An Eco-Design and Manufacturing Program for Electronic Products with reference to the Energy Using Product (EuP) Directive 2005/32/EC (GHP/050/05)
The electronics industry constitutes a major portion of the Hong Kong and Guangdong economies. Products designed and manufactured here are subjected to fines, taxes and reduction or obstruction of sales in the West due to eco-design issues. Compliance to sustainability requirements will be the key to future product sales in the Europe. After the legislation of EuP, WEEE and RoHs Directive, manufacturers started to realize that they have to consider the environmental aspects of their products as early as product design stage. For this project, products will be chosen from electronic toys, electronic communication device (e.g. PDA), Electronic driven household appliances and professional electronic equipment (e.g. electronic blood analyzer) to study their environmental performance. Tailor-made Product life cycle chart with decision-making points will be developed. Life Cycle Assessment will be used to assess the environmental aspects in different stages of the product life cycle. Subsequently, Eco-profiles will be obtained. Manufacturers may design product based on these Eco-profiles in compliance to the EuP Directive. Seminar on the methods and suggested guidelines for Eco-design and corresponding manufacture of electronics product will be conducted. Case studies will be distributed and discussed and will be made available on websites.
R&D methodology
This project will study the Eco-Design requirements as stipulated in the EuP Directive, and make use of the study results to corporate into manufacturing program for various industrial sectors. The definition of generic Eco-design requirements, according to Annex I of EuP Directive 2005/32/EC, is any Eco-design requirement based on ecological profile as a whole of an EuP without setting limit values for particular environmental aspect. By addressing these requirements, an Ecological Profile (Eco-Profile), which is a description of the critical inputs and outputs (such as materials, emissions and waste) associated with an EuP throughout its life cycle, would be obtained. To evaluate environmental aspect of a product or service system through all stages of its life cycle, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) are usually used. Quite a number of methodologies, such as MET Matrix (Material, Energy and Toxicity Matrix Method), Eco-design Checklist and Ecodesign strategy Wheel, may be used for LCA. The project will choose four electronic products, including 1) Electronic toys; 2) Electronic communication devices; 3) Electronic-driven household appliances and 4) Professional electronic equipment as case studies. Product life cycle chart with Eco-design decision making points will be developed with close reference to the case studies involved. On the other hand, recycling will contribute to Life Cycle Assessment. Technological breakthrough in recycling methodology will lead to alternation of Eco-redesign approach. Eventually environmental parameters of Eco-design may be alternated. The industry of electronic waste recycling in Japan and Europe is running successfully. In this project, study trips will be organized to investigate the operation of these recycling plants. A thorough study will be carried out to report the operation and technology of this recycling industry.
This project will:
- Allow the team to work on four case studies of Eco-design selected electronics products, which will act as show-cases to guide manufacturers practically to meet EU directives / legislations such as EuP Directive (2005/32/EC);
- Provide a working model, which address EuP Directive (2005/32/EC), such as Product life cycle charts with decision making points for eco-design product analysis;
- Help the local industries and SMEs understand the impact of EuP / WEEE / RoHS Directives made to their respective industries;
- Address product Eco-design issues as laid down in the generic requirements of EuP Directive 2005/32/EC;
- Establish the Pearl River Delta as savvy in the area of eco-design.
Deliverable(s)
- To help local manufacturer to comply with WEEE / RoHS directives by adopting Eco-design methodologies, End-of-life investigations, avoidance of hazardous materials and substances and green manufacturing processes;
- To introduce and implement up-to-date tools and software in helping companies to meet EU directives, including examples;
- To carry out case studies on four electronics product types, including i) Electronic toys; ii) Electronic communication devices (e.g. PDA); iii) Electronic-driven household appliances; iv) Professional electronic equipment (e.g. electronic blood analyzer). These case studies will act as show-cases to guide manufacturers practically to meet EU directives / legislations;
- To develop Product life cycle charts with decision making points. The charts will be tailor-made to the four specified product types and are suitable for PRD region. They are also developed to address WEEE/RoHS directives;
- To promote and transfer know-how on recycling of electronic products;
- To develop guidelines for Eco-design implementation which is tailor-made for electronic industry in PRD region (in the form of a monograph / report);
- To conduct training workshop and seminars on Eco-design and methodologies;
- To develop a website providing information on:
- Eco-design case studies for four product types mentioned above;
- Product life cycle charts and Eco-design decision making points, including examples;
- Latest choices of green manufacturing processes and recycling technologies;
- Up-to-date tools and software in helping companies to meet EU directives;
- Gap analysis between EU requirements and companies’ environmental management system;
- Latest relevant regional and national directives and regulation in Europe, US, Japan and China;
- The website will be linked to target users such as Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA), Green Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) and Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI)
Project Commencement Date:
March 1, 2006
Project Completion Date:
February 29, 2008
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Winco K.C. Yung
Tel: (852)2766-6599
Project Team Member:
1. Dr. Winco K.C. Yung
2. Prof. T.M. Lee
3. Ir. Albert Choi
4. Prof. Lorraine Justice
5. Prof. Yanta lam
6. Dr. Iiyas Mahar
7. Mr. Eddie Ng
8. Ms. Joanne Shsr
9. Mr. Danny Wong
Sponsoring Company:
1. The Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association
2. Compass Technology Company Limited
3. IDT Technology Limited
4. SGS Hong Kong Ltd.
5. Surface Mount Technology (Holdings) Ltd.
6. Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.
7. G.E.W. Corporation Limited
8. Hong Kong Electrical Appliances Manufacturers Association
Attachment (s)
