Page 361 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

L1644_C08.fm Page 325 Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:03 PM

air acidification (AA); water toxicity (WT); water eutrophication (WE); energy
depletion (ED); water depletion (WD); and hazardous waste production (HWP).
The software model and database EIME 1 (environmental information and
management explorer mentioned in Chapter 2) of Schneider Electric Industries,
Ltd., has been used in the inventory analysis and impact assessment phases
(Figure 8.9).

8.3.2 GOAL AND SCOPE DEFINITION
In this case study, the LCA methodology was used to identify and quantify aspects
with a major environmental impact through the entire life-cycle of a universal remote
for operating a television and a video (one for all). The final purpose was to identify
the most relevant design aspects that could be improved from an environmental point
of view. One unit of the universal remote (97 g) has been considered as the functional
unit of the LCA.
The following main steps have been taken into account in the environmental
assessment: production of materials and components required for the remote, assem-
bly or end product manufacturing process, distribution to retailers, and consumption
of alkaline batteries during use. The remote’s end-of-life stage was not considered
due to the lack of accurate information about this stage; thus any environmental load
associated with this final stage was not considered in this LCA. (The inventory of
disposal for electronic products is difficult to carry out due to product complexity
and the need of simulating different release scenarios of environmentally critical
substances into the environment from landfills, incinerators and metal refineries in
case of recycling). Figure 8.10 shows the flow diagram of the system studied with
the corresponding main inputs and outputs considered.

FIGURE 8.9 The software model and database EIME.

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