FFG-Projekt: „OPENing Re-Use“
Making the circular economy even more competitive!
Role R.U.S.Z: Project partner; Project duration: 2023 - 2025
What should be done with used products? Companies in the circular economy are faced with such questions every day: Can they be repaired, remanufactured or refurbished? Can spare parts or even entire modules be removed and/or must they be disposed of and recycled properly?
These decisions have to be made on a case-by-case - product-specific - basis, depend on factors such as brand, condition, age, demand or recycling possibilities, and have their consequences in the sustainability of the entire re-use process.
So far, there is a lack of models and tools to optimise this process and to take the functioning of circular businesses to the next level. What has been part of everyday life for many decades for the "forward logistics" of the linear economy (supply chains, serial production, standardisation) must first be worked out for the "backward logistics" of a growing circular economy.
Hier kommt das Forschungsprojekt “OPENing Re-Use" ins Spiel: In den nächsten drei Jahren entwickeln Wissenschaftler*innen der Universität Graz zusammen mit dem Pionierbetrieb R.U.S.Z und den IT-Reuse-Spezialist*innen von Compuritas ein betriebswirtschaftliches Planungsinstrument, das die Effizienz von Re-Use-Prozessen steigern soll.
Learn more: openingreuse.at
Erasmus+ Project
'Learning Workshop for Sustainable Environmental Protection'
Role R.U.S.Z: Project partner; Project duration: 2022 - 2024
The project "Learning Workshop for Sustainable Environmental Protection" develops and tests innovative learning workshops in 5 occupational fields. They are intended to address sustainable environmental and climate protection in vocational education and training. These job-specific 5 learning workshops are based on a general concept that is developed in the project. The project as a whole strives for a holistic portfolio of results that can be used in both vocational education and training.
In the project, 6 partners from 5 member states of the European Union work together for 2 years.
EU-H2020-Project PROMPT
'PRemature Obsolescence Multi-Stakeholder Product Testing' Program
Role R.U.S.Z: project partner; Project duration: May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2023
The consumption of resources and the amount of waste in electrical and electronic consumer goods have been increasing dramatically for decades. At the same time, many critical materials cannot be recovered in the recycling process. A promising strategy would therefore be to extend the life span of these products in order to move closer to a circular economy. The PROMPT project will support the development of more durable products by reducing the asymmetry of information between consumers and producers, thus enabling consumers to make better choices.
PROMPT's main objective is to develop an independent testing program to support the assessment of the durability of electrical and electronic equipment before it is placed on the market. The test program will highlight important aspects related to the durability of electrical and electronic equipment. It aims to provide test laboratories, consumer organisations, market surveillance authorities and other interested stakeholders with reliable definitions and methodological assessment against early obsolescence.
Learn more: PROMPT-Website and PROMPT-Project summary
Project 'Donate your old washing machine'
The eco-social redistribution of large household appliances
Role R.U.S.Z: project executing organization; Project duration: ongoing since 2010
The project aims to ensure a continuous inflow of high-quality used large household appliances for resale. The basis for the production of second-hand appliances is the donations that the R.U.S.Z. receives from its customer target group. In the middle of 2010 the donation campaign with washing machines was started. In the meantime, we not only receive around 1,000 large household appliances per year, but also several tons of consumer electronics, computers and small household appliances.
Learn more: Donations-Project summary