"Sustainability is no longer about the environment. It is the environment."
Dr. Robin Kent
And resource-efficient design is the key to sustainable plastics manufacturing. As sustainability becomes more embedded in our society, consumers are increasingly aware of the types of plastic in various products—from drinking straws to tupperware and outdoor furniture—and their longterm effect on the environment.
In fact, research has shown that half of all homeowners avoid purchasing home-improvement products containing plastic, due to concerns about pollution.
While energy savings, resource management, and recycling are important, sustainable injection molding also depends on product design. Product designers, therefore, must understand the impact of their decisions across the complete product life cycle.
Action:
- Examine all design processes to ensure that sustainability is built into the design at the start
- Design processes that include appropriate consideration of sustainability and adapt those that do not
- Train personnel to use design as a tool—it can reduce environmental and social costs at all stages of the product life cycle
- Review products from external designers for sustainability before tooling production begins
This is the third message in our series of energy-saving tips. Twice per month, we will share some useful, actionable advise with you from leading sustainability consultant Dr. Robin Kent.
Visit our blog for twice-monthly posts featuring practical, actionable advice for better energy management and to read more about Dr. Kent.
For more resources on this and other topics, here is a full list of publications from Dr. Kent.
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