Page 168 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

Design Rules and Guidelines 147

While beverage containers are commonly recycled by consumers,
other types of materials are more difficult to recycle because of the
lack of qualified recyclers. Without a recycling infrastructure, it is
pointless to specify recyclable materials. Many manufacturers have
addressed this barrier by forming alliances within an industry sec-
tor; examples include the Vehicle Recycling Partnership created by
USCAR and the European Recycling Platform.
Product packaging represents a universal opportunity for waste
minimization, since it is generally discarded upon product use. Recy-
cling of packaging materials is the next most desirable option once
packaging mass has been minimized (see Section A.2, Design for
Source Reduction). Great strides have been made in developing
methods and technologies for the recovery and recycling of packag-
ing materials. In the European Union, the Green Dot program has
®
been established to help companies comply with the Packaging Waste
Directive (see Chapter 3).
Finally, it should be noted that recyclable materials may or may
not originate from recycled materials. The issue of incorporating re -
cycled content is addressed in Section A.1, Design for Energy and
Material Conservation.

Example: One of the best examples of material recovery can be found in the
aluminum container industry. According to the American Beverage Association,
approx imately 50% of aluminum cans are recycled in the United States, and,
in other countries, the recycling rate is even higher. Within a few months of
collection, the aluminum from a discarded can is incorporated into a new can,
requiring only about 5% of the energy needed to produce an equivalent amount
of “virgin” aluminum (see the Alcoa example in Chapter 17).

Waste Composition and Homogeneity
The following guidelines should be considered in order to ensure the
recyclability of known waste streams:

• Avoid material contaminants—There are a number of poten-
tial contaminants that cannot easily be separated from prod-
uct or packaging materials. Examples include adhesives, inks,
paints, pigments, staples, and labels. Many manufacturers
have begun to use integral finishes instead of painted finishes,
which has advantages in terms of both lower manufacturing
cost and recyclability.
• Avoid discrete labels—While discrete labels are sometimes
necessary, integral labels are preferable from an environmen-
tal point of view. Discrete labels are often made of incompat-
ible materials and introduce contaminants (e.g., adhesives,
paper, inks). They must be completely removed before a part
can be recycled, which greatly increases the material separa-
tion cost. Alternatives to discrete labels include molded-in or