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

ABSTRACTDemand 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.KEYWORDS: Body of knowledgedesign for disassemblydesign for recyclinghigh-tech productslithium-ion batteries Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Acronyms BOK=Body of KnowledgeCAD=Computer-Aided designDFD=Design for DisassemblyDFR=Design for RecyclingEEE=Electrical and Electronic EquipmentEoL=End of LifeEV=Electric VehicleLCA=Life Cycle AssessmentLCC=Life Cycle CostLIB=Lithium-Ion BatteryPLM=Product Lifecycle ManagementTEA=Techno-Economic AssessmentWEEE=Waste Electrical and Electronic EquipmentAdditional informationFundingThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for this research project. FundingThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for this research project [grant number RGPIN-2020-05565].Notes on contributorsShady El JalboutShady El Jalbout is an engineer and a business developer with a background in mechanical and industrial engineering. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and two master’s degrees, one in mechanical engineering and another in industrial engineering. He recently graduated from the professional master’s program in industrial engineering at Polytechnique Montreal. He currently works in the business development of high-tech and innovative products. His research interests include technology management, sustainability, high-tech product development and business models.Samira KeivanpourSamira Keivanpour is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical and Industrial Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, Canada. She conducts research on sustainable solutions for supply chain and logistics management, with a focus on end-of-life product treatment, circular manufacturing, and the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies.