“ Any refurbished or recycled product will reduce the amount of carbon that you need as input”
Sean Jones Director of Circular Technology Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Operationalising networked collaboration The Ellen MacArthur Foundation collaborates with more than 200 global members, including HP, Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Alignment becomes harder as supply chain loops extend beyond single-owner systems.
“ If you have a very small loop like a data centre, they understand each of the value points,” Sean says.“ When the loop becomes much larger, and you have different players in there, the incentives are different.” For instance, a mobile phone refurbisher must pay out on labour to disassemble the device, but non-standardised designs and restricted access to spare parts often erode margin potential.
Aligning product design with end-oflife recovery is central for commercial viability. Designing products for easy disassembly, repair and component harvesting creates economic incentives for secondary markets. However, regulatory barriers and supply chain restrictions can complicate international material flows.
Frameworks such as the Basel Convention govern hazardous waste transport and may unintentionally limit regional reprocessing if definitions
14 ellenmacarthurfoundation. org