Activating Circular Services in the Electrical and Electronic Sector
The producer responsibility organisations (PRO) in the WEEE Forum aspire to play an important role in the the dirve to move to a circular economy, an economic system aimed at minimising waste and making the most of resources. The PRO are in search of business models that allow them to continue co-ordinating collection, reporting and proper treatment of e-waste, whilst also encouraging repair, remanufacture, refurbishment and preparation for re-use of products. One of the key deliverables of C-SERVEES was a set of circular economy business models (CEBMs) that the PRO can tap into for inspiration.
The aim of C-SERVEES was to boost a resource-efficient circular economy in the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector through the development, testing, validation and transfer of new CEBMs based on systemic eco-innovative services that include: eco-leasing of EEE, product customization, improved WEEE management and ICT services to support the other eco-services. ICT tools were developed as the driver of the proposed eco-innovative services to take full advantage of the potential and synergies of two major revolutions of our time: the circular economy and the Industry 4.0.
The project contributed to transform the E&E sector into circular and 4.0, raising new opportunities for end-users (such as their involvement in design or the access to a product as a service) and for social and solidarity economy (conducted by NGOs which employ people at risk of social exclusion to repair and prepare WEEE for re-use). The techno-economic, environmental and social viability of the new CEBMs were validated through demonstrations dealing with four target products belonging to different EEE categories: large household appliances, IT equipment, telecommunications equipment, and consumer equipment.
Please find the project final report here.
