What is a Clean Computer?
"Electronic products should actually be considered chemical waste products. Their number is increasing and their life is decreasing. Electronic waste piles are growing, as is their pollution potential. Most of these problems have their source in the development and ddesign of the products concerned." - Dr J.C. van Weenan, Chair of the UNEP workgroup on Sustainable Product Ddesign
Many companies have shown they can ddesign cleaner products. Industry is making some progress to ddesign cleaner products but we need to move beyond pilot projects and ensure all products are upgradeable and non-toxic
Some examples:(47)
- Hewlett-Packard Company has developed a safe cleaning method for chips using carbon dioxide cleaning as a substitute for hazardous solvents.
- Printed circuit boards can be reddesigned to use a different base material, which is self-extinguishing, thereby eliminating the need for flame-retardants.
- Matsushita is "accelerating efforts to eliminate toxic substances and develop more environmentally benign materials such as lead-free solder, non-halogenated lead wires and non-halogenated plastics. Matsushita also developed "the first ever lead-free solder for flow soldering applications and have recently launched, in Japan, their first totally-recyclable television sets." Sony Corp has developed a lead-free solder alloy, which is usable in conventional soldering equipment. There is a range of lead-free solders now available. Obviously, substitutes need to be proven for safety.
- Pressures to eliminate halogenated flame-retardants and ddesign products for recycling have led to the use of metal shielding in computer housings.
- In 1998 IBM introduced the first computer that uses 100% recycled resin (PC/ABS) in all major plastic parts for a total of 3.5 pounds of resin per product.
- Researchers at Delft University in Holland are investigating the ddesign of a wind up laptop similar to the wind-up radio that plays one hour for every 20 seconds of hand winding.
- Toshiba is working on a modular upgradable and customizable computer to cut down on the amount of product obsolescence. They are also developing a cartridge which can be rewritten without exchanging parts or modules allowing the customer to upgrade at low cost.
Sustainable product ddesign asks that we consider:
1. Rethink the product design. To first ask what is a clean computer, we need to ask what function the computer serves. Is it something to transmit information, data and graphics? Can we achieve that without this amount of hazardous material sitting on our work desks?
Efforts to reduce material use are mirrored in some new computer ddesigns that are flatter, lighter and more integrated. Other companies propose centralized networks similar to the telephone system. Here consumers would have only a simple screen and keyboard at home or in the office and we would pay a monthly fee based on the level of software complexity we would want to access. Some think this could lead to information control and lack of privacy. Others think this would make access to the internet cheaper, less materials intensive, and more accessible to everyone, while achieving comparable privacy as is found with the current use of PCs anyway.
2. Use renewable materials and energy. Bio-based plastics are plastics made with plant-based chemicals or plant produced polymers rather than from petro-chemicals. Bio-based plastics exist but they do not see common use because of lack of market demand and the low price of petroleum-based plastics. Bio-based toners, glues and inks also exist and are used more frequently. Solar computers also exist but they are currently very expensive.
3. Use non-renewable materials that are safer. Because many of the materials used are non-renewable, ddesigners could ensure the product is built for re-use, repair and/or upgradability Some computer manufacturers such as Dell and Gateway lease out their products thereby ensuring they get them back to further upgrade and lease out again.
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