Remanufacturing and product design: designing for the 7th generation

The following is taken directly from the research report. This report investigates Design for Remanufacture in terms of both detailed product design and the business context in which Design for Remanufacture may operate. Key Study Objectives • To understand the link between design and remanufacture • To understand how Design for Remanufacture can lead to increased innovation and Sustainable Development (SD) • To identify proactive strategies to further Design for Remanufactur

Considerations about implementation of the Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Directive in Romania

Electric and Electronic Equipment Waste Management has become in the last years one of the most important concerns all over the world regarding environmental protection. For Romania, as for the other countries, members of the European Union, this concern has been intensified by the necessity of alignment to the European directives regarding electric and electronic equipment waste management, especially to the Directive 2002/96/CE. Although the waste quantities collected until now are far away from the goal proposed by EU, progresses have been made in what regards the implementation of an appropriate management system in Romania. This study presents the principal aspects with which European countries confront in implementing this directive and analyses the situation of Romania regarding the stage reached until now but also the main problems appeared during the last years. The paper is the result of the research in project “Modeling the Waste Management System for Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Romania in Order to Optimize the Environmental Impact of the Digital Economy”, code ID_1834, director Nadia Ciocoiu.Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Directive 2002/96/CE, consumer behavior, collecting, recycling

Towards a business model for sustainable supply chain management

Designers make decisions that ultimately impact on both the economic, environmental and social performance of the products and process, and many of these costs and impacts occur across the supply chain. This paper aims to show initials elements of a research which aims to develop an integrated business model for sustainable supply chain management in order to facilitate the business management process in terms of assessment of suppliers and collaboration addressed to the sustainable improvements across supply chain. It is noteworthy that it is an imperative in the current competitive market that companies must be able to manage their entire production chain taking into account sustainable issues as an important factor in their decision processes. Therefore, it is believed that this model can integrate and strengthen a company’s functions and assist its decision processes as well as implement improvements within its supply chain

Rising externality costs and corporate social responsibility. Case: EU legislation on Electric and Electronic Equipment

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to study how we may identify the link between rising externality costs and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by using a market centric approach to CSR. Design/methodology/approach – We use indicators measuring CSR performances triggered by rising externality costs due to the EU legislation on electric and electronic equipment (EEE). The case study includes three leading companies in the global electric appliances industry. Findings – The EU legislation on EEE has increased the externality costs of the electric appliances industry. Some companies only meet the minimum requirements of the legislation, while others go beyond what is required and engage in CSR. We find that the strongest CSR impact is related to output externalities in our sample in the EEE sector, while the strongest CSR impact in the clothing sector, in an earlier study, is related to input externalities. Practical implications – The findings suggest that governments need to adapt their CSR policies not only to general sector specific features, but in addition to the potential for reducing negative externalities in different parts of the value chain in each sector. Original value – This article contributes to a better understanding of how government policies raise the externality costs of industries which in turn lead these industries to strengthen their CSR performance. The study also demonstrates the usefulness of a market centric approach to CSR

The Largest Global Producers of E-Waste And the Need for Change

E-waste, short for electronic waste, is a term used to describe end-of-life electronic products. In recent years there has been a sharp rise in the demand for electronic products, and production has ramped up to meet the demand. A landslide of e-waste is being generated in tandem, exacerbated by increased global access to electronic devices, quickening innovation rates, and device obsolescence. According to projections by the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020, e-waste is the most rapidly growing domestic waste-stream in the world. Due to the hazardous nature of the components contained in many electronic products, the proper handling of e-waste disposal is imperative to protect both the environment and human health. Unfortunately, the proper recycling and disposal of e-waste can be costly, which has resulted in the dumping of e-waste onto economically disadvantaged countries. The dumping of e-waste onto countries with less means to decline it, and without the means to safely dispose of it, leads to negative ramifications for local environments and for the health of local populations. Many countries have imposed regulations attempting to address the issues presented by the global e-waste explosion. In 2018, China enacted a robust ban on solid waste imports. The 2018 ban resulted in over two hundred criminal cases and sanctions being imposed on over eight hundred companies. Although this ban proved effective in reducing the flood of e-waste into China, it revealed that nation-wide bans cannot currently resolve the issue of dumping alone. E-waste which previously would have been transported to China simply was diverted to countries with less regulation. Both China and the European Union have implemented Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations to regulate e-waste. EPR places responsibility for the collection and proper disposal of e-waste onto the producers of electronic products. Despite an extensive and long-standing body of regulation addressing e-waste through EPR, e-waste continues to be one of the fastest growing domestic waste streams. Two methods which may better address global e-waste management are the use of the All Actors Approach and the establishment of ecocide as an international crime

Green Public Procurement for Imaging Equipment. Technical Background Report

The report proposes and substantiates the EU Green Public Procurement criteria for the product group of ‘Imaging Equipment". Green Public Procurement criteria allow public authorities to integrate environmental aspects in their purchasing decisions. The report contains the criteria proposal itself, the underlying scientific evidence regarding the environmental impacts of imaging equipment, and it describes the most important European legislation and labelling schemes relevant for this product group. Discussions with stakeholders from industry, NGOs and Member States have supported the development of the criteria. These contributions are also reflected in the analysis presented in this report.JRC.J.5-Sustainable Production and Consumptio