Final answer:
DfR stands for Design for Reuse and is focused on creating products that can be easily repurposed for a new function after their initial use, differentiating it from recycling and reassembly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Design for Reuse (DfR) is a strategy in the engineering field that emphasizes creating products with the future end-of-life in mind. The correct answer to the question “DfR is designed for _______.” is c. reuse. DfR encourages designing products so that once they have served their original purpose, they can be easily repurposed for a new function. This approach contrasts with recycling, where materials are broken down and reprocessed into new items, and is different from reassembly, which implies taking a product apart and putting it back together, possibly for the same use. Examples of reuse include turning old clothing into quilts or transforming glass bottles into decorative items.
However, it's important to note that while reuse focuses on finding a new purpose for the same item, recycling involves processing used materials to make them suitable for other uses. Plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate from soft drink bottles, are commonly recycled into products like plastic furniture or carpets. Recycling has been an efficient industrial operation since the 1970s, contributing significantly to the sustainability of plastic production.