Extending the Life Cycle of EEE—Findings from a Repair Study in Germany: Repair Challenges and Recommendations for Action

Sina Rudolf, Steffen Blömeke, Jan Felix Niemeyer, Sebastian Lawrenz, Priyanka Sharma, Sven Hemminghaus, Mark Mennenga, Kerstin Schmidt, Andreas Rausch, Thomas S. Spengler and Christoph Herrmann
Additional contact information
Sina Rudolf: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Steffen Blömeke: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Jan Felix Niemeyer: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Sebastian Lawrenz: Institute for Software and Systems Engineering, Clausthal University of Technology, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Priyanka Sharma: Institute for Software and Systems Engineering, Clausthal University of Technology, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Sven Hemminghaus: Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Mark Mennenga: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Kerstin Schmidt: Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Andreas Rausch: Institute for Software and Systems Engineering, Clausthal University of Technology, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Thomas S. Spengler: Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Christoph Herrmann: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: The increasing amount of waste from electrical and electronic equipment and the resulting environmental issues are challenging, since product life cycles are too short, and companies continue to rely on linear (business) models. The Circular Economy is an approach to meet these challenges by extending the product lifetime. One way to extend the product lifetime is to repair them. However, since there has been no detailed research on the repair sector yet, this article aims at conducting a repair study in Germany to understand the repair process and get insights into typical failure patterns. Therefore, we analyze the repair sector’s current barriers from different perspectives, especially of customers and businesses. We discuss the results of the repair study, where 382 repair attempts were conducted, with a total success rate of 55%. Moreover, the participants were interviewed to understand their barriers and motivation for repair. Based on the study’s interim findings, recommendations for action are given to make the repair services more attractive for the repairer and customer. Based on the findings, an interdisciplinary approach to improve repair processes by using a digital repair portal is derived.

Keywords: repair; repair study; life cycle extension; circular economy; electrical and electronic equipment (EEE); waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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