United Nations highlights growing significance of remanufacturing industry

Report published by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights growing significance of remanufacturing industry.

The report, titled "Green Economy and Trade: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities", was published on 8 May and features a section on remanufacturing in which the environmental benefits of remanufacturing are highlighted, along with the industry’s "increasing significance" in certain fields and global regions, such as China and Africa.

The aim of the report was to identify international trade opportunities that arise from developing a green economy, identify policies enabling industries to pursue these opportunities, and help to develop the capacity necessary to establish a green economy through sustainable trade; with remanufacturing being promoted as an opportunity for creating green trade opportunities.

Noting that remanufactured products can save consumers "typically in the order of 30% to 40% less than comparable new products", the report states that remanufacturing "offers potential for new national business ventures within developing countries" as well as new export opportunities. It adds that in certain fields, such as motor vehicle components, electrical data and communications equipment and laser toner cartridges, remanufacturing is growing in significance, particularly in China which is “making remanufacturing a key part of their industrial strategy".

The environmental benefits of remanufacturing are also mentioned in the report, which states that "remanufacturing operations worldwide are already saving approximately 10.7 million barrels of oil each year" as well as saving "significant volumes of water and raw materials". It therefore concludes that remanufacturing is a good way for governments to "clean up municipal waste, save energy in domestic industry and create jobs".

A further benefit of remanufacturing detailed in the report is that remanufactured goods are able to "meet the criteria for new goods without additional quality and safety requirements that sometimes apply to refurbished goods", with some countries agreeing that import restrictions should not be applied to remanufactured products and that such products should be treated in the same way as new goods.

While the report shows remanufacturing in a positive light, it recognizes that a "major obstacle" for the industry is the need for "active cooperation from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)", noting that as there is no end-of-life tax on product disposal, incentives are created for OEMs to "build obsolescence and replacement into their business model in order to save costs from value chain modernization".

It adds that "remanufacturing contributes towards fostering incentives for value chain modernization by creating new business models that focus on services instead of products" and that the incentive effect of remanufacturing can be enhanced by end-of-life waste disposal taxes of manufacturers "making component re-use and recycling attractive tools for cost saving".

We at Priceless Ink & Toner Company as a Platinum Green Business Bureau (GBB) member are always trying to be Earth-Friendly and help preserving the environment. Check our website and do your part be choosing a remanufactured ink or toner cartridge

Source: United Nations report promotes remanufacturing