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Another perspective on environmental impacts of planned obsolescence

Panel: 9. Dynamics of consumption

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Eric Vidalenc, Ademe Hauts de France, France
Meunier Laurent, ADEME

Abstract

Faced with the limitations set by our planet (raw materials, energy etc.), with climate change and with the need to keep down waste emissions of all kinds, our societies are necessarily going to have to effect a major transition —the so-called “ecological transition”. With this stake in mind, and with a more sustainable model of production and consumption as the goal, the fight against the so-called “built-in” obsolescence of products has a major part to play. And yet, are we able to assess the real ecological impact of the products concerned, from the point of manufacture to the end of their life?

We have studied this question considering many studies about lifetime of products at the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), provide some valuable data to an answer. We begin by reminding what is meant by “built-in obsolescence” (showing the pertinence and limits of the concept). Drawing on many life-cycle analyses, we then examine the ecological impact of the goods (domestic appliances, cars, computers and smartphones) considering many environmental indicators.

At last, we propose a variety of avenues and strategies whereby that impact can be reduced, depending on whether it is caused mainly by the use of the item (70 to 80% of energy consumption in use for car) or its manufacture (90 to 99% for some smartphone impacts). What is ultimately, important is to make both manufacturers and consumers act responsibly (differently depending on where the impacts are), the former by encouraging a move towards the “circular” or “functional” economy and the latter by providing them with better information on the lifespan and ad hoc incentives.

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