MANUFACTURING Recyclable electronics:
How they can help you meet environmental obligations while developing better products
Emma Armstrong, commercial director and sustainable electronics ambassador at In2tec, says technological innovations can help organisations both tackle harmful ewaste generated by consumers and design optimised hardware for next-generation tech.
A
major part of my role as sustainable electronics ambassador for In2tec is travelling to industry events and listening to executives’ objectives for the technology they use. Two objectives that come up frequently are reducing the organisation’s environmental impact and driving a commitment to innovation, often while battling obsolescence concerns. Many decisionmakers are pleasantly surprised to discover that modular and reusable technology is a path to both. First, let’s look at ewaste:
Scope of the problem
A growing number of organisations have become comfortable tackling their business’ immediate impact on the environment by and minimising resource waste. However, 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 ewaste. Many electronic components are designed for upwards of 25 years of life, but on average are used for less than four years. Material Scope 3 impacts will vary by industry and sector, but most companies 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 ewaste generated by the consumer when they replace the product.
It is no exaggeration to say that the environmental impact of ewaste 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 ewaste were produced globally while only 22.3 percent was documented as formally collected and processed. Circularity in the electronics industry has historically been seen as economically unviable
32 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
because of technical challenges. The stress caused to desoldered 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 a lot of value and are costly in terms of emissions and energy.
Ewaste recycling can also involve hazardous materials and chemicals that require proper handling and disposal to protect workers and the environment. Ensuring the correct sorting and disposal of electronic waste can be time-consuming and expensive. With all this to consider, it
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