UNEP’s foresight brief on design for disassembly (DfD) frames DfD as a practical, high-impact technique within circular ecodesign. DfD reduces shredding and downcycling by enabling whole components or modules to be removed intact for reuse or remanufacture. The brief lays out the core practices (mechanical fasteners vs. adhesives, standardized connectors, modular assemblies and clear documentation), quantifies environmental and economic benefits (higher material recovery value, lower processing energy) and catalogs barriers (product complexity, cost pressures, lack of standards, proprietary designs and missing incentives for OEMs).

For electronics, UNEP stresses that software and data considerations must complement hardware DfD (e.g., ensuring firmware is upgradable so hardware need not be replaced). It examines industry cases and technology enablers (marker tags, mechanical design patterns) and suggests policy levers: procurement rules favoring disassemblable designs, ecolabel criteria, EPR-linked incentives, and tax or funding support for DfD R&D. Importantly, UNEP highlights workforce and infrastructure needs — repair networks, standardized training and tools — without which DfD value cannot be realized. Overall, the brief positions DfD as a pragmatic, high-return design strategy that requires coordinated policy, standards, and business model shifts to scale.