What is this standard about?
This is a brand new part of the BS 8887 series of British Standards which supports the design and manufacture of more sustainable products. This part is about how designers can build in end-of-life value by introducing sustainable design principles in the early stages of new product development.
Who is this standard for?
Designers, design engineers and engineering designers in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, specifically in:
- Aerospace
- Defence
- Automotive
- Rail
- Nuclear
- General manufacturing sectors
Why should you use this standard?
It provides guidance on the general policies and specific decisions to be made when considering how products can have a recoverable value at the end of life. Guidance is given on the factors to be considered during the design process which influence further life.
With the rising costs of raw materials and the need to reduce pollution, it’s desirable that new products are designed with the potential to be used again in some way at the end of their life. This maximizes the investment made in extracting and processing the raw materials, which is a high proportion of the costs of producing a product.
At the end of life, the decisions on how to use a product, or its components, for another period of service can be made much more easily and cheaply if the original design incorporates features intended to aid one of several options available. Any extra costs incurred in the initial production can be recovered several times, over further lifecycles.
To decide which option is appropriate, there are a number of factors to be considered. This guide is intended to help with those considerations and give some guidance on the potential advantages of designing for further use.
