The traditional take, make, discard model of a products lifecycle needs replacing with a model that is sustainable from an entire ecosystem perspective. Several models exist to describe this new approach, including circular economy, closed loop manufacturing and cradle-to-cradle.
DCA can help you be at the forefront, with proven expertise developed over more than a decade working to ensure products avoid going to landfill. Our expertise covers all aspects of product lifecycle, from design to manufacturing, usage to reuse.
Design
According to WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) Vision for the UK Circular Economy in 2020, UK business would benefit by up to £23 billion each year by better resource use. This became one of the drivers behind the RSA project, The Great Recovery. The Great Recovery aimed to build a community to drive designs that enable circularity. Some of the DCA team were at the launch of The Great Recovery and, subsequently, helped a number of companies to understand the opportunities that designers have to spearhead the circular economy.
Business Models
One of the most exciting aspects of business today is the emergence of new business models. New models include a move away from product to service and ownership to pay-per-use. DCA has been instrumental in a number of circular economy business model projects, working with companies of all sizes from large multinationals to small SMEs.
Circular not End of Life
The circular economy requires a rethink on what the life of a product is. The team at DCA has been involved in LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) for more than a decade. We are therefore aware of the limitations that such techniques have in the emerging circular economy. Similarly, work with environmental certifications has demonstrated that there is a need for new ways of describing products. DCA helps companies ensure that they take full advantage of the opportunities that the circular economy can give.
Zero Waste
Achieving Zero Waste is a company goal that many leading businesses have striven for. DCA developed a methodology to achieve Zero Waste that is usable by any company of any size. The first company to use this methodology received external recognition very quickly, winning two national awards within months of its success.