Eco-design initiatives
Providing support for end-of-service life eco-design
Being in daily contact with recycling operators, we provide support to producers right from the design phase on all the challenges related to end-of-service life in order to anticipate the choice of materials, substances and assembly that foster quality recycling.
Towards guidance in prolonging service life
The French AGEC Law (Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law) set milestones for a transition towards a repair and reuse economy calling for a review of the design model and marketing of equipment. Within this context, we have set a goal to provide our producer members with help in this transition. Work started in 2021.
Determining design factors for prolonging service life
Work has started on determining design factors for prolonging the service life of products. The purpose of this study is to identify the elements of design which perturb the repair or the reuse of equipment in order to define best eco-design practices for producers.
Environmental assessment of repair and redeployment/reuse activities
We are working on the environmental assessment of the repair and redeployment/reuse activities that we coordinate. 2021 provided the opportunity to structure the methodology required for this assessment.
Supporting the integration of recycled plastics
One of our areas of expertise in eco-design is the recycling of materials coming from electrical appliances by integrating them into new products. We provide producers with tools, supporting material and/or consulting services in order to successfully complete their projects.
Modulation of the eco-fee
We have participated in the European works framing a potential streamlined fee-modulation system by sharing feedback from France in this area. This work prefigures the work related to the updating of the system in France planned for 2022, in accordance with the requirements of the AGEC Law.
Providing assistance for training young people, the circular economy’s future professionals
In accordance with the undertakings of our purpose (“Contribute to the development of new jobs and new skills in our industry and support the work of the solidarity economy for professional inclusion”, and “Accelerate behavioural changes of people in their private lives or within the sphere of their professional influence to foster more environmentally and socially responsible consumption, production and management practices”), we provide assistance to students in regards to their training in order to raise awareness of the stakes involved regarding the transition towards a circular economy. In 2021, within the framework of the “Urban Mines" Chair in partnership with Mines ParisTech, Chimie ParisTech and the Arts et Metiers ParisTech schools, we organised 2 one-week training sessions on the WEEE industry within the “Athens” training programme. This is a one week course for European students who are part of the European partner engineering schools network. These sessions “filled up” very quickly with more than 70 students made aware of the stakes, laying testimony to the interest that European engineers have for our topics.
Our partnership continues with a specialised course in “Engineering and Environmental Management” run by Mines ParisTech. The topic discussed by the students this year focused on the building of new circular business models for electrical and electronic equipment by integrating related financial and technical stakes. In addition to theoretical input, students were able to contact professionals in order for them to become familiar with the sector’s challenges and requirements. A class of 35 student engineers with 5 years of studies since passing end-of-high-school exams received training.
