Improvement

The following statements contain indicators for the classification of products into basic types (A - E).

Facts Indicative of Basic Type A - Raw Material Intensive Product:

The product contains a considerable proportion of resource-intensive materials, such as primary aluminum, high-alloy steel, copper, nickel, carbon fiber, ...
At present, it is not possible to disassemble and reuse/recycle parts of the product containing resource-intensive materials.
The manufacture of the product does not yet involve the use of recycled materials, renewable raw materials or refurbished parts.

The product is used only for a short period of time or not very frequently.
Repair of the product is not possible or requires a considerable work input.
...

go to strategies for basic type A

Facts Indicative of Basic Type B - Manufacture Intensive Product:

Manufacture of the product is rather energy consuming.
Manufacture causes a considerable amount of process waste, waste water or exhaust fumes.
Manufacture involves large quantities of process and auxiliary materials.
Manufacture involves environmentally harmful process and auxiliary materials.
The product contains parts or components hauled over long distances.

The product is used only for a short period of time or not very often.
Repair of the product is not possible or requires a considerable work input.
At present, it is not possible to disassemble and reuse / recycle components of the product involving a high input of materials or energy.
...

go to strategies for basic type B

Facts Indicative of Basic Type C - Transportation Intensive Product:

The product requires long-distance transportation between manufacturer and user.
At present, distribution does not yet use environmentally sound means of transportation (rail, ship, ...)
Distribution of the product requires a lot of packaging material.
...

go to strategies for basic type C

Facts Indicative of Basic Type D - Use Intensive Product:

Utilization of the product requires additional energy or materials, e.g. process materials.
The product is regularly moved or transported over long distances at use stage, which requires a great amount of energy, process and auxiliary materials.
In the case of malfunction or misuse of the product harmful effects on the environment have to be expected.
...

go to strategies for basic type D

Facts Indicative of Basic Type E - Disposal Intensive Product:

The product contains substances that are environmentally harmful if not disposed of by experts.
The product causes problems at the end of its service life because it cannot be disassembled, refurbished or recycled.
At present, the product and its resource-intensive parts, respectively, cannot yet be integrated in materials cycles.

The product is used only for a short period of time or not very often.
...

go to strategies for basic type E

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