Development of a body of knowledge for design for disassembly and recycling of high-tech products: a case study on lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

ABSTRACT Demand for electronic products is growing, as is the volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). To reduce their environmental impact, particularly during their end-of-life, it is important to apply eco-design practices such as design for disassembly (DFD) and design for recycling (DFR) from the beginning of their development. However, these strategies are not systematically implemented by manufacturers due to several challenges, such as the complexity of the methods, the uncertainty and variability of the materials and components, and the lack of knowledge on DFD and DFR. This study aims to develop a body of knowledge (BOK) for DFD and DFR of electronic products to fill this gap. A systematic comparison of different BOKs has led to the proposal of a BOK composed of four main parts: Areas of Knowledge, Tools and Techniques, Skills and Abilities, and Terminology. The proposed framework was applied to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as an example of electronic products that require high-tech solutions for their efficient and sustainable management. This approach is essential for high-tech products, as they often contain valuable and scarce materials that need to be recovered and reused in a circular economy. The results showed that the BOK was an effective tool in supporting the sustainable development of batteries.