1996 Electronics Industry Environmental Roadmap - Civil and ...

Appendix G
(e.g., arresters, capacitors coils, resistors), active (e.g., CODEC circuits, diodes, IC modules, ICs,
smart cards), electromechanical, and a few other key electronic components. In addition to
component evaluation, three products were analyzed: a hearing aid, a mobile telephone, and a
frequency converter. Analytical tools were developed for the quantitative analysis of various
components and the three products. The data collected is captured in the DELTA (Danish
Electronics, Light & Acoustics) 22 database, Paradox. This tool is considered the first step
towards the development/creation of a software-based tool for component selection and
disposition options (reuse, recycle, incinerate).
Swedish Electronics LCA Project
An industry-government cooperative project, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Electronics (1994
- 1995), was carried out to demonstrate the utility and efficiency of the LCA as a tool for investigating
environmentally conscious opportunities in electronics production. Project participants
were IVF, ABB Industrial Systems AB, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB, and Rifa AB. The
participation of IVF (Swedish Institute of Production Engineering Research) was financed by
AFR, the Swedish Waste Research Council. 23
The project included two case studies: (1) an LCA of two capacitors—both functioning to suppress
electromagnetic interference (EMI)—using the EPS method (the Environmental Priority
Strategy, and (2) an LCA on 63/70 tin/lead solder and on a conductive adhesive material with
silver filler material used to attach quad-flat packs on a printed wiring board (PWB). The LCA
comparisons were based on the functions of the two materials as attach materials, not the volume
used, and incorporated data from raw-material extraction to disposal (in Sweden). In both cases,
two disposition options were examined: landfilling and recycling the PWB (i.e., recovering 80%
of the solder and conductive adhesive).
The LCA of the tin/lead solder includes the following stages: tin and lead extraction, solder mixing,
casting, atomization, paste mixing, additives to paste mixing, screen printing, use, and disposition.
The LCA of the conductive adhesive (not commercially available at the time of report
publication) covered: silver extraction, powder production, mill rolling, pre-blend, additives to
the pre-blend, mixing, epoxy addition, screen printing, use, and disposition. The conductive
adhesive studied had an 80%-weight silver content and thermoset epoxy as the basic resin.
The report also provides an appendix that details volumes, price, and environmental loads related
to base- and previous-metals production at the Ronnskar smelter and the Laisvall, Aitik, and Garpenberg
mines in Sweden.
240
The Nordic Council of Ministers 24
22 DELTA, which is affiliated with the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV), is a joint effort of the
ElektronikCentralen, Light & Optics, and the Danish Acoustical Institute.
23 For information on obtaining a copy of the project report, contact IVF at Tel 46 31 706 60 00/Fax: 46 31 27 61
30.
24 The Nordic Council of Ministers is composed of representatives from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and
Sweden. The Danish delegation also includes representatives from the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The
Council has 87 members, whom are elected and also members of parliament.