Reuse and repair of products is often difficult and discouraged. Reduced durability, reduced product quality and planned obsolescence drive increases in consumption. Lack of infrastructure further discourages repair and reuse. Though some reuse and repair businesses and nonprofit organizations exist, reuse and repair is less common than it once was.
Can repair and reuse become more commonplace? Can Oregonians extend the lifespan of products and other materials? What would it take to make this happen?
As part of implementing
Materials Management in Oregon: 2050 Vision and Framework for Action, DEQ has developed a plan to extend the lifespan of products and help make reuse and repair more commonplace. This iterative process involved literature research and local stakeholder involvement to develop an initial Background Paper and Options Paper, followed by a Strategic Plan for the period 2016-2021. All of these documents are available for download below.
Project documents
- Strategic Plan: Describes the strategies, actions and priority materials for reuse, repair and product lifespan extension for 2016 - 2021.
Options Paper: Summarizes 10 options selected for potential additional research and inclusion in the 2016 Strategic Plan for Reuse, Repair and Product Lifespan Extension.
Background Paper: A full account of background information, project research and the full list of potential options in detail.
Contact
For more information about this work, contact David Allaway, 503-229-5479.