOLID NON- SOLID • No waste • No need for additives • Perpetually recyclable • Usable for same or similar purpose 65
- 66. Requirements Are theKey Need: a hard plastic to serve as a housing for laptops, TVs, stereos, Netbooks, iPads, Kindles, etc. Requirements: • Durable • Washable • Wear-resistant • Black • 100% recyclable 66
- 67. How It Worksin Industry Reprocessing Material Facilities and plan engineering equipment (requirements) Product design Examples of reprocessing methods… 67
- 68. Reprocessing Methods: • Programmable matter •Temperature change • Melting • Freezing • Electro-magnetism • Microwaves • Mechanical • Shredding 68
- 69. Result Technology reprocesses: •Circuit boards Shreds, spins • Electric cables • Aluminum alloys • Electronic scrap • Compound foils ? 69
- 70. What Would ItTake To Recycle Everything? • Sustainable Systems • Recyclable Materials Next • Design for Disassembly • New Mindset • People 70
- 71. Design for Disassembly Material engineering Disassembly Product Facilities and plan design equipment (requirements) 71
- 72. Disassembly Requirements • Disassemblyprocess must be easy and fast • 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) • Disassembly and reuse must be cost-effective 72
- 73.
- 74.
- 75. What Would ItTake To Recycle Everything? • Sustainable Systems • Recyclable Materials • Design for Disassembly Next • New Mindset • People 75
- 76. Mindset • Resources arefinite and must be managed • Everyone adapts to a closed system for handling materials • Consumers do not own products • Producers own materials and track them 76
- 77. What Would ItTake To Recycle Everything? • Sustainable Systems • Recyclable Materials • Design for Disassembly • New Mindset Next • People 77
- 78. People & Institutefor Material Sustainability Who or what is the Institute? 78
- 79. Institute for Material Sustainability • Non-profit organization • Early stages • Goal is to work with industry • Get systems for material sustainability up and running ASAP 79
- 80. Mission The mission of the Institute for Material Sustainability is to help industries make the transition to systems for material sustainability. 80 of 34
- 81. Collaborative effort to: • Develop 100% recyclable Vision 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 81
- 82. First Major Goal Setup and run a full system test • Recyclable materials • Product designs • Assembly and disassembly plans • Product test plans • Facilities and equipment • Expertise • Funding 82 of 34
- 83. An Appeal We are looking for people who can help with… • Materials engineering • Assembly and disassembly • Computer simulations • Equipment and facilities design • Systems optimization • Finance • Requirements engineering • Business consulting • Lean manufacturing • Website design • Product design • Funding, fiscal sponsorship • Process design 83
- 84. A few finalthoughts… 84
- 85. Jobs for Nowand the Future • Materials engineering • Product design and engineering – Disassembly for product design – Disassembly equipment, facilities, systems • Logistics system design and optimization • Computer simulations • Financial analysis • Policy-making • Production • Many more 85
- 86. Reasons for Optimism • Climate change and rapid evolution • Accelerated innovation • Crisis and opportunity • Attitude 86
- 87. Help Make SomeNoise • Write emails to 5 news outlets, blogs, listservs • Text on website • Free PDF of my book* • PDF, $6 donation* • Printed, $10 at book table, normally $12.95. *http://www.recycle everything book.org/sb.html 87
- 88. Feedback, Questions http://www.recycle everythingbook.org/sb.html 88