Electronic Equipments 1 The Use example essay topic

Introduction Electrical and Electronics products are now commonly found all around the world and the number is on the rise. The amount of such products that is being disposed is also on the rise. There is a concern on the environmental effect by such products that is being disposed as well as when it is being manufacturer. This is because most of these products contain either harmful substance or non bio-degradable materials which cause an impact on the environment. For these reasons, regulations and directives are being set up to safe guard and prevent more harm from being done to the environment. This report would be discussing on the harmful effects by traditional manufacturing and some of the regulatory and directive being set up around the world.

Also, responses from the electronics industry with regards to the directives and regulations would be discussed. 1 Traditional manufacturing of electronic equipments 1.1 The use of soldering lead Solder comprised of tin and lead is currently a fundamental material joining electronic components to circuit boards in the assembly of almost every type of electronic product. Worldwide, over 20 million pounds of tin-lead solder are used annually. [1] 1.2 The manufacturing of PCBs In the process of making PCBs using the 'subtractive' process, the circuit pattern is created by chemically etching copper from the unprotected (non-circuit) areas of the copper-coated panel, leaving circuit traces protected with photo resist.

Etching can be accomplished with acids or bases, depending on the etch rate and the line width required. The most commonly used et chant is an aqueous solution of ferric chloride (Fe Cl 3), used at temperatures over 50 ^0 C. Fe Cl 3 is acidic, relatively cheap, comparatively innocuous and versatile, attacking aluminium, copper, iron, nickel and their alloys. However, the spent et chant and its rinse water contain heavy metal ions such as nickel and chromium which are hazardous to the environment and most difficult to render harmless. Approximately 60% of the copper on the board is removed in the typical etching process.

As the copper content of the et chant increases, the et chant cannot effectively remove the copper from the board, and it is considered spent. The copper-saturated, spent et chant is stored in drums or a tank, and is ultimately shipped off-site for reclamation. Even in situations where the copper is recovered and the et chant is regenerated by the waste hauler, this waste stream may be an environmental hazard. Transportation of the spent et chant and its ultimate disposition may pose environmental risks and result in increased liability for the PCB facility. 1.3 Disposal of electronic equipments Electronic equipment is considered hazardous because of the presence of lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and some types of retardants. For example, some monitors can contain up to 27% lead.

There are four main ways which electronic equipment can be disposed. They are incineration, resale, donation and recycling. Destruction of electronics equipment means incineration. Businesses are allowed to dispose of their hazardous waste in this manner, but the destruction then falls under more restrictive hazardous waste rules. The incineration process yields some environmentally dirty residue and it is thus not an entirely green option. Superficially, resale, looks like a good option.

It generates profits for the company, the buyers are happy, and the electronics are disposed of. However, liability and administration concerns become an issue. Properly administering a sales program takes time and paperwork, and one has to consider whether used electronics sales are really what the company is in business to do. Donation is also a valid option.

However, electronics are classified as hazardous waste at end of life, and saddling the recipient of the equipment with a disposal liability is an ethical issue. The best arrangement would be to record details of the donation in writing, with an agreement by the recipient to once again properly dispose of the equipment at the end of life / use. Donating without tracking opens up liability issues, and tracking creates considerable additional administrative workload. Recycling is the best answer to electronics disposal in most situations. A business's liability ends with the recycler. The tracking and handling is the responsibility of the recycler, freeing the equipment's original owner from the administrative hassle of tracking the electronics.

This implies a cheaper alternative to destruction. This encourages companies to recycle. Recycling reuses materials, without creating additional environmental poisons. Ultimately, it is good for a company's public image, and is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[2] 1.3. 1 Spent et chant disposal Some 18% of companies disposed of used ferric chloride et chant through waste contractors for land filling. Landfilling of liquids is a practice which is not encourage as the hazardous heavy metal ions in the waste et chant could escape and subsequently pollute underground waters. The liquid is therefore usually treated by 'stabilization and solidification' to form sulfides which are trapped in a solid matrix and cannot be leached out. Most of the companies (59.0%) sent liquid waste et chant to the chemical companies for reclaim or recycle, as it is not cost effective for them to carry out this task in their own plants. Normally, valuable metals are reclaimed before the waste ferric chloride is recycled to be used as a raw material for another process.

