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      Repair, maintenance and recycling

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can explore how the repair, maintenance and recycling of products can be encouraged.

      Key learning points

      1. Design decisions can influence the environmental impact at the repair, maintenance and recycling stages.
      2. Methods of recycling can be creative.

      Keywords

      • Design decisions - a deliberate choice to meet a requirement or solve a problem

      • Upcycling - creating something new from something obsolete

      • Modular design - a design approach where a product is made up of separate, interchangeable parts or modules

      • Maintenance - regular care and small fixes to keep a product working properly and lasting longer

      • Obsolete - a product that is no longer used or useful

      Common misconception

      Repair, maintenance and recycling is the sole responibility of the user.

      Design decisions made at the design/redesign stage can determine the ease and ability of a product to be repaired, maintained and recycled.

      Teacher tip

      Have a look around homes/schools for products that can be repaired or maintained and then products that have been manufactured from recycled materials or upcycled. We bet your D&T department is full of great examples!

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, what percentage of a product's environmental impact is influenced by decisions made at the design stage?

      60
      70
      Correct answer: 80
      90

      Q2.
      Which of these products helps reduce waste during the product in use stage?

      disposable plastic water bottles
      Correct answer: reusable beeswax wraps
      non-rechargeable batteries
      single-use coffee cups

      Q3.
      A design approach where a product is made up of separate, interchangeable parts is known as what?

      iterative design
      Correct answer: modular design
      life cycle design
      innovative design

      Q4.
      A product’s life cycle when following a linear economy can be defined as ...

      Correct answer: cradle to grave.
      cradle to cradle.
      grave to cradle.
      linear to circular.

      Q5.
      Which are examples of products that follow a linear economy?

      clothing made from recycled polymer bottles
      rechargeable batteries
      Correct answer: disposable nappy
      Correct answer: single use straws

      Q6.
      Regular care and small fixes to keep a product working properly and lasting longer is known as ...

      Correct Answer: maintenance

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      What are standard components or fixings?

      Correct answer: ready-made parts like screws, zips, or knock down fittings
      bespoke parts like screws, zips, or knock down fittings
      specialist parts like screws, zips, or knock down fittings

      Q2.
      Which of the following is a design decision that helps prevent a product from becoming obsolete?

      using specialist parts
      designing products with sealed, non repairable parts
      Correct answer: creating modular designs with replaceable parts
      gluing all components permanently together

      Q3.
      When a product can no longer be maintained or repaired, a decision must be made as to whether it should become waste or be ...

      Correct Answer: recycled

      Q4.
      Put the process of recycling polymers into the correct order.

      1 - Bottles are recycled by the user.
      2 - Bottles are sorted into polymer categories.
      3 - Bottles are shredded.
      4 - Shredded polymers are washed.
      5 - Polymer manufacturing processes create products.
      6 - New polymer products manufactured and sold.

      To help you plan your 9 design and technology lesson on: Repair, maintenance and recycling, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...