Introduction to EcoDesign
 Adopting EcoDesign measures for considering
environmental issues through the whole product chain
 EcoDesign seeks to prevent pollution from the source
during product development
 EcoDesign is a way of thinking – and needs appropriate
tools and methods
 EcoDesign is a business opportunity
Life cycle thinking
A product’s life cycle comprises ...
 raw materials acquisition
 components production
Cradle to grave approach to
 product assembly
assess the environmental
performance of products and
 distribution, retail, packaging
services
 product use
 (refurbishment)
 (reuse)
 end-of-life
plus: all related transports!
Product design effect on environment
 Production, distribution, use and end of life management
of energy-using products causing impacts on the
environment
 Approx. 80% of all product-related environmental impacts
are determined during the product design phase
 Considering environmental aspects in the design phase is
a effective approach to improve products
Entry points for EcoDesign
 Manufacturing. Increase efficiency
 Procurement. Reduce auxiliaries variety, avoid
hazardous materials
 Marketing. Green sells better
 Research and development. Create innovative products
 Environment, Health & Safety (EHS). Improve
production, improve working conditions
 Quality management. Reliable products instead of throwaway products
Benefits from Being Green
The business point of view
 Competition
 Market pressure
 Public opinion
 Customer requirements
 Customer safety
 Green sells better
 Innovation
 Cost savings









Risk reduction
Employee motivation
Ecolabeling programmes
Companies responsibility
Corporative communication
Supply chain relationship
Product quality
Legislative regulations
Voluntary agreement
Benefits from Being Green
The business case: Better Energy Systems (UK)
 Philosophy: “Better Energy Systems is a leading
manufacturer of portable renewable energy products.
We are committed to using the most effective means to
develop and distribute environmentally conscious
products to the global economy.”
 “Through our work we aim to educate the consumer on
the functionality and profitability of environmentally
designed products.”
– In contradiction to frequently heard argument: “customer does
not ask for green products”
Benefits from Being Green
The business case: Better Energy Systems (UK)
 Product:
Solio – Solar Charger for mobile devices
 Combining aesthetic appeal with being green:
“cool and environmentally friendly”
 Macworld Best of Show Award 2005
 Solar charger is a perfect product for an
environmentally conscious product
 Plus educating the consumer through
a very informative webpage: www.solio.com
Benefits from Being Green
The business case: Better Energy Systems (UK)
 Eco-design activities:
– Toxicity analysis and energy assessment
performed together with Fraunhofer IZM
– Identifying improvement potentials
– “give more than we take” philosophy targets at:
“over its lifetime, Solio will ideally produce more energy than
energy used in its construction.”
– CO2 neutral production by tree planting in developing countries
(FutureForests)
Environmental work in business
IPP related environmental work is based on life cycle
thinking:
 Environmental Management Sysytem of own operations
 Systematic supplier management
