(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013)
Audy, Stephen
The United States currently recycles only 34% of
the municipal waste that it produces, with some
materials such as plastics having only a 7.6%
rate of recycling (EPA 2011). Two contributors
to low recycling rates are lack of information and
confusion among consumers (Earth911 2012).
Also, recycling materials from many designed-fordisassembly
products may require multiple steps,
special procedures, special tools, or special facilities
(Boothroyd and Alting 1992).
Current systems available for product labeling,
and information barely scratch the surface when
it comes to providing adequate information and
involving consumers. While simultaneously,
commodity-grade appliances—due to the lack of
design considerations for their end-of-life—provide
ample opportunity for increasing recyclability.
Therefore, the purpose of this project is to design
a system to empower consumers to become more
involved in the end-of-life of their commoditygrade
appliances.
The objectives of this project were accomplished
through the development of a three-part system.
The system is comprised of improved product
labeling, an information source in the form of a
website, and a redesigned commodity-grade coffee
maker aimed at consumer disassembly.