Environmental assessments of electronics: a new model to bridge the gap between full life cycle evaluations and product design

In this paper summaries and comparisons of different approaches for the environmental assessment of electronics are presented. A new assessment model developed at the IZM is explained, which is based on the material content of a product instead of the complete life cycle process chain. Comparisons with other simplified indicator systems and with complex life cycle methods such as those according to SETAC or EPS are made. Emphasis is put on the user needs and the data acquisition problems for each approach and on the usability of the results in the design of electronic products.