For example, in the USA, copper in the waste et chant is first removed by cementation on used tin cans. After oxidation of the resultant ferrous chloride, ferric chloride is then used as a starting material to leach out copper from mined copper ore. Some 10.2% of companies precipitate out the heavy metals in the waste et chants in-house and, after passing through a filter press, the metals present in the solidified waste filter cake are reclaimed. This is done by a third party who combines the waste with other industrial waste of a similar composition and sells it as a feedstock to smelters.

Disposing of the solidified filter cakes at a landfill site was the other option of waste disposal which accounted for 12.8%1.4 Contribution to environmental pollution Incineration is one way of disposing waste by burning it at high temperature. Combustion reduces the volume and weight of waste that has to be disposed of in landfills. Additionally burning of waste generates energy which can be used for power or heating. However, incineration produces toxins and heavy metals. When these toxic compounds are released in the atmosphere during the combustion of waste, they may end up harming people, wildlife and the environment. Although specially engineered and costly incinerators have been produced to minimize atmospheric pollution, the problem has not been solved.

The expensive filters which are being used to stop pollutants from being released in the atmosphere, when they get saturated with highly toxic compounds, they are disposed off in landfills. Water can be contaminated from the hazardous compounds which precipitate on its surface. Soil can be affected in a similar manner as well as from the land filling of ashes and smoke cleaning residues. Municipal waste combustor's release a number of pollutants, including cadmium, lead, mercury, dioxin, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Dioxin and mercury are of particular concern because they are toxic, persist in the environment, and bio accumulate.

Diseases such as cancer and other health problems have been associated with the ingestion and accumulation of these long lasting chemicals in the human body. Landfilling and incineration produce emissions which contribute to climate change. Landfills produce one third of the methane emissions responsible for this climate change. 1.5 Effects on health 1.5. 1 Air pollution Air can be contaminated with pollutants from factories, vehicles, power plants, and other sources. These pollutants have long been a major concern because of the harmful effects they sometimes have on people's health and the environment.

Their impact depends on many factors, including the quantity of air pollution to which people are exposed, the duration of the exposures, and the potency of the pollutants. The effects of air pollutants can be minor and reversible (such as eye irritation) or debilitating (such as aggravation of asthma) and even fatal (such as cancer). 1.5. 2 Lead, Chromium and Mercury Found in batteries and computer monitors, lead is microscopic and invisible to the naked eye. Though lead poisoning may affect anyone, but children are more susceptible to lead poisoning all over the world 4. Exposure to lead at an early age can cause the child to have reduced IQ, learning disabilities, stunted growth, mental retardation, and at extreme levels, death can result. For adults, fertility, memory and nerve disorders can result.

[3] Though small amounts of Chromium is essential to normal glucose, protein, and fat metabolism, long term exposure can lead to gastrointestinal effects in humans and animals, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and hemorrhage. It can also result in reproductive complications like, gross abnormalities during childbirth, reduced sperm count and low fertility. Finally, 5 epidemiological studies of workers have clearly established that inhaled chromium is a human carcinogen, resulting in an increased risk of lung cancer. [4] Commonly found in alkaline batteries and fluorescent lamps, mercury, also causes adverse health effects to the nervous system, reproductive system and organ failure. [5] 2 Regulation 2.1 Design Directive on the Impact on the Environment of Electrical and Electronic Equipment [6] The intention of this directive is for manufacturer to design and manufacture electrical and electronic equipment ( ) with minimum adverse impact on the environment with regards to the production, use and disposal of the device.

There are a few guide lines in the directive for the manufacturer to follow during the design and manufacturing of the product. 2.1. 1 Design guide line 2.1. 1.1 Design Optimizing Life Span During design phase, optimizing the life span of the product should be taken into consideration. This would ensure all material being used to its full potential. Else, certain parts of the device may fail and this would lead to disposal of the product with parts that are functional. [7] The design should allow upgrade ability with cost as a consideration for the manufacturer.

