Reusable Technologies - Developing advanced solutions for the re-use of e-waste
E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world.
rEthink. rEmake. rEuse is the mindset of a company whose philosophy is based on strict sustainability and care for the future of our one and only planet. We make products from e-waste that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. We are careful stewards of human and natural resources and work with business partners throughout the product cycle that coincide with the philosophy of the circular economy.
National
Slovenia
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
As a representative of an organization, in partnership with other organisations
Name of the organisation(s): Reusable Technologies, LLC Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Marko Last name of representative: Vrdoljak Gender: Male Nationality: Slovenia Function: Co-Founder, Business director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Podbreznik 15 Town: Novo mesto Postal code: 8000 Country: Slovenia Direct Tel:+386 40 781 664 E-mail:marko@reusable-technologies.com Website:https://reusable-technologies.com/en/
Reusable Technologies develops advanced solutions for the reuse of e-waste, which is the fastest-growing waste in the world. We have our own technological process to refurbish lithium-ion battery cells and prepare them for reuse. We have partnered with two domestic recycling centers, one the largest and the other the most advanced in our country, which disassemble discarded battery packs and supply us with battery cells. After preparing the battery cells for a second life, we are integrating them as a showcase into our first two products, the award-winning environmental story, rEbankMini - the first power bank powered by a recycled battery, the first made in the EU with a casing made from waste Slovenian wood and rEflash - the first premium flashlight powered by a recycled battery and assembled in the EU. Both products are already being manufactured and sold practically all over Europe. Our aim is to perfect this process, license it and offer it to all e-waste recycling centres. In this way, we will maximise the impact and ensure a local market for second-life battery cells in the EU, without the unnecessary additional CO2 emissions generated during transport. We are already receiving enquiries for our process from all over the world.
Our mission is to rEthink, rEmake, rEuse, rEpair and rEcycle e-waste and create new sustainable products, educate young people and create new jobs while reducing e-waste and CO2 emissions.
Developing - rEthink
Sustainability-focused - rEmake
E-waste - rEuse
Raw materials - rEcycle
Community - Involvement
The key objectives of the Reusable Technologies project are to reduce e-waste and create a circular economy for batteries, and to create new sustainable jobs and businesses. To achieve these objectives, we have developed advanced solutions for the reuse of e-waste and created our own technological process to refurbish lithium-ion battery cells and prepare them for reuse. To date, we have prepared more than 80,000 battery cells for reuse, saving more than 500,000kg of CO2emissions. We have also sold more than 2 000 of our products (rEbankMini, rEflash and rEnergy - our second-life battery cell), each saving around 6kg of CO2emissions compared to the production of a similar product. We have also produced several other prototype products from other e-waste, such as rEboard (a write/wipe board made from discarded LCD TVs), rElight (a ceiling/wall LED panel light made from discarded monitors), rEwrite (a didactic tool for pre-school and school children, which is a write/wipe board made from discarded lcd monitors), etc.
In addition, we are setting up a pilot project with one of our partner recycling centres to improve our technological process and ensure that the battery cells are optimally prepared for reuse without unnecessary transport and additional CO2 emissions. Finally, our vision includes the creation of a development and support center for the re-use of e-waste, where we will pass on our know-how to young people, enabling the development and delivery of a wide range of new sustainable products made from e-waste, saving thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions and creating new creative jobs and businesses. In short, Reusable Technologies is an exemplary sustainability company, actively working to reduce e-waste.
Reusable Technologies is a company that focuses on developing sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective technology and product solutions. Our key objectives are to bring together a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing design products with the highest quality user experience. We strive to create a positive and memorable experience for our customers and foster an environment that encourages cultural growth.
In order to achieve our design objectives, we utilize a variety of cutting-edge technologies and strategies. Our team of developers and designers use a combination of user-friendly interfaces, adaptive design, and creative thinking to create a unique and memorable experience for our customers.
Our products are built with sustainability in mind, and we strive to create solutions that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and reduce waste. We use a variety of technologies to ensure that our products are as energy efficient as possible, and we also strive to reduce the amount of waste materials generated by the various companies in the production process.
We are the manufacturer of the only powerbank that is entirely made in the EU and powered by a recycled battery cell in a handmade casing made from waste wood (walnut). That's why every rEbankMini is unique, just like every one of us! Inside, a piece of waste foam is inserted at the bottom as a buffer and fixer, and the rEbankMini is finished with a wooden cover plate at the top. When the powerbank has run its course, all we have to do to make a new one is to replace the old one with a new second-life battery and a new cover plate. The new 3-year warranty is on.
The success of our project can be exemplified by our commitment to providing high-quality, aesthetically pleasing technology solutions that are both sustainable and cost-effective. We are confident that our products will not only meet our customers’ needs, but will also provide them with an enjoyable and memorable experience.
The key objectives of the Reusable Technologies project from an inclusion perspective are to create products that are accessible and affordable for all and to implement inclusive governance systems and design for all principles to ensure that all members of society benefit from the project.