 Integration of EcoDesign in product and process
development
 Sound end of life practice for product
What is IPP
 Integrated Product Policy (IPP) is a key strategy for EU
environmental policy
 Integrated Product Policy (IPP) seeks to minimise
environmental impacts by looking at all phases of a
products' life-cycle and taking action where it is most
effective
 The life-cycle of a product covers all the areas from the
extraction of natural resources, through their design,
manufacture, assembly, marketing, distribution, sale and
use to their eventual disposal as waste.
Aspects of IPP
 IPP involves many different actors such as designers,
industry, marketing people, retailers and consumers.
 IPP attempts to stimulate each part of these individual
phases to improve their environmental performance.
 IPP is based on a variety of tools - both voluntary and
mandatory
 IPP include e.g. economic instruments, substance bans,
voluntary agreements, environmental labelling and
product design guidelines.
Subject for IPP/Ecodesign in
electronics
Characteristics of electronics – “green” benefits
 Shrinking products, from hardware to software
•
•
•
•
Miniaturization
Concentration (of information and data, e.g., MP3 player)
Digitalization
Portability
 Function integration (Value added functions)
 Electronic transport versus mechanical transport
 Global village – virtual global network
Green public procurement
 Public procurement constitutes on average around 12%
of EU GDP (gross domestic product)
 Great potential for using public procurement to improve
the environmental performance of products throughout
their life cycle
 Product declaration / labelling a criteria in contract
specifications
 National legislation in several EU member states require
green public procurement
Benefits from Being Green
Consumer Awareness
• Results of a study in Germany (2004):
• Are you willing to pay more for environmentally benign
products?
definitely yes
10
rather willing
53
rather not willing
26
not willing
11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
• Note: that does not mean, that “green” products have to be
more costly
EU Policy and Legislation
focus: product
Integrated
Product Policy
focus: enterprise
aspect specific
regulations
 EcoDesign:
EuP framework
directive (draft)
 energy labelling
directive
 several directives
planned
 already existing
energy efficiency
directives
 e-waste: WEEE
 material bans: RoHS
 (automotives: ELV)
 environmental
management:
EMAS
RoHS in Detail
Member States shall ensure that, from 1 July 2006, new
electrical and electronic equipment put on the market
does not contain
 Lead
 Mercury
 Cadmium
 Hexavalent chromium
 Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or
 Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
... more substances under discussion
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm
Legal bans of Hazardous
substances in electronic Products
and Parts
Products and Product Parts with specific legal bans
 Electrical and electronic equipment (mercury,
cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, PBBs, PBDEs)
 Electrical components (halogenated aromatic
compounds)
 Plastic Parts (butadiene, acrylonitrile, cadmium
compounds, OBDE, PeBDE)
 Insulation materials (CFCs and halons)
WEEE in General
 Take back requirements
 Recycling quotas
Background





