Renere Teknologi i Elektronikbranchen

Summary

The scope of this report is to analyse the processes, the results and the diffusion of the cleaner technology projects in the electronic industry in order to document the results from the present efforts; but also to gain experiences to the benefit of the future product-oriented environmental activities. The report has been made based on literature studies as well as interviews with relevant companies and consultants. The content and conclusions of the report are summarised in brief below.

Presenting the problems

Over the recent years there has been an increased focus on the environmental impacts from electronic products seen in a lifecycle perspective, whereas earlier the focus mainly was on the impacts from the production. For electronic products the choice of materials and the stage of disposal is important because the products contain many different materials. Several of the materials frequently used are hazardous to the environment and human health when burned and disposed, and many of the materials are made of non-renewable and limited resources. The waste can be difficult to handle, because electronic products often are constructed in a way that makes recycling of materials difficult. In addition electronic products have a relatively high environmental impact in function due to the electricity consumption which is also of importance when the product is in a stand-by mode.

Projects on electronics

Initiators

The consultants have in all the finished projects been among the initiators. The companies’ motivation has mainly been an expectation of demands from authorities and the possibility to be in front of the general development concerning the environment. Regarding the projects not yet finished, the companies have been initiators in two out of three projects. All in all, industries have been project responsible in five out of ten projects.

Barriers

All companies and consultants have a positive interpretation of the projects, even though there have been some barriers connected to the projects’ implementation. One main barrier raised by consultants were the companies’ uncertainty towards changes. In other cases it has been difficult to collect environmental data for use in the environmental assessment, which among other things was caused by resentment from the suppliers. One project was furthermore affected when one of the contributing companies went bankrupt.

Good results

Environmental profile

In an investigation of the diffusion to rest of the electronic industry we asked about the attitude and knowledge towards the environment in 20 electronic companies. The environmental profile for these companies can be described that only a few companies have an environmental policy, less than 1/3 put environmental demands to their suppliers, and ¼ had introduced a kind of environmental management.

In general there was a good understanding of cleaner technology among the companies, but the knowledge about the specific projects was relatively limited. However, there was ample knowledge of conductive adhesives and this project has produced extensive information materials. However, the knowledge is not only due to this information as the technology has been known for years and there was a similar Nordic project. The cleaner technology project contributed by pointing out that the environmental performance in a life cycle perspective from conductive adhesives was to be preferred rather than using tin solder that contains lead.

Environmental concerns

The majority of the companies in the electronic industry do not think that the customers put emphasis on the environment, and therefore environmental concerns are not considered a competitive advantage. Two out of four companies found that the customers do not consider environmental impacts at all, and furthermore ¼ found the customers’ interest limited. Environmental concerns regarded as a competitive aspect in this industry thus seem to have quite a long prospect. This could be one of the reasons for the limited interest in environmental assessment of the companies’ products.

Product-oriented angle

The cleaner technology projects in the electronic industry can be characterised by a product-oriented angle. In this way there is already created an experience in the field – however primarily with applying life cycle assessment methods of the environmental impacts of electronic products. The main experience in this area was that it is a difficult and time-consuming process to collect data for assessment of complex electronic products.

Limited diffusion

The investigation of the diffusion of cleaner technologies indicated a limited interest in the results of the projects from other companies in the electronic industry. The lack of interest can partly be due to the limited demand for environmental friendly electronic products. Furthermore, the investigation also showed that companies in the electronic industry do not consider environmental concerns as a competitive asset.

Improve the platform

The investigation also showed that it is still necessary to encourage the companies to systematic pollution prevention activities regarding cleaner production and environmental management systems. It is questionable if the electronic industry at this point is ready to apply the developed guidelines for integrating environment concern in product development. After all some companies have now, or in the near future, the competencies for a product-oriented environmental effort. However, some of these companies seem hesitant as to whether new materials, techniques and methods can improve the company’s products.

Based on these conclusions the following recommendations can be given:

1. Wider diffusion with broader dissemination

Dissemination

The investigation of the diffusion showed that the results of the projects have been relatively limited diffused – partly because of limited interest from other companies. Thus a higher degree of diffusion of the experiences from the cleaner technology projects is necessary, in order that ‘good examples’ can motivate other electronic companies to a greater environmental effort. A trade project can clarify how a product-oriented effort can be initiated in the industrial sector, and dissemination can secure that tools and experiences are well-known by all relevant industries and actors. It is also important that the dissemination of experiences is not only limited at the technical employees in the companies, but also include the management and other groups.

2. Joint environmental data – a necessary foundation

Environmental data

Several cleaner technology projects have focused on providing environmental data to the product-oriented environmental effort, but the updating has been stopped because of limited interest from the companies. However, it is still important to provide a joint foundation of environmental data when the companies in the future are ready for a product-oriented environmental effort. A thorough collection of data is often considered an important barrier for the use of life cycle assessment for small and medium-sized companies. Therefore continuous updating and extension of databases with environmentally relevant data must be supported. This is especially important in the electronic industry characterised by growth and innovation because the data relatively fast is getting old and incomplete.

In this industry it is important to focus on the environmental impact of components. The description of contents of the components could be extended to include environmental data, which for instance could give the customers an opportunity to choose suppliers considering the environmental performance of the products.

3. Test the tools in small and medium sized companies

Small companies

The product-oriented environmental effort in the cleaner technology projects has focused on the methods to assess environmental impacts from products, which are further developed and tested in relatively big companies. It must therefore be tested whether small and medium sized companies can apply these tools; or else the tools must be adjusted from these tests’ experiences.

4. Environmental policy, targets and action plans as springboard

Preconditions

Strengthening the electronic industry’s work with cleaner technology and environmental management can create better conditions for a product-oriented environmental effort. The advantages of environmental management are that the environmental effort is systematised and has focus on continuous improvement and also on letting environmental concerns be deeply rooted in the organisation by the management’s commitment and the employees’ involvement. However, there are examples of companies, who had used the product-oriented environmental effort as a springboard and have reached the same advantages.

Regardless of the approach, environmental policy, targets and action plans are the first steps towards a systematised environmental effort. The investigation of the diffusion showed that few of the 20 companies from the electronic industry had that foundation. A change of this calls for an intensified information effort for instance from industry organisations, local authorities, etc.

5. Test the methods in actual development situations

Implementation

The cleaner technology projects in the electronic industry have focused on using methods to environmental assessment on ‘test-products’. It has procured many useful experiences, but projects in the future must have a focus on design and development of environmental friendly products based on the companies’ needs. It can be reached by including the companies as initiators and responsible for the projects. The support must therefore be given to implementation projects, where the methods are applied in companies as part of the actual development of products, and where environmental concerns are compared with other concerns such as functionality, design, quality, etc.