This allows the life span of the product to be lengthened thus benefiting the environment. It also allow manufacturer to decide the level of upgrade ability the design should have thus not selling at a lost. 2.1. 1.2 Design for reusable Parts of the product should also be allowed for refurbishment hence useable part of the could be used on other device. 2.1. 1.3 Design for maintainability, disassembly and recyclabilityThe manufacturer should opt for design in maintainability, disassembly and as well. This allow ease in replacement of parts, increase the ability for product to be repaired through environmental safe method of disassemble the product. It should also allow parts of the product to be recyclable.

Thus, the overall life span of the product would be increased. 2.1. 1.4 Design with recycle material Any parts of the design that could employ the use of recycle material should be used. This help to reuse the used of recyclable material thus making the developing of the product environment friendly as well. Also, used of material that would adversely damage the environment should be avoided else product would post as an environment hazard after disposal. 2.1.

2 Guide line for manufacturing For the manufacturing of the product, the directive stated that during the manufacturing of the product, the process should optimize the use of all material and minimize the use of energy during production. These reduce the wastage of useful resources. Also, the process of manufacturing should not generate too much waste and pollute the environment. This is an important factor as the harmful effect of pollution has been experienced throughout the world, such as acid rain, air containing toxin substance, and river contaminate with poisonous chemical. By preventing this pollutant, it is not only good to the environment but also to the human. However, in the directive, there is not specific detailed requirement for the manufacturer to meet.

Only basic requirement is stated. There are a few reasons for such approach. Firstly, if there is such detail requirement, there will be time where a company needs to change the whole manufacturing process just to meet that requirement, which is impossible and too impractical. This help to safeguard the manufacturer. Secondly, there would be time where there is no specific requirement for newly introduced material or process thus the company would have no guideline to follow and even if it is environmentally unfriendly, there is nothing the panel can do about it. Thus, if the use of the new material or process were to cause any devastating to the environment, the community could take legal action against the manufacturer. 2.1.

3 Guide line for Conformity Assessment of Product Before any could be placed in the market, a conformity assessment is needed. According to the directive there are two methods for the manufacturer to follow. 1. Produce document regarding the assessment of the product with respect to the directive. The document should include the kind of impact would have on the environment, the life cycle of the product, description of the used of the product and design and manufacturing specification. The manufacturer should also show the impact the product would have on the environment after disposal as well as during the production of the product.

2. Set up an Environmental management system that would define the manufacturer's environment policy and ensure the meet the directive requirements. This ensure the manufacturer follow the guide line stated by the directive and protect the environment and at the same time give option for the manufacturer to choose that would be most economical for them. 2.1. 4 Guide line of Legal Documentation of Product In addition to the guide line, the directive state that the manufacturer is required to keep relevant document of the conformity assessment and the declaration of the conformity for a period of 10 years from the last being manufactured. This allowed any investigation to be carried out when things happen and thus prevent any similar incident to happen again. Also, the person who places the on in the market will still be held responsible for problem arise if manufacturer or the authorized representative is not available.

This help to enforce all party involved in the production and allowing the release of the to the market is conscientious of the action taken by them. 2.2 Report on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (W ) regulatory initiatives based on European Union W [8] 2.2. 1 Regulatory Initiative 1: Prevention Manufacturers are encouraged to design and produce products which can be reused, upgradeable, disassembly and recycled. ISO standards should be followed strictly. For example: ISO 1043-1, 1043-2 and 11469 on plastic products should be applied to plastics component of more than 50 grams. Manufactures should ensure that using hazardous substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, etc) would be reduced and by out on 1st January 2006.

Initiative 2: Separate collection Systems are to set up for householders, companies, organizations to return W to the manufacturers (for upgrading), other organizations (for reusing, disassembling) or recycling companies. When returned to the distributors, private households should have an option to returned W to distributors free of charge Collection and transportation of W should be carried out in the way that maximizes the re-use possibility, for example: discharged lamps, cathode ray tubes, liquid crystal displays should be collected and transported under care to avoid breakage. A minimum rate of separate collection of 4 kg per person per year is aimed at. These proposals shall be in effect from 31 December 2006. Initiative 3: Treatment: Systems shall be set up to treat W, which is separately collected, by competent and certified authorities.

