(Sevilla) Unit 5, Circular Economy and Industrial Leadership
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE Directorate B, Growth and Innovation (Sevilla) Unit 5, Circular Economy and Industrial Leadership 1 2 Guide for the Assessment of Material Efficiency: application to smartphones Author(s): JRC – B.5 Date: 19 April 2018 Summary: Improving the material efficiency of products has the potential of bringing added value to the environment and to the economy, by saving resources and avoiding production of waste. However, improved design of products needs to be assisted by appropriate assessment methods. In this context, the Joint Research Centre Directorate B, Circular Economy & Industrial Leadership unit (JRC B.5), has been prepared a methodological guide for the assessment of material efficiency of products (GAME). The methodology is based on the analysis of technical and functional aspects of products, as well as on the definition of life cycle scenarios of assessment targeting environmental and economic impacts, and adheres on practical targets: ñ To identify key material efficiency aspects of products; ñ To propose of tangible improvement measures. This report describe the application of the methodology to the assessment of material efficiency aspects for smartphones, with the aim of compiling a list of possible actions for improving their performance with respect aspects as durability, reparability, upgradability, use of materials and recyclability. This draft report is structured in the following chapters: 1. Product group definition and characterisation (including: scoping, legislation and testing methods of interest, relevant information on market, user behaviour and product); 2. Identification of hot-spots for material efficiency (based on product- specific information and life cycle considerations); 3. Technical analysis and assessment of material efficiency aspects (e.g. durability, reparability, use and recycling of materials); 4. Definition of possible improvement measures; 5. Additional questions for stakeholders. Two written consultations are planned, the first one taking place from 23 April 2018 until 21 May 2018. Please note that at this stage it has been possible to prepare only a draft and incomplete report, mainly focused on the product group definition and characterisation. The goal of the first consultation is to revise and integrate the background information gathered so far and set the basis for the development of the 1 other steps of the study. Depending on your interest in and familiarity with the subjects covered in the report, you may provide input either to all or some parts and questions of the report, by using the provided commenting form. 3 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are purely those of the writer and may not in any 4 circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European 5 Commission. The information transmitted is intended only for the Member State or 6 entity to which it is addressed for discussions and may contain confidential and/or 7 privileged material. 8 2 9 10 Table of Contents 11 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 5 12 1 PRODUCT GROUP DEFINITION AND CHARACTERIZATION ................. 7 13 1.1 SCOPING ........................................................................................................................ 7 14 1.1.1 Product definitions ............................................................................................... 7 15 1.1.2 Product definition proposed ................................................................................. 8 16 1.1.3 Questions for stakeholders ................................................................................... 9 17 1.2 LEGISLATION AND TESTING METHODS ........................................................................ 10 18 1.2.1 Safety ................................................................................................................. 10 19 1.2.2 Chemicals .......................................................................................................... 11 20 1.2.3 Materials ............................................................................................................ 13 21 1.2.4 Functional and performance aspects .................................................................. 15 22 1.2.5 End-of-Life of the product ................................................................................. 26 23 1.2.6 Ecolabels and Green Public Procurement .......................................................... 28 24 1.2.7 Questions for stakeholders ................................................................................. 30 25 1.3 MARKET ...................................................................................................................... 31 26 1.3.1 Basic market data ............................................................................................... 31 27 1.3.2 Key actors .......................................................................................................... 41 28 1.3.3 Costs .................................................................................................................. 43 29 1.3.4 Market drivers and trends .................................................................................. 50 30 1.3.5 Circular business models ................................................................................... 56 31 1.3.6 Questions for stakeholders ................................................................................. 67 32 1.4 USER BEHAVIOUR ........................................................................................................ 70 33 1.4.1 Conditions of user and behavioural aspects ....................................................... 70 34 1.4.2 Product's lifetime ............................................................................................... 81 35 1.4.3 Causes of replacement ....................................................................................... 84 36 1.4.4 Questions for stakeholders ................................................................................. 84 37 1.5 PRODUCT AND SYSTEM ASPECTS................................................................................. 85 38 1.5.1 Design and innovation ....................................................................................... 85 39 1.5.2 Manufacture ....................................................................................................... 85 40 1.5.3 Technological aspects ........................................................................................ 86 41 1.5.4 Limiting states and failures ................................................................................ 91 42 1.5.5 Designs for durability ........................................................................................ 92 43 1.5.6 Repair and upgrade operations .......................................................................... 94 44 1.5.7 Materials ............................................................................................................ 97 45 1.5.8 End of Life ....................................................................................................... 104 46 1.5.9 Networks, cloud offloading and data centres ................................................... 106 47 1.5.10 Questions for stakeholders ............................................................................... 107 48 2 IDENTIFICATION OF MATERIAL EFFICIENCY HOT-SPOTS .............. 112 49 2.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 112 50 2.2 QUESTIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS .............................................................................. 113 3 51 3 TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF MATERIAL 52 EFFICIENCY ASPECTS .................................................................................... 114 53 3.1 TECHNICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................................... 114 54 3.1.1 Product's longevity .......................................................................................... 114 55 3.1.2 Use of materials and recycling......................................................................... 115 56 3.1.3 Preliminary definition of options and measures to improve the material 57 efficiency of the product .................................................................................. 116 58 3.1.4 Questions for stakeholders ............................................................................... 117 59 3.2 ASSESSMENT OF DESIGN OPTIONS ............................................................................. 118 60 3.2.1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 118 61 3.2.2 Questions for stakeholders ............................................................................... 118 62 4 DEFINITION OF POSSIBLE DESIGN MEASURES FOR IMPROVING 63 MATERIAL EFFICIENCY................................................................................ 120 64 4.1 INTRODUCTIONS ........................................................................................................ 120 65 4.2 QUESTIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS .............................................................................. 120 66 6 ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS .................................. 121 67 ANNEX I – ECOLABELLING