The study shows, for example, that buying a refurbished smartphone rather than a new one saves 87% to 64% of annual impact. The study also revealed significant variations in impact within the industry, due to a variety of practices relating to extended lifespan, the addition of new accessories, whether or not parts are changed systematically, the use of second-hand parts, the volume of packaging and the materials used, the sourcing market and the place of reconditioning. The lifespan of equipment is a major contributor to its impact. In order to maximize the impact avoided by refurbished products, the study proposes a number of best practices aimed at users, refurbishers, platforms and legislators.
Assessment of the environmental impact of a set of reconditioned products
On behalf of the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), DDemain and Hubblo did a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to establish the environmental footprint of reconditioned digital equipment, compared to their newly manufactured equivalents, over their entire lifecycles.