Afteruse

Afteruse is a term used in sustainability and lifecycle assessment to describe the phase and set of activities that occur after the initial use of a product or material. It focuses on extracting remaining value, extending service life, and diverting materials from landfills through recovery, reuse, and recycling. Afteruse includes repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing to restore or upgrade functionality, as well as repurposing of products or components for new applications. When materials cannot be reused in their original form, they may be recycled or subjected to energy recovery where appropriate, while minimizing environmental impact.

In practice, afteruse is supported by design choices and system arrangements that facilitate end-of-life options. Design for afteruse emphasizes modularity, standard interfaces, disassembly-friendly construction, and clear labeling, enabling easier maintenance, upgrading, sorting, and recycling. It is often reinforced by policies and programs such as extended producer responsibility, take-back schemes, and material recovery targets.

Challenges include ensuring economic viability, coordinating logistics, achieving high-quality recovery, and addressing contamination and mixed streams. Measurement relies on indicators such as after-use recovery rates, salvage value, circularity metrics, and life-cycle greenhouse gas impacts.

Examples include electronics take-back and refurbishing programs, remanufacturing of automotive parts, furniture refurbishment, and textile recycling initiatives. Overall, afteruse aims to close loops within the product life cycle and reduce reliance on virgin resources.