To achieve these objectives, the project has focused on creating products that are accessible and affordable for all. We have entered into a cooperation agreement with two domestic recycling centres that provide a nationwide supply of approximately 60% of the discarded 18650 Li-ion battery cells. Most of our rEbankMini powerbanks are sold to companies as promotional gifts, contributing to a range of positive impacts such as supporting sustainable development, the circular economy and promoting local production.
In addition, we are working with schools, accelerators and other social programmes to pass on our knowledge and experience to young people in the hope that tomorrow we will see the development and delivery of many new sustainable products from e-waste and the creation of new jobs and start-ups.
The project is exemplary in this context as it provides an alternative to the traditional e-waste recycling process, which often does not take into account the needs and contributions of all members of society. Instead, Reusable Technologies focuses on creating products that are accessible and affordable for all, and on implementing inclusive management systems, design for all principles and inclusive social models to ensure that all members of society benefit from the project. This can ensure that the project is not only environmentally friendly but also socially responsible by promoting an inclusive and just society.
The Reusable Technologies project involves citizens in several ways, both in terms of benefiting from the project, and being affected by it.
Citizens benefit from the project through the availability of the environmentally-friendly and socially responsible products, such as the rEbankMini and rEflash, which are made with locally sourced materials, and are powered by recycled batteries, this reduces the environmental footprint and support local economy.
Citizens are also affected by the project in terms of the environmental impact of e-waste, and the potential environmental and health risks associated with poor e-waste management. The project aims to address these concerns by implementing an environmentally-friendly and socially responsible e-waste management process, which involves the reuse of e-waste instead of just extracting resources and materials, and by involving all stakeholders in the decision-making process.
Civil society has been involved in the project through the participation and input of all members of society in the decision-making process, including the local community, employees, and suppliers. This has helped to ensure that the project is responsive to the needs and concerns of the local community, and that it has a positive impact on the local community. The project has also provided training and resources to young people, which can have a positive impact on the local community by creating job opportunities and promoting sustainable development.
The involvement of civil society in the project has had a significant impact on the project, as it has helped to ensure that the project is responsive to the needs and concerns of the local community and that it has a positive impact on the local community. It has also helped to promote transparency and accountability in the project, and has ensured that the project is environmentally-friendly and socially responsible.
The project has been designed and implemented through close engagement with key stakeholders at all levels, from local to regional, national and European. We have engaged with local organizations and businesses to ensure the best possible collection, disassembly and separation of e-waste. We have also engaged with regional and national stakeholders to ensure that our products are manufactured with the best possible processes and that our reuse process is perfected to ensure optimal performance. We have also engaged with European stakeholders to ensure our products meet their standards and requirements and that our processes and technologies are accepted and used across the continent. We also participate in the European EIT Raw Materials and EIT Climate-KIC, which are accelerators for "green" start-ups. Through these programmes, we refine our project and learn and share our experiences and network with like-minded entrepreneurs. Invaluable.
The added value of stakeholder engagement is that it allows us to ensure that our activities are rooted in the local context, while also leveraging the expertise and resources of all levels. This has enabled us to create a truly innovative solution that is both economically and environmentally viable and that can be scaled across Europe. The stakeholder engagement has also allowed us to build a network of partners and supporters that can help us to achieve our goal of creating a sustainable future for e-waste and reusing it in a responsible way.
The design and implementation of our project reflect multiple fields of knowledge, including engineering, recycling, sustainability, business, and product design. Representatives from each field worked together to create an effective solution to the problem of e-waste. Engineers developed the technology to refurbish and reuse lithium-ion battery cells, while product designers developed the products that included reused components of still useful e-waste (battery cells, LCD monitors, LCD TV,...). Sustainability experts worked to ensure that the project was designed with environmental considerations in mind. Economists ensured that we could put it all together into a profitable and competitive business.
The added value of this process was that it allowed for the collaboration of multiple fields of knowledge in order to create a comprehensive solution to the problem of e-waste. This allowed us to create a project that was both efficient and environmentally friendly, while also creating products that were attractive and desirable to consumers. This process also enabled us to create a business model that was profitable and sustainable.
In relation to the Champion category, the Reusable Technologies project has achieved several results, outcomes and impacts in relation to its environmental and social objectives.
In terms of environmental impact, the project has prepared more than 80 000 batteries for re-use, saving more than 500 000 kg of CO2 emissions. Our follow-up project with our partner recycling centres, where we taught them how to get from battery packs to battery cells, also helped to improve our technological process to ensure optimal preparation of battery cells for reuse without unnecessary transport and additional CO2 emissions. These efforts have further reduced the carbon footprint of our products, making them among the most environmentally friendly in the world.
In addition, our products, rEbankMini and rEflash, are accessible and affordable for all and are powered by recycled batteries, making them socially responsible and inclusive. With just one of our products, we save more than 6 KG of CO2 emissions that would have been produced by manufacturing a product similar to ours. The packaging of our products is also sustainable, made without adhesives or plasticized paper, and the inside of the packaging is printed with the it's story, so that every user becomes part of the solution and actively involved in solving environmental issues.
