Life cycle assessment is a cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle analysis technique. It aims asses environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life. This includes all from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, and use.
Researchers at Fraunhofer IZM analyze the entire life cycle of electronic products and product groups. They do this on the basis of standardized benchmarks and ISO norms and develop optimization proposals.
In recent years, the amount of electronic waste in the EU has risen sharply. Short product lifetimes and insufficient consumer information about the repairability of products contribute to the premature disposal of electronic equipment. The EU is trying to tackle…
RealIZM blog series »Green ICT« – Part 3 In 2022, the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD) set up the »Green ICT @ FMD« competence center as a central point of contact for companies, SMEs and start-ups concerning »sustainable electronics«. Fraunhofer…
RealIZM blog series »Green ICT« – Part 2 There are currently signs of a trend reversal in the demand for electricity in ICT. According to calculations carried out by Fraunhofer IZM, the annual demand for electricity in ICT is rising…
Little to no recycled plastics are used in the making of high-end electronic devices or electrical appliances (EEE), such as computers, refrigerators, and smartphones. At the same time, these products are among the fastest growing waste categories. How can the…
RealIZM-Blog-Series “Integrative Circular Economy” – Part 2″ Most high-end smartphones have one thing in common – they all look very similar. Take any device from a leading manufacturer, and you will see a powerful camera, a large display, and generally…
RealIZM-Blog-Series “Integrative Circular Economy” – Part 1 The average working life of a smartphone among the over-16s in Germany lasts only around 7 to 12 months. Users opt for newer models as a result of the fast innovation cycles, driven…
At the beginning of March, the ministry invited the project partners to the online conference “Green ICT 2023 – Sustainable Information and Communication Technologies”. In the run-up to this conference, RealIZM spoke with Dr. phil. Lutz Stobbe, head of the…
Mobility matters for people and their devices, but increasingly, so does sustainability. But smartphones, tablets, and the like generate considerable carbon emissions when they are produced and when they are used. In addition, valuable raw materials are used to make…
Communication networks like 5G need the many modules and components that make them up to be robust and long-lasting, whatever the environmental conditions or other circumstances may be. Researchers at Fraunhofer IZM have now developed a testing method which allows…
When developing and bringing new products to market, knowing its lifetime can be essential. Manufacturers want their products to work for a specific period of time or number of uses, but things break and products fail. To know when and…
