Johannesburg, 29 Nov 2006
Electronic manufacturers need to use eco design as "an integrated organisational strategy" for value add and e-waste management, said Professor Ab Stevels, of the Sustainability Centre at Philips Consumer Electronics, and chairman for Applied EcoDesign, Delft University of Technology.
He was giving the keynote speech in a teleconference broadcast at the e-Waste Management conference, in Pretoria yesterday.
"In the past, designers were self-confident and thought eco design would do the job, but today we have to combine design, mobilising technology, and looking through the supply chain to the value chain of the organisation to make it successful," said Stevels.
He maintained that the scope of eco design has widened, from just design to an anchor of the business.
"Good eco design requires functionality and a value chain analysis. It needs to focus on business rather than technicalities. It needs to focus on: energy, materials, packaging, chemical content and 'recyclability'," said Stevels.
He added that management needs to take an active role in eco design rather than leave it to the designers. "Eco design must be market-driven and not a competition in green."
Energy reduction a priority
Stevels also criticised current legislation on e-waste management, saying the European Union started with the wrong order of legislation, but is pleased this has been rectified.
"When you're talking eco design - designing for the environment - emphasis has been placed on recycling; however, if you do calculations, eco design should be about energy reduction, the types of material used and recycling," he said.
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