Parameterised Life Cycle Inventory Electronics Production (LCI-e)

Companies that design, manufacture, and implement electronic devices are increasingly required to report on how their products affect the environment. This is due to new regulations and customer demands. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method regularly used to evaluate the potential environmental impact of products or processes, but this method requires specific expertise and fairly detailed knowledge of, and information about, the product's life cycle. 

Moreover, the available data for electronics is often imprecise and outdated. With this COOCK+ project, the various partners aim to develop a more effective and cost-efficient method for estimating the environmental impact of electronics production.

For whom?

This project targets all companies that market products containing electronics-whether or not they design or manufacture these themselves-as well as their electronics suppliers, design, and production contractors.

A new evaluation methodology

The overall objective of this project is to support the target group in assessing environmental impact, with a view to ecodesign and eco-reporting of electronic products. The project specifically focuses on the production phase of electronics (“cradle-to-gate”) as a basic element in the LCA and ecodesign of all systems containing electronics.  

LCI-e aims to provide a new, parameterised Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) methodology that delivers an accurate and effective inventory of the materials, energy, and water used, as well as the waste produced. This LCI methodology can then also be applied to simplify the standard ecodesign method based on life cycle analysis (LCA). This methodology will enable high-quality eco-reporting at a lower cost and will also lead to the production of more sustainable electronics.

This method must:

• Be able to reduce the impact of production processes
• Improve ecodesign and eco-reporting
• Be integrated into the operations and toolchain of users 

Project partners