What are the best practices for product reuse and recycling in your industry?

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the process of managing a product's entire lifecycle, from inception and design through production, use, and disposal. It integrates people, processes, and technology to optimize each stage, ensuring efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. PLM matters because it helps companies innovate faster, reduce time-to-market, and maintain product consistency. Example: In the fashion industry, PLM allows a brand to streamline design, production, and distribution, ensuring that new collections reach the market quickly while maintaining high quality and reducing waste.

The use of PLM can be applied to (and benefit) a wide range of industries - enabling engineers to identify parts (purchased or designed) increases reuse. It is also a critical system used in the identification, design, and development of soft-line products; examples being identifying the specific composition of a garment's fabric - exposing the use of recycled polyester or the use of organic cotton; etc The key is that (just as others have said) when PLM is used to its fullest advantage - there is a wide range of benefits that start at the engineering / design level - but also move to the "cost of manufacturing" area - when "design for manufacturing" is a way of simplifying the manufacturing process.

Maximize profits PLM can help businesses determine pricing, marketing, and selling strategies, as well as expansion and discontinuation plans. Reduce costs PLM can help companies reduce product-related costs and improve product development. Manage sustainability PLM software can help organizations manage sustainability and environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle.

I train and mentor Product and Program Managers on Software Lifecycle and I cannot stress enough about its importance in product release with discipline and reproducible results. You have to make many strategically important decisions from the concept phase. We saved at least a quarter million in legal expenses just by following an efficient PLM. That's why it matters :)

For me this is crucial for the company and for the world we live in. Several best practices: Design for Disassembly: Ensure that your product can be easily disassembled at the end of its life cycle. Choose Sustainable Materials: Opt for materials that are durable, recyclable, and non-toxic. Minimize Material Complexity: Simplify product designs by using fewer materials and components. This reduces manufacturing costs and makes it easier to recycle or repurpose the product at the end of its life. Provide Clear Recycling Instructions: Collect and Incorporate Feedback: Gather feedback from users and recyclers on product design and recycling processes. Use this feedback to continuously improve product designs and recycling methods.

PLM provides an opportunity to organize and provide part numbers to different to-be-recycled materials so they may be organized and managed in inventory. This is important as materials such as plastics must be separated due to different properties. Having insight into stock levels can help with management of pickup of these components/materials.

Simplicity Aim for simple designs that use fewer materials and avoid unnecessary complexity. Simple designs are often more cost-effective. Packaging Make sure packaging is robust enough to be loaded and unloaded without damage. Packaging should also be easy to collapse and stack, with clear markings on how to stack or nest the packs.

To implement effective reuse and recycling processes in PLM, establish clear policies and procedures for safely and cost-effectively managing products and materials. Develop a reverse logistics network for efficient returns and recovery, collaborate with certified recycling services, and adopt circular economy models to extend product life cycles. Apply lean and green principles to reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency, and continuously monitor and measure performance to ensure the effectiveness of your recycling efforts.

Organizing recycling programs with suppliers is a good way to find rewards for your efforts, which helps further the ideas of sustainability and reclaim.

Conduct a waste audit: Collect, separate, and weigh each waste stream to understand how much is recycled versus how much is sent to the landfill. Create a recycling plan: Deploy the new recycling plan and educate building occupants. Reduce: Minimize the amount of waste you create. Reuse: Use items more than once. Reuse is preferred over recycling because it consumes less energy.

Implementing reuse and recycling processes involves integrating eco-design principles, selecting sustainable materials, and developing modular products for easy disassembly. Establish closed-loop systems and reverse logistics to recycle materials back into production. Engage stakeholders through training and customer incentives for product returns. Utilize PLM tools to track materials and automate sorting technologies. Establish performance metrics to monitor effectiveness and ensure compliance with regulations. Collaborate with industry partners and invest in R&D for innovative recycling methods. Communicate efforts transparently and report progress regularly to stakeholders, fostering a culture of sustainability and continuous improvement

To articulate well the advantages of reuse and recycling, a simple communication should be established which goes in line with the brand as well as its principles. The message must focus on economic, social capital as well environmental benefits, for both internal and external stakeholders. Disclose what your company is up to in terms of operations and accomplishments while involving actively workers, clients, vendors or authorities. Seek a chance for everyone to give suggestions and highlight exemplary behaviors and triumphs that indicate the good things that have come from your reuse-and-recycle initiatives.

Adding recycling and material separation to work instruction ensures that this is a standard process. Also incorporating recycling into poka yoke activities should help ensure that the process fits into production cycles.

More Jobs, Economic Development, and Tax Revenue. More Energy Security. Less Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Less Pressure on Landfills and More Natural Resources for Future Generations. State Economic Impacts.

Compliance: Regularly review and comply with local, national, and international regulations related to environmental protection, waste management, and recycling. Industry Standards: Stay informed about industry-specific standards and certifications that promote sustainable practices, such as ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems. Legislation Changes: Monitor changes in legislation that might affect your reuse and recycling strategies to ensure ongoing compliance and to take advantage of new opportunities.