Green electronics: Green electronics aid various outcomes for sustainability. Green electronics do not possess toxic metals or are constructed with fewer toxic metals, biodegradable components and recyclable spare parts. Metal waste recycling is significantly reduced via implementation of green electronics within E-waste.
Domestic appliance recycling:Green electronics also aid power consumption by being low power components and not requiring excessive power. Green electronics provide several recorded improvements in sustainable and recycling outcomes, but their design philosophies and utilisation in various industries would also aid sustainability challenges in known and unknown ways, the blog post attempts to articulate some of the known mechanisms through which green electronics aid sustainability and recycling.
Problems solved by green electronics and how it aids sustainability:
| Problem aspect impacting sustainability in traditional electronics (non green): | Mechanism and possible solution/improvement/reduction provided by green electronics: |
| Toxic metals: | Green electronics may be wholly non toxic, or may be significantly reducing toxicity. A percentage of green electronics are constructed totally of organic substances and materials, cellulose, for example. These materials are biodegradable and non-toxic. An increased production and assimilation of green electronics in appliances are thus decreasing toxic chemicals, and depending on the electronics, eliminating them entirely. |
| Landfills: | With green electronics, many of the components, if totally biodegradable, will not accumulate in landfills for extended periods and totally break down/disintegrate. Depending on the level of integration and proportion of biodegradable components/material vs metallic, there would be a reduction of export towards landfills and thus the associated societal and complex issues arising. Totally organic electronics are not requiring landfills and specialised allocation sites. |
| Extensive recycling infrastructure: | With traditional electronics there is a requirement for extensive recycling infrastructure. For biodegradable components the requirement does not exist as these break down organically/naturally. Thus the increasing utilisation of green electronics and biodegradable components, substances in electronics would eliminate the requirement for vast and extensive recycling infrastructure, and for consumer product recovery. |
| Heavy metals and halogenated compounds: | Heavy metals in electronics are metals that possess mass and density, and thus tend to accumulate, tend to accumulate within living tissue. Heavy metals are non-biodegradable, and accumulate within living beings, with known carcinogenic and detrimental health effects. Among some of the metals that are components in electronics and in E-waste management recycling: LeadMercuryCadmiumZincYtriumChromiumBerylliumNickelBrominated flame retardantsAntimony trioxideHalogenated flame retardantsTinPolyvinyl chlorides (PVC)Phthalates Halogenated compounds contain a halogen, the resultant effects of these compounds being released. The recorded effects of halogenated compounds:Accumulating in plants and animals.Contributing to acid rain.Result in depletion of the ozone layer. Harming the environment. |
| Lower overall power consumption: | Electronic waste recycling: Green electronics in general may tend to consume lower power for applications that are utilised compared to traditional electronics as well. Through a lower overall power consumption the aim of sustainability is complemented via conservation of energy. While not a direct aim of sustainability, conservation and reduction of consumption are also contributors to overall themes and components of mechanisms in sustainability. |
| Totally biodegradable electronics: | Some green electronics may be wholly biodegradable, for example in medical applications the electronic devices for procedures are implemented via green design, they are totally and fully biodegradable, allowing for them to break down completely in the environment. |