The Environmental Impacts of Reuse: A Review

Abstract

SummaryThe fear that human consumption is causing climate change, biodiversity loss, and mineral scarcity has recently prompted interest in reuse because of the intuitive belief that it reduces new production and waste. The environmental impacts of reuse have, however, received little attention-the benefits typically assumed rather than understood-and consequently the overall effects remain unclear. In this article, we structure the current work on the topic, reviewing the potential benefits and pitfalls described in the literature and providing a framework for future research.Many products' use-phase energy requirements are decreasing. The relative importance of the embodied impacts from initial production is therefore growing and the prominence of reuse as an abatement strategy is likely to increase in the future. Many examples are found in the literature of beneficial reuse of standardized, unpowered products and components, and repairing an item is always found to be less energy intensive than new production.

Circular Business Models: Defining a Concept and Framing an Emerging Research Field

“…For products with high impact in the production phase and small impact in the use phase, life extension through reuse may indeed have the highest potential for resource efficiency gains [6,66]. For products with high use-phase impact, such as energy using products, life extension through reuse does not always have the highest potential for resource efficiency gains [65]. If energy savings from improved efficiency during use outweigh the embedded energy saving from avoiding primary production, replacement with more efficient products may be a preferable strategy [6,7,65].…”

“…The main idea behind reuse is that it can substitute high impact primary production with lower impact secondary production [65]. Although this is generally true, reuse of products does not guarantee resource efficiency gains.…”

“…Although this is generally true, reuse of products does not guarantee resource efficiency gains. The resource efficiency gains of reusing a product or part, for instance, depend on the processes needed to return a product to a suitable state or location, as well as on the use-phase impacts in a second life [65]. For products with high impact in the production phase and small impact in the use phase, life extension through reuse may indeed have the highest potential for resource efficiency gains [6,66].…”

“…These circular strategies are sometimes regarded as being synonymous with resource efficiency gains. However, implementing circular strategies does not by default lead to increased resource efficiency [7,65]. Therefore, the goal of resource efficiency has to be specifically set when implementing circular strategies.…”

Cascade Use and the Management of Product Lifecycles

“…Reuse and recycling are preferable from an economic and environmental perspective due to their residual value in the form of raw materials, labor, time, and energy [7]. However, a sustainability-driven decision between reuse or recycling is most likely product dependent [8]. So, what does circular economy stand for in reality, and how does the circular economy fit with existing product lifecycles (PLCs)?…”