Regulating planned obsolescence: A review of legal approaches to increase product durability and reparability in Europe

Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law

Volumn 25, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 978-394

  Maitre Ekern, Eléonore ^a   Dalhammar, Carl ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF OSLO   (Norway)

^b INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS   (Sweden)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84995912005     PISSN: 20500386     EISSN: 20500394     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/reel.12182     Document Type: Review

References (24)

1. S. Boulos et al., The Durability of Products: Standard Assessment for the Circular Economy under the Eco-Innovation Action Plan (European Commission, 2015), at 4.
2. G. Pickren, ‘Making Connections between Global Production Networks for Used Goods and the Realm of Production: A Case Study on E-waste Governance’, 15:4 Global Networks (2015), 403, at 414-416.
3. C. Westblom, ‘Towards a Circular Economy in Sweden: Barriers for New Business Models and the Need for Policy Intervention’ (Master’s thesis, Lund University, 2015)
4. T. Tasaki et al., ‘Assessing the Replacement of Electrical Home Appliances for the Environment’, 17:2 Journal of Industrial Ecology (2013), 290;
5. R. Lawlor, ‘Delaying Obsolescence’, 21:2 Science and Engineering Ethics (2015), 401;
6. D. Jepsen, L. Spengler and D. Augsberg, Delivering Resource-Efficient Products: How Ecodesign Can Drive a Circular Economy in Europe (European Environmental Bureau, 2015).
7. B. London, Ending the Depression through Planned Obsolescence (University of Wisconsin, 1932).
8. G. Adamson, Industrial Strength Design: How Brooks Stevens Shaped Your World (MIT Press, 2003), at 129.
9. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/plannedobsolescence
10. Cf. J. Guiltinan, ‘Creative Destruction and Destructive Creations:Environmental Ethics and Planned Obsolescence’, 89:S1 Journal of Business Ethics (2009), 19.
11. M. Krajewski, ‘The Great Lightbulb Conspiracy’, IEEE Spectrum (24 September 2014).
12. http:// www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/
13. According to Apple, after 500 complete charge cycles, the battery of an iPhone will be reduced to 80% of its original capacity:
14. B. Burns, ‘Re-evaluating Obsolescence and Planning for It’, in: T. Cooper (ed.), Longer Lasting Products - Alternatives to the Throwaway Society (Gower, 2010), 39.
15. found at:
16. R. van Daalen and D. Larner, ‘Philips to Set Up Stand-Alone Lighting Company’, Wall Street Journal (30 June 2014).
17. E. Page et al., ‘Not so Clever when They Are Off: Standby Power Use in Smart Lamps’, paper presented at the ECEEE Summer Proceedings (2015).
18. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/mandates/index. cfm?fuseaction=search.welcome#
19. https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/ files/documents/VA%20Imaging%20Self-Regulatory%20Initiative-V-4-0.pdf
20. notably the patent of the ‘Integrated Embedded Battery’, US 20110292598 A1, filed by Apple Inc. (1 December 2011), found at:
21. https://www.apple.com/lae/support/programs/aasp/>
22. The statement of Agn_es Banaszuk, at the nongovernmental organization France Nature Environnement (FNE) for the French magazine Science et Avenir:
23. J.H. Jans and H.H.B. Vedder, European Environmental Law after Lisbon, 4th edn (Europa Law, 2012), Chapters 2, 3 and 6.
24. Cf. R. Manko, ‘Methods for Unifying Private Law in the EU’ (European Parliamentary Research Service), at 2-3.