A study of the potential of value retention processes (VRPs) for Resource Efficiency

This document is a report on the work carried out on behalf of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - Innovate UK to assess the current state and better understand the future potential of VRPs across the UK. This baseline information is essential to inform technology and innovation needs, policy options and recommendations to enable UK VRPs to contribute towards a more sustainable, lower carbon, and more circular economy, as well as creating high quality jobs in a digitally-enabled future.  

Remanufacturing and other VRPs (refurbishment, repair, and direct reuse), have been identified as a way to reduce waste and other adverse environmental impacts through prolonging the useful life of a product or its components. In addition, these activities can have enormous economic and social benefits: they are generally labour-intensive and demand skilled labour. This study, conducted in collaboration with KTN and University of Brighton, has been carried out to provide the first estimate of the size and scope of UK VRP activities, quantify the potential benefits of VRPs in the UK, and to identify barriers to the growth of these markets