Amount of WEEE: 6 mill tons per year in the EU
Trend: 3 to 5% increase per year
Collection, treatment and recovery rates low
Treatment often difficult
WEEE contains:
– heavy metals, problematic chemicals like flame retardants
– valuable materials like precious metals, copper, tin
WEEE in Detail
Annex I A: Scope
 Large and small household appliances
 IT and telecommunications equipment
 Consumer and lighting equipment
 Electrical and electronic tools
 Toys, leisure and sports equipment
 Medical devices
 Monitoring and control instruments
 Automatic dispensers
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm
WEEE in Detail
Parties involved
 Only if you are a “distributor” or “producer” you are
obliged to follow the requirements of the WEEE directive
 If you are a (component) supplier, the rules are not
directly relevant to you
 … but care for the requirements, which will be passed on
in the supply chain by your customers!
WEEE in Detail
Rates for collection, recovery, recycling
Separate Collection ≥ 4 kg per inhabitant and year
from households (per country)
Large household appl.,
automat. dispensers
≥ 80 w.-% recovery
≥ 75 w.-% re-use*, recycling
ICT, consumer electronics
≥ 75 w.-% recovery
≥ 65 w.-% re-use*, rec.
Others
Small household appl., lighting equipment, electrical and electronic tools (without large-scale
stationary industrial tools), toys, leisure and sports equipment monitoring and control
instruments
≥ 70 w.-% recovery
≥ 50 w.-% re-use*/rec.
*Until dec. 31, 2008 entirely re-used EEE not accounted for rates!
WEEE in Detail
Producer responsibility
 WEEE from private households (B2C):
– Producers install systems for take back free of cost for final user, at least
take back from public collection points
– Individual or collective systems possible
– Producers take over cost of re-use, recycling, disposal
– Distributors voluntarily (but free of cost) may take back WEEE
 WEEE from other than private users (B2B):
– Producer has to offer appropriate possibility for take back for B2B
customers
– Producer responsible for collection, re-use, recycling, disposal, and costs of
„new“ WEEE
WEEE in detail
Product design
 Encourage design and production of EEE with respect to easy
dismantling and recovery
 Foster reuse and recycling of WEEE, components and materials
 Assure that design features or manufacturing processes do not
hinder Reuse
– unless such specific design features or manufacturing processes present
overriding advantages,
– for example, with regard to the protection of the environment and/or safety
requirements.
 It’s up to the creativity of the member states, how to set right
“measures”
WEEE in Detail
Recycling technology requirements:
Selective Treatment (Annex II)
 General removal of PWBs from mobile phones
 Removal of PWBs larger than 10 square-cm
 Removal of LCDs (larger than 100 square-cm), plastics with brominated flame
retardants, batteries, mercury containing components etc. etc.
 Remember: From 2005 on you as a manufacturer will be obliged to pay for
this treatment!
– adapt your product design to make selective treatment an efficient process!
WEEE in Detail
Product information for recyclers
 producers have to provide reuse and treatment information for each
type of new EEE put on the market within one year after the equipment is
put on the market
 this information shall identify, as far as it is needed by reuse centres,
treatment, and recycling facilities,
 the different EEE components and materials,
 the location of dangerous substances and preparations in EEE
Product Information for Recyclers
 Example:
Recycling passport
developed in a
German project
 Major recycler
involved
ferromagnetic steel
ferromagnetic steel
coated
4,23 kg
stainless steel
7,25 kg
>PS-HI-FR<
coated
0,65 kg
zincated, coated
14,85 kg
>PS-HI-FR<
coated
3,10 kg
Lithium-Battery
hazardous substance free, non-removable,
Printed circuit board on inner right front door
>ABS<
0,55 kg
LCD-Display
stainless steel
0,50 kg
Integrated with keyboard
>ABS<
0,81 kg
>PS-HI-FR<
Lithium-Battery
hazardous substance free, non-removable,
integrated on Gemini-PCB, left printed
circuit board located in VME rack, inner left
front door
coated
2,83 kg
Excerpt from recycling passport (project PROMEKREIS)
EuP Directive in General
Overview
 Energy using Products (EuP) directive is a framework
directive which form the basis for future product specific
directives
 The directive has been adopted 6 July 2005
 Harmonization of EU laws through compliance with
CE-marking
 EU eco-labelled products are assumed to fulfill the EuP
requirements
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/eco_design/index.htm
Benefits from Being Green
Eco-Labels
Status of eco-labelled products as of end of 2002
Country
Product groups
Firms
Products
Germany
94
995
3114
Nordic Countries
69
1275
4098
Spain
29
150
944
Austria
44
334
645
France
15
47
443
The Netherlands
69
257
360
EU
21
185
576
(reference: Rubik, 2004)
Benefits from Being Green
Eco-Labels - Example: The “Blue Angel”
 First official national eco-labeling scheme worldwide,
launched in 1978
 About 3.800 products and services
 Approx. 710 label users in Germany and abroad are
permitted to bear the Blue Angel
 Electronic product range:
• mobile phones, portable and stationary computers
Energy Efficiency
EU Energy labelling directives
Product categories




