This article originally appeared in the March/April issue of Procurement Pro.
By Emma Armstrong, Commercial Director and Sustainable Electronics Ambassador, In2tec
Emma Armstrong, Commercial Director and Sustainable Electronics Ambassador at In2tec, says technological innovations can help organisations procure effective technology that tackles harmful e-waste generated by users.
A major part of my role as Sustainable Electronics Ambassador for In2tec is travelling to industry events and listening to electronics procurement professionals’ objectives for the technology they use. An objective that comes up frequently is reducing the organisation’s environmental impact without compromising profitability, and their frustrations about managing planned obsolescence.
Many decision makers are pleasantly surprised to discover that reusable electronics technology is a viable and cost-effective solution to these problems.
First, let’s look at the scope of the e-waste problem:
The cost of disposable tech
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 2023, an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste were produced globally while only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and processed. 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 of those responsible for procurement don’t even know where to begin when it comes to electronics – but responsibly tackling e-waste does not need to be a taxing, expensive process comprised of e-waste charges and paid-for PCS compliance schemes.
However, emissions from the disposal or recycling of electronic waste, such as computers, smartphones, and other devices, can be mitigated with sustainable electronics that allow the reuse, repair, and refurbishment of electronic devices, and moreover, mitigate component costs and obsolescence risk.
Indirect carbon costs
A growing number of organisations have become comfortable tackling their business’ immediate impact on the environment by introducing energy efficiency measures and minimising resource waste. Yet a significant number say they are struggling to meet Scope 3 emissions requirements, which are indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur from an organisation’s activities but are 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 four. Impacts vary by industry and sector, but most companies generate significant 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.
Sustainable electronics, such as In2tec’s ReUSE and ReCYCLE, allow for repair or easy reclamation of components and substrates at a product’s end of useful life for reuse in next-generation products.
The technology’s versatility also 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.
Opportunity
Procurers will know all too well the difficulties of repairing electronics presented by built-in obsolescence – the deliberate shortening of the lifespan of a product to force people to purchase functional replacements.
Software updates, hardware limitations, and dwindling support will normally put an end to a device’s usefulness after a few years.
However, electronics assembled with ReUSE and ReCYCLE technology are a long-term asset for an OEM, as ReUSE printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) can easily repaired, and the components fully ‘unzipped’ at end-of-life.
The technology’s versatility also allows global commercialisation and a vast reduction in the overall amount of energy used both in manufacture and in process when it reaches its end of life – something that is not possible when using conventional PCBA processes or materials.
Modular tech and modern reclamation techniques mean that e-waste becomes a value chain, not a cost chain, as manufacturers reduce the costs spent on components and WEEE charges and create additional revenue streams through the reuse and resale of valuable components and materials.
Adaptive technology
In2tec’s sustainable electronics have another key advantage – they are not limited by the traditional flat green substrate design of circuit boards that has been in use for decades. The modular concept has enabled innovations in flexible and flexi-hybrid electronics that help industries design technologies with cutting-edge functionality and create intuitive and functional interfaces that are designed to be sleek and elegant, enhance the user experience, and save space and weight.
Removing barriers to design imposed with traditional rigid 2D planar electronics allows optimal aesthetics and functionality while streamlining designs to remove excess material and allows the creation of precise circuit layouts tailored to meet individual electrical and physical design requirements. This provides benefits in the form of a significant reduction in electrical inefficiencies.
ReUSE and ReCYCLE technology 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 through the reuse of components that are then cost and carbon-free.
Businesses need to turn away from disposable tech, built-in obsolescence, and outdated design, and embrace products designed to be disassembled and reused in order to meet their environmental obligations and drive innovation.