A United Nations report indicates that e-waste in developing countries will increase dramatically over the next decade, with China's growth nearly quadrupling and India's e-waste reaching five times its 2007 level by 2020.
Each year, approximately 40 million tons of electronic waste are generated globally, including items such as phones, printers, TVs, and refrigerators. A considerable number of cleaners and second-hand recyclers burn electronic waste inappropriately to retrieve valuable heavy metal components like copper and gold, thereby causing environmental pollution.
The report states that the U.S. is the producer of electronic waste, generating approximately 3 million tons annually. China follows closely, producing around 2.3 million tons domestically each year and also serving as a recipient for electronic waste from many developed countries.
Eight years ago, American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart began contemplating a solution to the electronic waste problem. Their concept of cradle-to-cradle design has provided significant inspiration to the industrial sector.
For industrial products, instead of becoming useless waste at the end of their product lifecycle, they can be naturally decomposed into nutrients for plants and animals and soil enrichment; or they can be recycled through channels like Chengdu's second-hand recycling, returning to the industrial cycle as high-quality raw materials for new product manufacturing.
Many global corporations are rethinking the angle of product design. For instance, Unilever's ice cream packaging melts automatically within an hour; Nike has launched shoes that can be disassembled, allowing consumers to separate the shoe into parts for second-hand recycling and disposal when they want to discard old shoes; and the Airbus A380 aircraft's seats use biodegradable fabric.
In addition to incorporating the circular economy model into product design at the outset and improving product materials, electronic companies can also address this issue by altering their business models, such as transitioning from selling to renting as a viable solution.
You own a smartphone, but it actually belongs to the manufacturer or retailer; you merely lease it, paying a monthly rental. During the lease term, if the phone breaks or you wish to upgrade to a newer model, return it to the manufacturer to receive a new one. The discarded phones then enter the manufacturer's secondary market recycling system, undergo a series of rational and effective treatments, and are eventually re-launched into the secondary market.
In this process, it represents a strategic shift for manufacturers. Since the ownership of the product remains with the manufacturer when all products are rented rather than sold to consumers, manufacturers must produce durable goods to maximize profits and consider the possibility of second-hand recycling from the outset of design. The focus of production will shift from product upgrades to product quality. One day, when manufacturers operate under this system, they will be surprised to discover that they can actually make more money this way.
This model of manufacturers providing products to consumers on rent rather than selling them is not just a pipe dream; in fact, many companies have already been experimenting with this approach. For instance, Sony has introduced a second-hand recycling system for its PSPs produced in Europe. If you have a faulty PSP, you can simply call Sony, and they will send you a new one while picking up the old one. Similarly, Fuji Xerox has also started renting out some of its copier products to customers.