End-of-lifeEoL

Designing products and buildings so that components can be separated non-destructively at end-of-life for reuse, remanufacture or high-grade recycling, for example by favouring mechanical fixings over permanent adhesive bonds. It is a core enabler of circular economy approaches in construction and manufacturing.

A life cycle assessment boundary covering the full life of a product, from raw material extraction through manufacture, distribution and use to final disposal. It contrasts with cradle to gate, which stops at the factory, and with cradle to cradle approaches in which materials are recovered into new products instead of being disposed of.

Recovering the energy content of waste that cannot practically be recycled, typically by incineration with heat and power generation or by co-processing in cement kilns, where composite waste can also contribute mineral content to the clinker. In the waste hierarchy it sits above landfill but below reuse and recycling.

Redirecting waste away from landfill into reuse, recycling or energy recovery routes. Diversion rates are widely used as a sustainability metric for sites and projects, including in construction site waste management planning.

An economic model that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, remanufacture and recycling, in contrast to the linear take, make, dispose model. In materials specification it drives requirements for recycled content, design for disassembly and credible end-of-life routes.