Refrigerators, freezers
Electric ovens
Air conditioner
Lamps




Dishwashers
Washer-driers
Tumble driers
Washing machines
(all household appliances)
Example: Washing machines - Improvements achieved
 Water consumption for 5 kg coloured laundry:
1965:
1990:
2004:
180 l
75 l
<40 l
(note: label introduced 1995)
Benefits from Being Green
Business point of view
 Be compliant! Example: Entertainment equipment OEM
– In December 2001 Dutch customs stopped imports of a entertainment
equipment due to elevated Cadmium levels in cables, exceeding legal
thresholds
– Consequences: serious losses for 2001 Christmas sales, OEM
exchanges cables at 1.3 million devices
– Lessons learned: OEM launched a Green Partnership Initiative with
strict requirements for suppliers
• being a “Green Partner” now is a major business benefit
 Legal compliance is a “must”!
– it is up to you to apply smart strategies to comply with legislation and to
generate business benefits simultaneously
Next: Content – What is addressed – legal framework
Communication strategy
 Ensure, that customers knows about our goal and
visions for ecodesign
 Sales division include this communication in dialogue
with customers
 Goal and visions shall be expressed in written as
documentation
 Important to communicate progress with ecodesign in
product development, neverless the results hasn’t been
achieved yet
The Business Case: TWINflex®
 developed by: Würth Elektronik
 printed circuit board in MicroVia technology using foil
technology with flexible materials, such as polyimide or
Liquid Crystal Polymer
 flexible in form and function: suitable for high density
flexible, flex-rigid and three dimensional circuits
 foil circuit board could be mounted on a homogenous plastic
or metal substrate
Conventional multilayer PCB
© Würth Elektronik
TWINflex: substrate and circuits seperated
The Business Case: TWINflex®
The Business Case: TWINflex®
Environmental Aspects
 TWINflex® separates mechanical and electrical functions of the usual
printed circuit board
 Expensive materials (like noble metal) can be regained in an efficient way
 Other materials can be dismantled easily and reused without any
preparation
 Reduction of end-of-life costs through easy separation (preparation for
WEEE implementation)
 Applications of harmful substances during the production-phase can be
limited by TWINflex® drastically
Key issues in EcoDesign
 Materials (renewable resources and hazardous
substances)
 Manufacturing processes
 Energy consumption (low energy consumption)
 End-of-life (reuse and recycle)
Materials
General recommendations:
–
–
–
–
Use as few different types of materials as possible
Avoid dangerous and hazardous substances
Avoid using materials characterized as scarce resources
Use materials which can be recycled in the established
recycling systems
– Reduce consumption of materials, avoid over-dimensioning
– Reduce packaging
– Reduce spillage and waste
Legal bans on hazardous
substances
Products and Product Parts with specific legal bans
 Electrical and electronic equipment (mercury, cadmium, lead,
hexavalent chromium, PBBs, PBDEs, Sulfur hexafloride (SF6))
 Batteries (mercury, cadmium, lead)
 Electrical components (halogenated aromatic compounds)
 Plastic Parts (vinyl cloride, butadiene, acrylonitrile, cadmium
compounds, OBDE, PeBDE)
 Insulation materials (CFCs and halons)
Energy Consumption (1)
Example Personal Computer
–
–
–
–
Frequent-use product (maybe even “always-on”)
Very complex, most of the product is electronics
B2C
Lifetime average 3-5 years
 Environmental aspects - Energy-efficiency
– For reasons of simplification: Focus only on energy
(primary energy) as “environmental indicator”
– Main unit without peripheral devices (monitor, mouse, keyboard
etc.)
Energy Consumption (2)
Personal computer
 Production
– Transportation: 50 kWh (global supply chains!)
– Electronic assemblies:
• ICs
• PCBs
• Passives / miscellaneous
– Motors, fans
– Housing, etc
 In total approx. 535 kWh
Energy Consumption (3)
Personal computer
 Use-phase
– Depends on lifetime, use patterns, use of energy saving modes,
stand-by
– Example: 4 years average use of a Pentium III PC
 In total roughly 1.600 kWh*
*Note: also calculated as primary energy
Energy Consumption (4)
Personal computer
 End-of-life
– Assumed: state-of-the-art recycling, recovering secondary raw
materials (mainly steel, copper, precious metals, aluminium)
– Calculation: benefit of replacing primary material
 In total approx. 70 kWh
– Why is it so much less than the energy used for production?
• Recycling logistics, but even more:
• IC manufacturing cannot be compensated
Energy Consumption (5)
Personal computer
 Lessons learned
Primary energy
consumption
Large influence of use
patterns – use your
influence on product
use!
Improving
production is even
more important!
Production
Use
Recycling
Don’t rely on proper
recycling as your main
eco-design activity
Summary: Get Started …
6 RE Philosophy
 Re-think the product and its functions, e.g. the product may be used more
efficiently.
 Re-duce energy and material consumption throughout a product’s life
cycle
 Re-place harmful substances with more environmentally friendly
alternatives
 Re-cycle. Select materials that can be recycled, and build the product
such that it is disassembled easier for recycling.
 Re-use. Design the product so parts can be reused.
 Re-pair. Make the product easy to repair so that the product does not yet
need to be replaced.
[UNEP Guide to LCM]
Eco-design tools: Checklists
 Example: Product use
What is the product‘s energy consumption compared with competitors‘
products?
Does your product have energy saving features?

