Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

Design for Circular Economy

Assessment Task 1

1.1 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

Functional analysis paragraph:

The functionality of this specific flashlight can be broken down into a variety of factors,
including but not limited to; function, ergonomic features, materials, technology, and build
quality. These factors determine the suitability of this flashlight for a circular economy,
meaning that it can or cannot, be sustainably produced, used, and recycled or remanufactured
in a sustainable manner to reduce the impact of this product’s lifecycle on the environment.

Functions:
This flashlight can be used in various environments due to its simple, compact design. The
small size means it is easy to carry on your person and convenient to hold in a single hand
while performing a task inferred by Dillion Morrison (2023). The singular button makes using
the flashlight simple, as there is little room for error when operating the device, a single press
turns the flashlight on, and a second press turns it off.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

Ergonomics:
As previously stated, the pocket flashlight is easy to use as a result of its simple design and
compact shape. It does not cause any inconveniences when transporting the flashlight, it fits
neatly into the majority of pockets and has a strap that allows you to keep the flashlight
attached to your wrist for ease of use when performing a task that requires both hands.

Materials:
The aluminium housing for the internals is cheap and simple to manufacture, meaning that
high quantities can be produced in a short period of time. However, the housing is also not
durable, and while it can be recycled, this process would require more energy and resources
than producing another housing from scratch. The aluminium used in the production of these
specific pocket flashlights is low-grade aluminium, meaning that while it is cheap and easy to
manufacture with, it also results in a low lifespan for the material before it becomes unusable
for remanufacturing, as stated by the Australian Aluminium Council (2023). The light source is
an LED (Light emitting diode) which is cheap and easy to produce and last for long periods of
time, meaning there is a much smaller need for them to be remanufactured and put back into
the production process.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

Technology:
The circuitry inside the pocket flashlight is very simple, using only a LED component, a battery
housing and a button mechanism. Each of which is simple, compact and cheap to produce and
manufacture. Nick Poole (2018) stated that LEDs are a power-effective method for producing
light as it does not draw as much power as other alternatives.

Build Quality:
The quality of the build is less than ideal for a product that is supposed to last for extended
periods of time. The lack of durability in the main material for the aluminium housing can lead
to corrosion of the colour coating and even to the product's structural integrity. The price of the
pocket flash itself may be an indicator that the build quality was not the focus during the
design process for this item, and it would demand a higher price point if it was built for longer
term use.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

1.2 PRODUCT FREQUENCY OF USE AND IMPORTANCE OF USE

From our personal experiences and research, the pocket flashlight has proven to be more of an
optional product, although it still has occasional uses. In most modern households, flashlights
have almost wholly become outdated due to the abundance of easily accessible lighting, such
as the lightbulbs installed in every home or the torch functions on our mobile phones. As a
result, flashlights have struggled to compete with these other options due to their lack of
efficiency and convenience. However, even with the significantly reduced usage, flashlights still
find some usage in particular applications where standard, convenient lighting is not
accessible. These uses can include using a torch whilst camping, during power outages or
specific jobs such as repairing a vehicle. All in all, it is evident that even though flashlights are
being used less nowadays, they will always prove to be a better option during certain
circumstances where phones or house lighting fall short.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

1.3 PRODUCT LIFE EXPECTANCY AND REPAIRABILITY

This product has a long-term life expectancy due to its rare usage and adequate durability.
This statement is proven through the article "How Long Does a Flashlight Last?" by Panther
Vision (2021), where they state that LED lightbulbs have an expected life of "50,000 to
100,000 hours", which shows that if treated with care, LED flashlights can be expected to
work for roughly eleven years. Furthermore, my personal experiences with the product prove
this to a degree, as my pocket flashlight has lasted around five years and is still in perfect
working condition. Its only flaws are evident in the red metallic paint, where some visible
scratches are visible on the outer surface.

For the most part, taking apart the flashlight and putting it back together was very
straightforward and quick, as the interior was easily accessible from the screw-off tail cap.
Removing the cap allowed access to the inner torch housing, containing the battery pack and
LED circuit board. With easy access to the torches' core components, further breaking down
was not required for user-repairable issues. However, the only components that required more
technical disassembly were those that were encased behind or within secured parts, such as
the lens and tail cap. These components include the inner switchboard in the tail cap and the
lighting system at the front of the torch containing the lens, reflectors and LEDs.

