an official journal of: published by:
an official journal of: published by:
Editor in Chief: RAFFAELLO COSSU
Home

 

GO TO

DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, BUSINESS MODELS AND DESIGNS USING CIRCULAR ECONOMY THINKING

  • Ian D. Williams - Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • Olanrewaju S. Shittu - Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

DOI 10.31025/2611-4135/2022.16228

Released under CC BY-NC-ND

Copyright: © 2022 CISA Publisher

Abstract

Driven by the UN’s Sustainable Development goals, which has identified the issue of electronic waste growing significantly and the challenges of recycling/reusing electronic components, there is a need to research new possibilities in sustainable and recyclable printed electronic devices. The change in business models and industry and consumer device flows will also have implications. The circular model puts more emphasis back onto producers who have more knowledge to make an impact on the sustainable use of electronic devices than traditional waste management companies. This study, carried out in conjunction with the Arm-ECS Research Centre, explores the intersection of design and the circular economy. The paper identifies circular economy opportunities in the electronics sector via a review of both academic and grey literature and an accompanying SWOT analysis, with a focus on electronic components and the boards/packages (whole sub-systems, parts, materials) that make up electronic systems, and circular business models. Policy recommendations are provided. Challenges to be addressed and overcome in order to implement a transition to circularity for the electronics sector are identified and discussed.

Keywords

Editorial History

  • Received: 07 Jun 2022
  • Revised: 15 Sep 2022
  • Accepted: 03 Nov 2022
  • Available online: 14 Dec 2022

References

Baldé, C.P., Forti, V., Gray, V., Kuehr, R. and Stegmann, P. (2017). The Global E-waste Monitor – 2017, United Nations University (UNU). International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Vienna

Bocken, N. M., Miller, K., Weissbrod, I., Holgado, M., & Evans, S. (2017). Business model experimentation for circularity: Driving sustainability in a large international clothing retailer. Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment. 38, 85-122

Dietrich, J., Becker, F., Nittka, T. et al. (2014). Extending product lifetimes: a reuse network for ICT hardware. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Waste and Resource Management 167 August 2014 Issue WR3 Pages 123–135
DOI 10.1680/warm.13.00024

Esposito, M., Tse, T. and Soufani, K. (2018). Introducing a Circular Economy: new thinking with new managerial and policy implications. California Management Review 60 (3), 5 – 19

European Environment Bureau. 2019. Cool products don’t cost the earth. Available at: https://eeb.org/revealed-the-climate-cost-of-disposable-smartphones/ (Accessed 28/11/2021)

Forti V., Baldé C.P., Kuehr R., Bel G. The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU)/United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – co-hosted SCYCLE Programme, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Rotterdam

Geissdoerfer, M., Pieroni, M., Pigosso, D., & Soufani, K. (2020). Circular business models: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 277, 123741

Gurova, O. et al. (2020). Sustainable solutions for wearable technologies: mapping the product development life cycle. Sustainability 12, 8444.
DOI 10.3390/su12208444

Hagman, L., Eklund, M., & Svensson, N. (2019). Assessment of by-product valorisation in a Swedish wheat-based biorefinery. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 11, 3567–3577

Hajian, M. and Kashani, S.J. (2021). Evolution of the concept of sustainability: from Brundtland Report to sustainable development goals. In: Hussan, C.M. and Velasco-Munoz, J.F. (Eds), Sustainable Resource Management. Elsevier (2021).
DOI 10.1016/c2020-0-0-01655-5

Hunt, C. et al. (2015). Reusable, unzippable, sustainable electronics (ReUSE) interconnect system for the circular economy. National Physical Laboratory Report MAT 75 (January 2015)

Kanda, W., Geissdoerfer, M. and Hjelm, O. (2021). From circular business models to circular business ecosystems. Business Strategy and the Environment 30, 2814 – 2829

Kirschner, M. (2021). Why the Circular Economy Will Drive Green and Sustainable Chemistry in Electronics. Advanced Sustainable Systems 2021, 2100046.
DOI 10.1002/adsu.202100046

Korhonen, J., Honkasalo, A., & Seppälä, J. (2018). Circular economy: The concept and its limitations. Ecological Economics, 143, 37–46.
DOI 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.06.041

Leipold et al. (2021). Lessons, narratives and research directions for a sustainable circular economy.
DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-429660/v1

Meloni, M. (2020). A circular economy for consumer electronics. In: Eduljee, G.H. and Harrison, R.M. (Eds), Issues in Environmental Science and Technology No. 49, Electronic Waste Management (2nd Edition). Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing. Available at https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/chapter/9781788018784-00066/978-1-78801-878-4

Munchen, D.D., Dias, P. and Veit, H.M. (2019). Materials used in electronic equipment and manufacturing perspectives. In: Holuszko, M.E., Kumar, A. and Espinosa, D.C.R (Eds.), Electronic Waste: Recycling and Reprocessing for a sustainable future. Wiley Online Library,
DOI 10.1002/9783527816392

Ongondo, F.O., Williams, I.D. and Cherrett, T.J. (2011). How are WEEE doing? A global review of the management of electrical and electronic wastes. Waste Management. 31 (4), 714 – 730

Ongondo, F.O., Williams, I.D. and Whitlock, G. (2015). Distinct Urban Mines: Exploiting secondary resources in unique anthropogenic spaces. Waste Management. 45, 4 – 9

Osibanjo, O. and Nnorom, I.C. (2007). The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries. Waste Manag. Res. 25 (6), 489 – 501

Pajunen, N. and Holuszko, M.E. (2021). Circular Economy in electronics and the future of e-waste. In: Holuszko, M.E., Kumar, A. and Espinosa, D.C.R (Eds.), Electronic Waste: Recycling and Reprocessing for a sustainable future. Wiley Online Library,
DOI 10.1002/9783527816392

Pierron, X. et al. (2017). Using choice architecture to exploit a university Distinct Urban Mine. Waste Management. 68, 547 – 556

PWC (2021). Circularity as the new normal.
DOI 10.13140/RG.2.2.25761.22885

Shittu, O.S.; Williams, I.D. and Shaw, P.J. (2021). Global E-waste management: Can WEEE make a difference? A review of e-waste trends, legislation, contemporary issues and future challenges. Waste Management, 120, 549 – 563

Wilkinson, A. and Williams, I.D. (2020). Why do (W)EEE hoard? The effect of consumer behaviour on the release of (W)EEE from home entertainment products into the circular economy. Detritus 12, 18 – 33.
DOI 10.31025/2611-4135/2020.14004

Related Contents