The substances to be treated should include following substances: lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, poly chlorinated biphenyl's, halogenated flame retardants, radioactive substances, asbestos, and beryllium. If the W is treated outside the country, the shipments, delivering and undertakings of the wastes must be under strict controls. Initiative 4: Finance: The costs for collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of W from private households will be borne by manufacturers. Producers must finance collection, treatment and recycling of W put onto the market from August 13th, 2005. For products sold before that date but reaching end of life after this date: household W will be treated by national collective schemes and financed by existing producers.

For business W, producers are obliged to take back one equivalent piece of equipment when selling new one Manufacturers can choose to finance the systems for the products of their own brand only, or to cooperate with other manufacturers to reduce costs. Initiative 5: Information for users: End users should be able to obtain necessary information about: o The return and collection systems available to them, o Their role in contributing to re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment. o Reasons for such directives. Initiative 6: Information for treatment facilities: The manufacturers should provide treatment facilities with sufficient information about identification of different electrical and electronic equipment components and materials and the specific location of dangerous substances. Initiative 7: Information for authorities: Manufacturers should provide yearly information on the amounts of electrical and electronic equipment put on market both by numbers and weights. The equipments should also be classified into categories like: large household appliances (fridge, washing machines... ), small household appliances (hair dryers, coffee machines... ), IT equipment.

Initiative 8: Implementation to national laws Each country should ensure the enforcement of these proposals by implementing them into national laws. Initiative 9: Committee procedure: Committee will help to ensure the directives be adopted scientifically and technically. 2.2. 2 Current status [9]: 1. In Europe: Many European companies have put efforts to establish environmental policies and programs to create green company image. A survey in 1994 in Germany indicated that almost two-thirds of the German companies have conducted or plan to conduct green audit.

In Germany, strict environmental laws have been imposed. However, German companies did not consider this as disadvantages. They think those laws will force companies to establish green procedure ahead of foreign competitors. Thus it will help them to recoup the profit faster in the long run and make them more competitive.

Germany and the Netherlands introduced legislation on recycling electronics waste in 1994. In Sweden, new environmental code was enforced from 1 January 1999. One of the main content is that if recyclers want to recycle more than 10,000 tonnes of W per year, they must have a permit from the County Administrative Board. It means W has to be treated by certified recyclers.

Another main point is land filling of W is banned. Throughout Europe there are many campaigns for better environment. For example: "Vision 2000" launched in 1994 to deal with CRT recycling. "Take back", a national campaign for collecting and recycling old mobile phones has been launched in UK by the European Telecommunications and Professional Electronics Industries Association. 2. In U. S: Although W is not seen a threat in the US, mainly due to low population density and more open ended economy, environmental awareness has arisen.

In 1996, the US Government has outlawed landfill of Nickel-Cadmium batteries. In Massachusetts, the State government banned landfill of CRTs, car batteries. CRTs are collected down to private households so that larger amount of these machines can be reused. Cost for this is very small, up to US$10 per item, and so accepted by most consumers. A more detail study conducted by the US Conference of Mayors has shown that: 79% of cities donated some of the electronics products to schools, nearly half of the cities send electronics equipment to landfills or waste-to-energy facilities, almost half of the cities recycled some or all of the computer components, only 4% removed hazardous components before disposal and many of the cities were not planning to establish the system to collect W separately and recycle due to lack of funding and information. The major difference in the trend of dealing with W between the Europe and the US is that while European countries focus on take-back scheme, the US emphasizes more on Design for Environment (DfE).

However, DfE cannot deal with huge quantities of old W when they reach their life end. 3. Japan: Unlike in Europe and America, environmental movements in Japan are initiated by companies so that they can be ahead other competitors in term of technology, efficiency and long run cost-saving and hence keep them highly competitive on the world market. In May 1997, the Committee on Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling published a report on the future W disposal concern.

The concern basically includes: shortage of land for landfill, cost of recycling, what can and must be recycled. In 1991, a set of standards was passed in Japan for companies as guidelines on how to make products easier to recycle. Comments: Most of the developed countries have seen the problems from W and have taken suitable movements. Although different country may have different approaches to the problems, the common trends are: establishment of separately collecting system down to private households and recycling system, Design-for-Environment which focuses on avoiding and reducing the use of hazardous substances in electronics products. Proposals and laws have been adopted in different countries.

