Connecting producers and waste managers towards circular economy

Project: "Electrical and electronic" connections
Client: Agència de Residus de Catalunya
Location: Barcelona (Spain)
Year: 2019
Materials: Ellen MacArthur Foundation resources, post-its
Keywords: Circular economy, design professionals

WHY? Nowadays, 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste are disposed worldwide every year. These data are partly due to the lack of communication between the different stakeholders of this sector.

We are experts in designing under circular economy principles, we have been applying them since our beginnings. The ARC asked us to develop a workshop for electrical and electronic sector professionals to teach how to implement circular economy into their practices.

WHAT? "Electrical and electronic" Connections is a workshop for sector producers and waste managers about circular economy.

The workshop consisted of sitting at the same table face-to-face producers and waste managers of the electrical and electronic sectors. The idea was to foster the connection between these parts towards circular economy, by introducing eco-innovation in EEE manufacturing and in the treatment of WEEE.

During the workshop both parts worked together and learnt how to apply eco-design principles into real EEE products and services. We taught them how to improve their environmental impact from the materials sourcing to the end of life.

HOW? Using Ellen MacArthur Foundation resources we developed made to measure exercises. We divided participants into interdisciplinary groups and propose to each group a real electronic product/service in which to implement circular economy strategies.