The product contains simple visual language to communicate which parts require user or
specialist repair. User repair items are communicated through the accessibility of the inner
flashlight housing, where standard individuals are allowed access to the more basic
components, such as the battery pack. On the other hand, Specialist repair items can be found
in areas of the torch that are sealed from the user, such as those located in the tail cap and
behind the lens. The flashlight also displays symbols in certain parts, such as the battery pack,
where the positive and negative icons can be seen to assist the user with identifying which
direction the batteries should be slotted in and what type of charge each segment of the
battery pack conducts.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

1.4 PRODUCT END OF LIFE EXPECTATIONS

At the end of the flashlight use, the product components are usually disposed of in one of
three methods, disposed into landfills, recycled into new products or sent back to the
manufacturer to be remanufactured into more flashlights. We expect most of these portable
flashlights will likely be incorrectly discarded as rubbish. Here the flashlight components are
then added to landfills, where they slowly decompose and contribute to the land and air
pollution produced by these areas. The flashlight batteries have the most severe impact due to
the toxic metals used in them, which further adds to this pollution issue.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

2.1 MATERIALS REVIEW AND ORIGIN

Copper:
Copper is used in the circuitry as it conducts electricity very effectively and can be obtained
from copper distributors for a relatively cheap price compared to the alternatives available.
Copper is a very reactive metal, and so it is difficult to obtain pure copper in the natural world
as it combines with substances around it to form new compounds. There are multiple methods
of producing pure copper, but the one used most often in Australia is called solvent extraction
electrowinning (SX-EW). This process involves breaking up ores with copper percentages and,
in a stage referred to as “leaching” by the Geoscience Australian Government (2016), the
copper minerals out using a sulfuric acid solution. The now copper-filled sulfuric acid solution
is then removed, and the pure copper can be extracted from it, the pure copper is then smelted
to produce ingots, wire, sheets, piping, etc.. for use in a variety of applications around the
world. The production of copper is not a sustainable practice as the process itself is very
resource and energy intensive, additionally the ores and minerals collected are a limited
resource to begin with.

Aluminium:
The production of aluminium has 3 main components which are; Bauxite mining, Alumina
Refining, and Aluminium Smelting as stated by the Australian Aluminium Council (2023). The
two most important processes in this process are Bauxite mining and Alumina refinings
because these two processes produce raw aluminium, which can then be smelted into a vast
variety of shapes and used in hundreds of applications. Bauxite mining, while not a sustainable
source of bauxite, only has small impacts on the environment due to the Australian Aluminium
Council’s policies regarding the restoration of the land where dig sites are placed. Alumina
refining involves procedures called digestion, clarification, precipitation, and calcination, which
are listed processes by the Australian Aluminium Council (2023) are all sustainable practices
because while they may use additional substances to refine the alumina, “the additional
material retains its chemical characteristics”(AAC, 2023) and can be used again after finishing a
cycle.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

Rubber:
Synthetic rubbers have been produced since the 19th century, and the chemical components
can be altered to produce different characteristics within the rubber, for instance, the rubber
used in tires is much harder than the rubber used in the button cap for this pocket flashlight.
This is done through a process called Vulcanization (W. Lee. L, 2017) which joins a specific
number of molecules together within the structure of the rubber to create different variations
of rubber. The rubber is produced from a procedure called polymerization which links
molecules together to form a very chemically stable substance with specific characteristics, like
the maluablilty of this specific rubber. The vast majority of rubbers can be recycled and
remanufactured into different products once they undergo the process of devulcanization,
which decouples the individual molecules in the polymer and returns it to a usable state.
Unfortunately there are huge proportions of the world’s rubber and polymers that do not get
recycled and are simply discarded when the end of their product lifecycle comes. The process
of recycling rubbers starts with the collection, the rubber is then shredded and sorted, then the
devulcanization can occur. After this process has been completed, the rubber can be
remanufactured into any product the manufacturer deems necessary, writes W. Lee. L (2017).
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

2.2 MATERIALS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The production and disposal of flashlights generally have a considerably sizeable ecological
footprint throughout their lifecycle, from production to disposal. The flashlight comprises five
primary materials, metals, strings, plastics, glass and rubber. However, the material in
flashlights that most significantly harms the environment during production and disposal is
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. Although before these stages, large areas of land
and trees are destroyed to produce factories for producing and recycling this product.

Production
During the production of plastic, a significant amount of pollutants are produced and released
into the atmosphere and in waterways. According to the article 'The plastic-production
problem' by the 'Centre of Biological Diversity' (2018), over one hundred chemicals are
released during the production of plastic, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
These chemicals can harm nearby flora and fauna, causing them to get sick, die or relocate,
interrupting the local ecosystem. Additionally, if these petrochemical facilities are located
nearby communities, people can experience potential health problems such as asthma, lung
cancer, brain and organ damage, vomiting, diarrhoea and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore,
the process of converting fossil fuels into plastics can also pollute nearby water sources, as
these facilities produce tiny plastic pellets that can often fall into rivers and oceans. As a result,
these toxic bits of plastic are often consumed by birds and fish, causing them to fall ill and
commonly die. Moreover, due to the long decomposing time of plastic, these pellets can
usually affect entire food chains in the long term according to the blog by Hughes (2022)
plastic can take roughly twenty to five-hundred years to break down.

