Environmental Project, 960 – Environmental Assessment of Product Concept for Electronic Products

Environmental Assessment of Product Concept for Electronic Products

2 Project course

2.1 Phase 1: Needs analysis
2.2 Phase 2: Developing a draft method
2.3 Phase 3: Workshops
2.4 Phase 4: Implementation of changes and integration in the Eco-design Guide
2.5 Phase 5: Dissemination

2.1 Phase 1: Needs analysis

At the beginning of the project the participated companies were interviewed about their expectations regarding the results from the project.

2.2 Phase 2: Developing a draft method

A draft method that can evaluate the environmental issues of an electronic product has been developed. It is not been the ambition to create a new innovative methodology. In the development of this method, focus has been on:

The needs of the participating companies
Those circumstances that are specific for electrical and electronic products
The integration of the methodology in the existing structure of the Eco-design Guide [1].

The objective has been to cover issues that might be quantified at a later stage in the product development procedure as well as issues that are difficult to quantify. Examples of the latter are factors like future legislation, expectations and requirements of customers, investors and other stakeholders who contribute to the success of the company and its products. Questions such as: `does the product contain harmful materials that might be the object of public attention or in other ways attract negative attention?' and, `what is the environmental impact of the product compared to products with similar functionality from competitors?' have been asked. The objective has been to develop a systematic approach, which ensures that all the important environmental aspects that might be relevant to the product are addressed.

2.3 Phase 3: Workshops

The draft method was discussed with the companies and the draft was revised. The revised draft was tested on the case products. This was a two-step process:

A workshop was held at each of the participating companies. Here the initial assessment was started. After the workshop the companies completed the assessment.
A joint workshop was held where all three companies participated. Each company presented their results and experiences from applying the method. Potential changes were discussed and consensus about the necessary changes was achieved.

2.4 Phase 4: Implementation of changes and integration in the Eco-design Guide

Based on the feedback from the joint workshop, the methodology was amended. The method was integrated into the Eco-design Guide [1] and the necessary adjustments were made.

2.5 Phase 5: Dissemination

The results of the project have been disseminated via:

A presentation for the “ITEK Miljø-ERFA” group of the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI).

An offer to give a presentation has been given to the Danish Electronics Panel (”Elektronikpanelet”).

A presentation has been held at AUC (Aalborg University) and an offer to give a presentation has been given to educational institutes in Sønderborg (University of Southern Denmark and Copenhagen (Technical University of Denmark).

The method was integrated into the Eco-design Guide and made available free of charge from the web [1]. The new Assessment method can be used directly on the web-site or the entire Eco-design Guide can be downloaded with a view to running the application from a single PC or from the company's intranet.