One of which is currently considered the most advanced proposal and future most comprehensive law on this matter is the Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment by the European Union which was discussed earlier. However, there are still many problems that need to be resolved before the proposals can be adopted. First of all is the initial high cost for setting up of collecting and recycling systems, the government and big producers should play a role in this. Secondly is moving towards green design for electrical and electronics equipment. Small companies might be affected due to that since they are not able to bear the cost of changing technology.

A solution for it could be the cooperation between companies. And lastly there might be insufficiency in information for organizations, consumers to adapt to these initiatives, the governments should launch campaigns as well as provide detailed guidelines down to private households. 2.3 Report on ROHS [10] 2.3. 1 Scope This Directive shall applies to electrical and electronic equipment falling under the categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 set out in Annex IA to Directive No 2002/96/EC (W ) and to electric light bulbs, and in households. However, it does not apply to spare parts for the repair, or to the reuse, of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market before 1 July 2006.2. 3.2 Objectives Differences in Laws / Policies: There are differences in the laws / policies adopted by European countries regarding the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

This creates barriers to trade and distort competition in the Community and may have a direct impact on the establishment and functioning of the internal market. Thus, there was a need to approximate the laws of the member states in this field. Pertinently, there was also a need to contribute to the protection of human health, and the environmentally sound recovery and disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment. To combat environmental pollution by cadmium: A strategy to restrict the use of cadmium and to stimulate research into substitutes that can be used should be implemented. The Resolution also stresses that the use of cadmium should be limited to cases where suitable and safer alternatives do not exist. Contents of W will still pose risk to health and environment even after proper disposal: From current evidence, measures on the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of W are necessary to reduce the heavy metal / flame retardants waste management problems.

However, evidence also shows that the content of mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium VI, PBB and PBDE would still be likely to pose risks to health or the environment even if W were collected separately and submitted to recycling processes. Most Effective Way of Significant Reduction in Risks: Taking into account technical and economic feasibility, the most effective way to reduce risks to health and the environment is the substitution of those substances in electrical and electronic equipment by safer materials. This would enhance the possibilities and economic profitability of recycling of W and decrease the negative health impact on workers in recycling plants. Also, product reuse, refurbishment and extension of lifetime are beneficial, hence spare parts need to be available. Hence, member states shall ensure that, from 1st July 2006, new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market does not contain Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) or Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE). National measures restricting or prohibiting the use of these substances in electrical and electronic equipment which were adopted in line with Community legislation before the adoption of this Directive may be maintained until 1 July 2006.

Exemptions from the substitution: However, if substitution is not possible from the scientific and technical point of view or if the negative environmental or health impacts caused by substitution are likely to outweigh the human and environmental benefits of the substitution, then exemptions from should be permitted. Substitution of the hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment should also be carried out in a way so as to be compatible with the health and safety of users of electrical and electronic equipment. 2.3. 3 Status of RoHs From the Ro Hs directive, new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market from 1st July 2006, should not contain Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) or Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE). Thus, many electronics based companies are already on their way to be Ro Hs compliant. Some big names, like Epson already boast of fully compliant processes [11]. Concluding Remarks of RoHs RoHs looks at the overview of the detrimental effects imposed on earth and the environment.

Restrictions imposed on materials used in electronic components will definitely pose as a challenge for all electronics companies. These companies would have to be innovative and creative enough to use other substitutes for their current products and devices. This may result in increased costs and lack of performance of the final product. Ultimately, the company that is unable to rise up to the new challenge will make losses and wind-up. However, from the utilitarian viewpoint, these changes will mean the eradication of many health and environment hazards in the future. Ecological balance is better achieved, and less environmental disastrous phenomenon will occur.

Hence, electronic companies have to achieve a greater level of innovative engineering, for the good of all mankind. 3 Electronics Industry in Response to the Directives by 'Design for the Environment Program' through Lead-free Soldering in Manufacturing 3.1 'Design for the Environment Program' through Lead-free Soldering in Manufacturing " Design for Environment Program' is a voluntary initiative to encourage businesses to incorporate environmental concerns, in addition to the traditional criteria of cost and performance into their decisions, and facilitate continuous environmental improvement through effective behavior changes. Under this program, research has been done in finding potential substitutes for lead in solder. The focus for these substitutes is on the performance they are able to deliver.

