Emma Armstrong, Commercial Director, and Sustainable Electronics Ambassador at In2tec, says technological innovations can help organisations tackle harmful e-waste generated by suppliers and consumers.
A major part of my role as Sustainable Electronics Ambassador for In2tec is travelling to technology and business events and listening to executives keen to reduce their organisation’s environmental impact but struggling to do so.
Recently, I’ve discovered that many have become comfortable tackling their business’ immediate impact on the environment by introducing energy efficiency measures and minimising resource waste. However, a significant number say they are wrestling to meet Scope 3 emissions requirements, which are indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur from an organisation’s activities, but from sources not owned or controlled by them. The main problem cited is the indirect use of electronics, particularly the harmful effects of e-waste.
Many electronic components are designed for upwards of 25 years of life – but on average are used for less than 4.5, yet components account for over 75% of the embodied carbon in printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs).
Material Scope 3 impacts will vary by industry and sector, but most companies generate substantial emissions upstream through suppliers and raw materials.
For example, an OEM can introduce processes that reduce energy and material consumption during manufacture, but this does not tackle the e-waste generated by the consumer when they replace the product.
It is no exaggeration to say that the environmental impact of e-waste is on a trajectory to become one of the major ecological disasters, eclipsing both plastic waste and chemical waste.
In 2022, an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste was generated globally while only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and recycled. Circularity in the electronics industry has historically been seen as economically unviable because of technical challenges. The stress caused to de-soldered components by the reclamation process can limit the opportunity to regain viable components, and there is no escaping the fact that the widely used methods to recover materials are inefficient, destroy a lot of value, and are costly in terms of emissions and energy.
E-waste recycling can also involve hazardous materials and chemicals that require proper handling and disposal to protect workers and the environment, and ensuring the correct sorting and disposal of electronic waste can be time-consuming and expensive. With all this to consider it is no surprise that many executives don’t even know where to begin when it comes to electronics – but responsibly tackling e-waste does not need to be a time-consuming and expensive process comprised of e-waste charges and paid-for PCS compliance schemes.
Emissions from the disposal or recycling of electronic waste, such as computers, smartphones, vapes and other devices, can be mitigated with ReUSE and ReCYCLE, the sustainable electronics technology that allows the reuse, repair, and refurbishment of electronic devices.
ReUSE and ReCYCLE allow for the complete removal of components and substrates at end-of-life for reuse in next-generation products, such as printed circuit board assemblies that can be fully unzipped or easily repaired.
The technology’s versatility allows global commercialisation and a vast reduction in the overall amount of energy used to manufacture and process when it reaches its end of life – something that is not possible when using conventional PCBA processes or materials. It allows the adoption of circular business models that present a unique opportunity for businesses to create value, lower environmental and human health impacts, and generate profitability. Modular tech and modern reclamation techniques mean that e-waste becomes a value chain, not a cost chain. Manufacturers reduce the costs spent on components and WEEE charges and create additional revenue streams through the resale of valuable components and materials by OEMs and Recyclers.
Businesses need to turn away from disposable tech, built-in obsolescence, and outdated design and embrace products designed to be disassembled and modular instead if they are to meet their environmental obligations.
