Thank you for your important question about sustainability and our urban benches. We completely share your concerns about environmental responsibility, which is why we've developed a comprehensive end-of-life plan that aligns with circular economy principles.
When our urban benches reach the end of their service life, we employ a multi-tiered approach. First, we assess each bench for potential refurbishment and redeployment to other locations where less demanding use is expected. For benches that cannot be refurbished, we've established a meticulous recycling protocol where we separate all components - metal frames go to specialized recycling facilities, wooden slats are repurposed into wood chips for landscaping or biofuel, and any plastic elements are processed for material recovery.
We specifically design our benches with disassembly in mind, using standardized connectors and avoiding permanent adhesives to facilitate this process. Additionally, we maintain a take-back program where we responsibly manage the entire disposal process, ensuring nothing ends up in landfills. Our goal is to achieve 95% material recovery rate for all retired benches by 2025.
We're constantly researching new ways to incorporate recycled materials into new bench production, closing the loop in our product lifecycle. Your concern for sustainability drives us to continuously improve these processes, because we believe beautiful cities and environmental responsibility should go hand in hand.