The concept of “planned obsolescence” contributes significantly to modern junk production.

Planned obsolescence is the practice of designing products with a limited lifespan to encourage frequent replacements. This approach is common in industries like electronics, fashion, and appliances.

Examples:

• Smartphones: Many devices are designed to become outdated within a few years due to software updates or battery degradation.

• Light Bulbs: The “Phoebus cartel” of the 1920s agreed to limit the lifespan of light bulbs to just 1,000 hours, even though longer-lasting bulbs existed.

• Fast Fashion: Low-cost, trendy clothing is made to wear out quickly, generating enormous textile waste.

Impact:

• Planned obsolescence contributes to millions of tons of waste annually, with e-waste being one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally.

• It has led to calls for sustainable design, repairable products, and stricter regulations to reduce unnecessary junk.

This practice shows how consumer culture and industry strategies fuel the global junk problem.