Disposal
If disposed of correctly and recycled, the plastic switch and battery case can then proceed to be
sent to recycling facilities to be melted down into their basic form and then used to produce
new products, or they can be sent back to the manufacturer to be reused for more flashlights.
Additionally, they can be used as a source of energy to produce electricity or heat, though this
incineration method releases toxic fumes that harm the surrounding environment and the
ozone layer (Cho. R, 2012). However, according to a study by the OECD (2022), globally, only
9% of all disposed plastics are recycled, and 19% are used incinerated for energy.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

On the other hand, if disposed of incorrectly, the plastic parts will contribute to the
ever-growing landfills and cause significant harm to the environment. This group of plastics
make up 49% of all disposed of plastics (OECD, 2022). Whilst in landfills, these plastics can
release pollution into the water and soil of the surrounding environment. As a result, it poses a
long-term threat to the area around landfills, which is currently un-recoverable and
uninhabitable by local vegetation and wildlife.

The remaining 22% of plastics are mismanaged or litter, which has the most severe
environmental effects (OECD, 2022). These plastics impact the most extensive area out of the
other disposal methods due to widespread littering worldwide. This rubbish can transverse
long distances due to winds, animals consuming them or ocean currents. This plastic affects
the environment worldwide, killing millions of oceanic and terrestrial animals that consume it,
polluting oceans and lands, taking up space and releasing toxins into soil and vegetation
(Twice the Ice, 2021). This pollution affects not only the external environment but also us as
the microplastic gets into our water sources and foods and ruins our towns and cities by
littering them with rubbish. All in all, plastic is a significant issue in our society, and it is vital
that we minimise the use of this resource in order to benefit the world.
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

3 Bibliography

Australian Aluminium Council 2023, How Aluminium is Made, Australian Aluminium Council
LTD, Viewed 22nd March 2023, <https://aluminium.org.au/how-aluminium-is-made/>

Australian Aluminium Council 2023, Recycling, Australian Aluminium Council LTD, Viewed
22nd March 2023, <https://aluminium.org.au/australian-industry/recycling/>

Centre for Biological Diversity, 2018, The Plastic-Production Problem, Viewed 23rd March
2023,
<https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/plastic-production/index.html#:~:text=End%20
the%20Fracking%2Dfueled%20Plastic%20Boom&text=Plastic%20pollution%20takes%20a
%20huge,water%20and%20on%20our%20plates>

Cho. R, 2012, What Happens to All That Plastic?, Viewed 23rd March 2023,
<https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2012/01/31/what-happens-to-all-that-plastic/>

Geoscience Australian Government, 2016, Earth Sciences for Australia’s Future: Copper,
Australian Government Geoscience Australia, Viewed 22nd March 2023,
<https://www.ga.gov.au/education/classroom-resources/minerals-energy/australian-mineral-fac
ts/copper>

Hughes. M, 2022, How long it takes everyday items to decompose, Viewed 23rd March 2023,
<https://www.forgerecycling.co.uk/blog/how-long-it-takes-everyday-items-to-decompose/>

Morrison, D, 2023, 10 Parts of a Flishlight with Diagrams: for beginners, Outlighter, viewed
18th March 2023, <https://outlighter.com/parts-of-a-flashlight/>

OECD, 2022, Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall
short, says OECD, Viewed 23rd March 2023,
<https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-mana
gement-and-recycling-fall-short.htm#:~:text=Globally%2C%20only%209%25%20of%20plas
tic,recycled%20while%2022%25%20is%20mismanaged>

Panther Vision, 2021, Viewed 18th March 2023,

<https://www.panthervision.com/2021/01/28/how-long-does-a-flashlight-last/#:~:text=How
%20Long%20Do%20LED%20Flashlights,longer%20than%20most%20flashlight%20bulbs>
Alexander Ghidella - 22026048 Jackson Hawkins - 22073383

Poole, N, 2018, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDS), Sparkfun, Viewed 22nd March 2023,
<https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/light-emitting-diodes-leds/all>

Twice the Ice2021, 5 Ways Plastic Harms the Environment, Viewed 23rd March 2023,
<https://www.twicetheice.com/blog/5-ways-plastic-harms-the-environment/>

W. Lee. L, 2017, Neoprene Vs. Natural Rubber, Sciencing, Viewed 23rd March 2023,
<https://sciencing.com/neoprene-vs-natural-rubber-7443733.html>