Environmental Protection Agency 'Design for Environment Program' has entered into a voluntary partnership with representatives of the electronics industry and interested parties to evaluate the life-cycle environment impacts of tin-lead solder and three promising lead-free solder compositions. The goals of the project include: o Evaluating the environmental impacts of tin / lead solder and selected lead-free alternative solders. o Evaluating the effects of lead-free solders on recycling and reclamation at the end of the electronic product life-cycle o Assessing the leach ability of lead-free solders and their potential environmental effects. The partnership is examining life-cycle impacts of tin-lead solder and using a Life-Cycle-Assessment (LCA) on the following lead-free solders: o 99.3% tin and 0.7% copper o 92.5% tin, 4% silver and 0.5% copper 92.3%tin, 3.4% silver, 1% copper and 3.3% bismuth Using a life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach, the study will generate data to help manufacturers, users, and suppliers of solder to incorporate environmental considerations into their decision-making processes. An LCA examines the full life cycle of a product, and estimates environmental impacts from each of the following life cycle stages: o Raw material extraction and acquisition and material processing o Solder manufactures Solder application o End-of-life disposition Information generated from above project can be used by electronics industry to select lead-free solders that work well for a given application, and that may have fewer impacts on public health and environment. Information can also help to identify areas that need further investigation, help governmental organization to better manage their electronics purchasing and end-of-life disposition From the above, it can be seen through the enthusiasm of the electronic industry in responding to the directives that they are willing to take the issue of what harmful effects that the disposal of an electronic product can cause if it is not handled properly. The spirit of being united and willingness to help out each other can be seen from the above action taken.

[12] 3.2 Other Measures Taken by the Electronics Industry National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NE PSI): A multi-stakeholder initiative; it involves representatives from electronics manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, government agencies and environmental groups. Under this initiative, incentives are provided for manufacturers to design products differently with recycling in mind. This is because, for the manufacturers, the cost implications of the new and proposed initiatives are significant. For example, from 2004, compliance with the new European Union standards on product disposal will increase vendor costs to produce and sell PCs by at least 1 percent. For enterprises, the cost to dispose of a PC today in the United States is approximately $30. If the enterprises engage with a vendor to perform other service work such as sanitizing hard drives, un-installation, and asset tracking, the cost can increase to $120.

Therefore the incentives provided will be able to lower the burden to be shouldered by the manufacturers. The front-end fee is a set amount that consumers would pay as part of the cost of new products, would be placed in a fund to finance the safe recycling and disposal of the electronic products. [12] [17] [18] Hewlett Packard and IBM: Both companies has been offering voluntary take-backs, such as old equipments must be properly packaged for shipping and pay a fee for the service charged. In 1987 Hewlett-Packard established an end-of-life management program. Through this Hewlett-Packard refurbishes and recycles its end-of-life of electrical and electronics products. Recovered electronics are firstly inspected and working parts are removed for maintenance contracts if required.

In 1998 Hewlett-Packard installed a highly automated shredding and separation system. The process has a capacity of approximately three tones per hour and, due to it being capital intensive, needs a steady near-capacity throughput to be cost effective. Recovered steel and aluminum are sold locally to scrap dealers. The plastics are used as a fuel source while the other metals are sent to a copper smelter for recovery of precious metals and copper [15] [17 [18] Philips Electronics: The company practises environmentally conscious product design (eco design) through all its operations in the USA. It employs life cycle assessment tools to evaluate their products' environmental impact in all stages of life cycle including use, production and disposal. As a result, by the year 2000 Philips expects to have reduced its energy consumption by 25%, use 15% less packaging, implement eco design in all products and impose environmental standards on its suppliers.

Philips actively promotes environmental awareness within its work force, by having annual awards for environmental achievement [13] [15] Hitachi: Along with other Japanese appliance builders, they have begun making its products with fewer components and easier to disassemble. This also reduced the assembly time and lowered the production cost [17] [18]

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