Product ban versus risk management by setting emission and technology requirements: The effect of different regulatory schemes taking the use of trichloroethylene in Sweden and Germany as an example

This report highlights the opportunities inherent in smart regulatory measures to effectively reduce risks related to hazardous substance emissions and exposure, and underscores the danger of simplistic and ineffective policy. The example of different regulatory approaches used in Germany and Sweden to regulate the use of trichloroethylene was taken as the basis for the study. During the 1990s, due to environmental, health and safety considerations, the use of trichloroethylene in Europe was a subject of broad concern. As a consequence, the use of trichloroethylene became regulated through multiple approaches, such as labelling, handling regulations and performance standards. Since that time the absolute emissions of trichloroethylene in Europe have been decreasing consistently in all member states. These results were achieved by various regulatory measures governing the use of trichloroethylene in industrial applications that have been introduced by individual Member States. However, given the implementation responsibility at Member State level not all member States have implemented the same set of regulatory measures. In Germany, for example, the use of trichloroethylene is regulated through strict technical standards for equipment and emissions that has required companies to replace existing old machines with the state-of-the-art equipment. In Sweden a general ban on trichloroethylene use was introduced in 1996, which however eventually evolved into an exemption permit system for companies that found no alternative to degreasing with trichloroethylene. --

The ICT role in resource conservation and rebound effects

Abstract Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector takes a leading role in the new Economy experiencing an unprecedented growth rate. The author discusses environmental impacts focusing on resource consumption. In spite of increasing miniaturisation and resource efficiency of electronic products their consumption is growing threatening to give rise to rebound effects in material and energy consumption. The author addresses the problem and complexity of both direct and system-level effects from the ICT sector and discusses the role of government in coping with the potential environmental impacts

Product ban versus risk management by setting emission and technology requirements: The effect of different regulatory schemes taking the use of trichloroethylene in Sweden and Germany as an example

This report highlights the opportunities inherent in smart regulatory measures to effectively reduce risks related to hazardous substance emissions and exposure, and underscores the danger of simplistic and ineffective policy. The example of different regulatory approaches used in Germany and Sweden to regulate the use of trichloroethylene was taken as the basis for the study. During the 1990s, due to environmental, health and safety considerations, the use of trichloroethylene in Europe was a subject of broad concern. As a consequence, the use of trichloroethylene became regulated through multiple approaches, such as labelling, handling regulations and performance standards. Since that time the absolute emissions of trichloroethylene in Europe have been decreasing consistently in all member states. These results were achieved by various regulatory measures governing the use of trichloroethylene in industrial applications that have been introduced by individual Member States. However, given the implementation responsibility at Member State level not all member States have implemented the same set of regulatory measures. In Germany, for example, the use of trichloroethylene is regulated through strict technical standards for equipment and emissions that has required companies to replace existing old machines with the state-of-the-art equipment. In Sweden a general ban on trichloroethylene use was introduced in 1996, which however eventually evolved into an exemption permit system for companies that found no alternative to degreasing with trichloroethylene

Nordic Post-Graduate Sustainable Design and Engineering Research from a Supervisor Perspective

The multi- and interdisciplinary field of sustainable product innovation is rapidly expanding as an arena for scientific research. Universities in Nordic countries can be considered as an exponent of this type of research, with active research groups in, among others, Göteborg, Helsinki, Lund, Lyngby, Linköping and Trondheim. In the context of a Nordforsk funded project, seven second generation PhD supervisors from these universities, who have been active in this field for many years, discuss funding, publication, research traditions, education and supervision practices related to PhD research in this field. A number of recommendations to improve current practices are made, including the mapping currently existing differences in different academic institutions, studying the cross-over learning effects between academica and non-academic partners, and the development of ‘quality indicators’ of research in the SPI domain

Sustainable lifestyle choices in food and their rebound effects

The urgency of addressing the sustainability crisis requires a comprehensive approach encompassing both technological advancements and changes in human behavior. Food represents a crucial domain where everyday choices closely intertwine with environmental and social impacts. This study investigates the interplay between sustainable food strategies and rebound effects, which refer to the reduced effectiveness of measures due to economic and psychological responses following efficiency improvements. Drawing from the "EU 1.5-degree Lifestyles" project, we identified nine impactful strategies through a literature review and expert interviews. These strategies include minimising food waste, consuming tap water instead of bottled alternatives, reducing animal-based products, adopting vegan and vegetarian diets, and choosing organic, seasonal vegetables and fruits and food sharing. The findings from this study are valuable for policymakers seeking to develop effective and sustainable food policies while mitigating rebound effects. By understanding the rebound mechanisms associated with individual food strategies, policymakers can enhance the overall effectiveness of their measures and address the sustainability crisis more systematically

Urban Sharing in Shanghai

This city report is the result of a Mobile Research Lab conducted online in Shanghai during spring 2020. The Mobile Research Lab involves a combination of methods, including case studies, interviews, observations, expert panels, and in-situ field work. This report presents insights gained by the Urban Sharing research team Oksana Mont (PI), Andrius Plepys, Yuliya Voytenko Palgan, Matthias Lehner, Steven Curtis, Lucie Zvolska and Ana Maria Arbelaez Velez

Urban Sharing in Toronto

“Urban Sharing in Toronto” explores the landscape of the sharing economy in the city context. This research is a result of a Mobile Research Lab conducted by 8 researchers from Lund university in 2019. Specific focus is on three sectors: sharing of space, mobility and physical goods. For each sector, we discuss the drivers and barriers to the sharing economy, the associated sustainability impacts, the potential impacts on incumbent sectors, and the institutional context of sharing. Then, attention is turned to the role of the city council in engaging with the sharing economy and specific governance mechanisms employed by the city council are described. Since the sharing economy is not sustainable by default, urban sharing organisations, city governments and incumbents all have important roles to play in ensuring that the sharing economy positively impacts cities and their citizens. In the face of negative perceptions and possible impacts of the sharing economy, we may need to be more deliberate in thinking in terms of scaling the sharing economy to the size, needs, and capacities of cities. In this report we provide five recommendations to the City of Toronto and its citizens.Insights contained within this report may support the City of Toronto and other Sharing Cities, as well as urban sharing organisations and third-party actors in Toronto and beyond in their strategic work with the sharing economy for sustainability

The environmental impacts of electronics. Going beyond the walls of semiconductor fabs

The growing complexity of integrated circuits and increasing component density place higher requirements for raw material and clean room standards, which demand significant amounts of energy. In spite of these developments, semiconductor facilities managed to reduce their energy intensity measured per product unit. At the same time, the impact of increasing circuit integration on upstream life cycle stages, such as chemical manufacturing, is not clear. Due to a lack of data, most of the existing LCA studies do not include chemical-related processes into their system boundaries, which leads to an incomplete picture of semiconductor environmental aspects. The increasing material purity requirements may contribute to shifting the centre of manufacturing-related environmental impacts from circuit fabrication to raw material production stages. This article points to insufficient knowledge of environmental issues related to ultra-pure chemical manufacturing. The problem is illustrated by an example of energy demands for the silicon chain and wet chemicals. The paper discusses the feasibility of using material price as a proxy for production energy intensity and proposes a framework for collecting process related energy data. The author suggests that by mapping the patterns of chemical usage and focusing on high-grade materials consumed in large volumes it is possible to reduce data collection efforts and improve the existing energy estimate