lower

yes

same

higher


no
under
development
Do you use batteries / rechargeable batteries in your product?

no

yes
Do you know, which rechargeable batteries for your specific application
are the most environmentally benign ones? (recharge cycles, materials)

yes

no
Do you motivate the customer to reduce unnecessary stand-by?

yes

no
Are your energy saving features state of the art and easy to use?

yes

under
development

no
Screening the whole product life cycle (1)
 MET Matrix
Material Cycle (M)
Production and
supply of materials
and components
End product
manufacture
Distribution
to customers
Product use
Product end-of-life
Energy
Toxic Emissions (T)
Consumption (E)
Screening the whole product life cycle (2)
…and don’t forget to consider frame work conditions
Benefit
Environment
1st option
2nd option
3rd option
...
nth option
Business
Feasibility
Customer
Societal
Technical
Financial
How to do EcoDesign?
A Guideline for integration eco-design in a product
development process: ISO/TR 14062:2002
 Provides concepts and current practices relating to
integration of environmental aspects into product design
and development
 Goal: Improvement of environmental performance of
products
How to do EcoDesign?
STAGE 1:
Planning
STAGE 2:
Conceptual
STAGE 3:
Detailed Design
STAGE 4:
Testing / Prototype
STAGE 5:
Market launch
Decreasing influence on
environmental impacts
Feedback / continuous
Stages of Product
Development
Process
STAGE 6:
Product Review
(reference: ISO/TR 14062:2002)
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 What is the product idea?
STAGE 2:
 What are the priorities for thisConceptual
product?
STAGE
3:
 Totally new product or product
improvement?
Detailed Design
– When planning a product improvement, the former generation
STAGEfor
4: all improvements
might be an appropriate benchmark
Testing / Prototype
 Overall company strategy
STAGE 5:
Market launch
 Consider business environment:
Customer / market
needs, legislation, eco-label planned,
STAGE 6: market niches,
Product Review
competitors products…
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 Integrate eco-design
STAGE 2:
aspects when drafting
Conceptual
the specification for a productSTAGE 3:
Detailed Design
 Check feasibility (technological,
financial)
STAGE 4:
 Apply e.g. guidelines, checklists
to refine the
Testing / Prototype
specification
STAGE 5:
Marketchain
launch
 Communicate with your supply
STAGE 6:
Product Review
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 Apply eco-design tools and data bases
STAGE 2:
Conceptual
 Find alternatives for materials
to be avoided
STAGE 3:
 Life cycle scenarios
Detailed Design
 Design for assembly / disassembly
STAGE 4:
Testing / Prototype
STAGE 5:
Market launch
STAGE 6:
Product Review
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 Check whether a realistic implementation of
STAGE 2:
environmental requirements Conceptual
has been achieved
 Adaptations and changes in the
design
if necessary.
STAGE
3:
Detailed Design
 Benchmark with former product generation
STAGE 4:
Testing / Prototype
STAGE 5:
Market launch
STAGE 6:
Product Review
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 Communicate environmental excellence of your product
STAGE 2:
Conceptual
 Communicate related features:
quality, life cycle costs
STAGE 3:
 Raise awareness among consumers
Detailed Design
STAGE 4:
Testing / Prototype
STAGE 5:
Market launch
STAGE 6:
Product Review
How to do EcoDesign?
Feedback / continuous
STAGE 1:
Eco-design activities
Planning
 Evaluate success of the product
STAGE 2:
 Identify further environmentalConceptual
improvements for next
product generation
STAGE 3:
Detailed Design
 Which innovations are next?
STAGE 4:
Testing / Prototype
STAGE 5:
Market launch
STAGE 6:
Product Review