The project has also brought several benefits to direct and indirect beneficiaries. The direct beneficiaries are the customers who buy our products because they are environmentally friendly, socially responsible and inclusive. In addition, the project has also provided employment and training opportunities for young people, which can have a positive impact on the local community by creating jobs and promoting sustainable development. The local community and the environment are also indirect beneficiaries, as the project has helped to reduce the environmental impact of e-waste and promote sustainable development and a circular economy.
Reusable Technologies has developed a very innovative project that is different from the mainstream e-waste recycling measures. The project involves the development of advanced technology for the recovery of lithium-ion battery cells for reuse, the development of various innovative e-waste products, including two already on sale, which include recycled batteries. This project is unique in its approach to recycling as it not only addresses the environmental issue of e-waste but also seeks to create economic and social opportunities. It seeks to create new creative jobs and businesses, while reducing CO2 emissions and providing a sustainable solution to the growing e-waste problem. The project is further innovative as it brings together different companies (industrial symbiosis) around the same goal of reducing waste. We have secured cooperation agreements with two of the most advanced and largest e-waste recycling centres in the country and are actively testing the used battery market. We are currently developing an automated process to refurbish/prepare battery cells for reuse, which will be targeted at recycling centres and e-waste utilities.
We are also developing new products, including in cooperation with some other established companies. One example is Robotina d.o.o., with whom we are jointly developing the most advanced energy storage device (rEwall) for households and businesses on the market, which will be powered by second-life battery cells (rEnergy).
Our project is very innovative and different from the usual e-waste recycling measures.
The first step in e-waste recycling must be to reuse it. This is our raw material.
Our approach at Reusable Technologies is to create a sustainable solution to reduce e-waste and its impact on the environment. We use a combination of innovative technologies and processes to recover and reuse lithium-ion battery cells. We work with various waste generating companies as well as several collection and recycling centres. As mentioned, we have an agreement with two of them, where they collect and dismantle discarded battery packs for us, so that they only deliver us end-of-life battery cells, which we test and prepare for reuse using our technological process, which consists of a hardware and software device. Currently, of the more than 80,000 Li-ion battery cells tested, 85% are suitable for further use. Each battery cell saves approx. 6kg of CO2 emissions compared to making a new one, which means that we have saved more than 500,000 kg of CO2 emissions through this process so far. We then integrate the second-life battery cells into our first two products, rEbankMini and rEflash. Both products are already being manufactured and sold practically all over Europe. Secondly, we have also tested the market for used battery cells themselves, which we have already successfully sold to Italy and the Netherlands.
Our approach is therefore designed to bring together different players in the market with the same objective, that it is also economically viable to build new business models that promote local community participation and the use of local raw materials, which in our case is represented by e-waste. We then communicate through our superior products that something which yesterday was a problem, a cost or a burden for the environment can today be a great opportunity for a high added value product.
Elements of our project that could be replicated or transferred to other places, beneficiary groups and contexts include the technological process for lithium-ion battery cell refurbishment, our way of engaging with all involved, the companies as generators and the recycling centres as collectors of e-waste, our current products (rEnergy - second-life battery cell, rEbankMini - powerbank and rEflash - flashlight) and any upcoming products. We can replicate these elements in other places and contexts by licensing the process, offering it to other e-waste recycling centres and passing on our knowledge to young people to develop new sustainable e-waste products.
We have a vision that includes all of us. We will set up a development and support centre for the re-use of "e-waste", where we will pass on our know-how to young people, enabling the development and delivery of many new sustainable products from e-waste.
This will ensure that our project will not only save thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions, but also create new creative jobs and businesses.
It is also desirable to transfer this project to other places.
The Reusable Technologies project addresses the global challenges of e-waste disposal and climate change with local solutions. E-waste is unfortunately the fastest growing waste in the world and at the same time a great opportunity as it contains a huge amount of advanced and useful technology through the different components of electronic equipment. With our technology and processes, as a small start-up, we have been able to prepare more than 80,000 batteries for reuse, saving more than 500,000 kg of CO2 emissions. We have also developed two products, rEbankMini and rEflash, powered by our recycled batteries, rEnergy, which are sold all over Europe. This not only reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions. Our next product, the rEwall - a smart electricity storage device that will incorporate remanufactured battery cells (approx. 1000 second-life cells) - goes one step further. It is a product that will be suitable for both households and businesses, and is yet another solution to the current energy situation. With the most advanced storage on the market, we will be able to store peaks of electricity, mainly from RES (Renewable Energy Sources), and instantly access and return it to the grid when needed. The brains and the assembly will be provided by Robotina, one of the pioneers in the world when it comes to energy storage.
As mentioned above, we are also working to set up a development and support centre for the re-use of "e-waste", where we will pass on our knowledge to young people and help them to develop and deliver sustainable products from e-waste, thus creating new jobs and businesses.
All this will help to reduce the amount of e-waste in landfills and reduce CO2 emissions, and create new and exciting jobs for young people. I think we are a great example of how local solutions can help tackle global challenges.
