Environmental and Economic Impacts of Planned Obsolescence

When discussing the right to repair, it's impossible not to mention planned obsolescence. The term pertains to consumer technology designed to break after a certain amount of time. This practice has penetrated every sector, spanning technology, appliances, fashion, and automobiles alike. It's fair to say that a model centred on profiting from waste ultimately results in environmental degradation and pollution.

Main Types of Obsolescence

There are three main types of obsolescence.

Absolute obsolescence refers to when a product no longer functions due to mechanical failure or software incompatibility.
Relative obsolescence occurs when a product is still functional but is considered out of fashion or inferior to newer alternatives or when the cost of repair or upgrade exceeds that of purchasing a new product.
Planned or programmed obsolescence is a strategy employed by manufacturers to ensure that the current version of a product becomes outdated within a predetermined timeframe. [5]

In 2021, the WEEE Forum, which focuses on e-waste, estimated that approximately 63 million tons of electronics were generated. [6] In 2020, Canadians produced nearly one million tonnes of electronic waste; the quantity of e-waste generated per person surged from 8.3 kilograms in 2000 to 25.3 kilograms in 2020, with projections indicating a further increase in the coming years. [25]

Planned Obsolescence - Electronic Recycling

According to researchers from the University of California, Irvine, greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere from electronic devices and their associated electronic waste saw a significant surge of 53 percent between 2014 and 2020. The projections suggest that e-waste sources could emit approximately 852 million metric tons of CO2 compounds annually by 2030. [7]

"Our tech consumption habits remain highly unsustainable and have left us at risk of exhausting the raw elements we need. We need governments to overhaul recycling infrastructure and tech businesses to invest in more sustainable manufacturing," says Professor Tom Welton, the Royal Society of Chemistry president. [8]

Planned Obsolescence Beyond Consumer Electronics – Now an Automotive Industry Issue

When discussing planned obsolescence, we usually mention consumer electronics, but lately, it has become a problem in the automotive industry as well.

While nothing new — planned obsolescence has been a prevalent strategy in the industry dating back as early as 1924 [13] — EVs offer new ways of limiting possible repairs. Limiting spare parts availability has always been a favourite tactic of car manufacturers, but modern cars that are most reliant on electrical components as ever have the potential to be much worse.

Tesla owners in the U.S. have recently filed a lawsuit, claiming that a software update substantially diminished the effective range of their electric vehicles by more than 20 percent. To address this issue, they were required to invest up to $15,000 to upgrade to new batteries [14]

Planned Obsolescence - environmental legislation

It's important to mention that the extended range of electric vehicles is a key selling point. This range largely depends on battery technology, with advancements allowing for higher capacity and more energy-efficient batteries. However, batteries found in devices like laptops and smartphones typically last only a few years and are not easily replaceable. Similarly, EV manufacturers may design batteries with limited lifespans, pushing consumers to replace them or even the entire vehicle when performance declines.

So far it's too early to say just how bad it might get, but early warning signs are already there — another reason to support the right to repair.

Planned Obsolescence and Right to Repair Legislation

Right now, fixing most things can be prohibitively expensive — if it is even possible. But that might change with the right laws and new technology like 3D printing.

The right-to-repair legislation can undoubtedly influence manufacturers' approaches to designing and pricing their products. While these laws are intended to empower consumers, they may also give rise to unintended consequences, possibly leading to decreased quality.

"Tech companies must shore up cybersecurity practices, identify the most common repair needs, and generalize their software, semiconductor diagrams, data sheets, service parts, and necessary components to common repairs. These steps will allow companies to continue to protect their I.P. while maintaining ease of compliance with right-to-repair regulations for the foreseeable future." believes Harrison Covington, consultant at FiscalNote. [24]

Consumers prefer going with a replacement instead of repairing what they have, and that carries significant environmental ramifications, including depletion of precious resources, pollution, landfill overflow, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Letting consumers repair and reuse products not only mitigates waste but also alleviates some of the economic strain they face.

References

Environmental and Economic Impacts of Planned Obsolescence

Main Types of Obsolescence

Planned Obsolescence Beyond Consumer Electronics – Now an Automotive Industry Issue

Planned Obsolescence and Right to Repair Legislation

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