Nolan’s Notes: Finding Your Sweet Spot
Standard of Excellence: Delivering Excellence—A Daily Goal
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
iNEMI Develops Tools for Sustainable Electronics
June 28, 2023 | Mark Schaffer, iNemiEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Information and communications technology (ICT) products are essential to modern society and comprise a significant portion of the global economy. They also have a not-so-insignificant environmental impact because they consume large amounts of resources and energy during manufacture, use, and disposal. The short life of ICT products, coupled with increasing demand for products, worsens the scenario.
An initial, but key step in reducing the environmental impact of a product is to measure that impact. Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is the well-recognized methodology to assess environmental impacts through a product’s life. However, traditional LCA processes are typically expensive and time consuming. In many cases, a simpler approach can be employed to provide guidance and further enable adoption of LCA to reduce environmental impact.
Given the current climate change challenges, it is necessary for ICT manufacturers to reduce this impact. To that end, the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) and its members have developed two tools that can aid the electronics industry in this effort—the Reuse and Recycling Metrics tool1 and the Eco-Impact Estimator tool.
Reuse and Recycling Metric Tool
iNEMI’s Reuse and Recycling Metrics (R&RM) project focused on increasing circularity for electronic products. The project team developed a predictive metric that helps product designers, recyclers, and refurbishers understand how their choices in design and materials affect the end-of-life performance of their products and identify ways to improve the final outcome.
After evaluating existing recyclability and reusability tools, the R&RM team concluded that the industry had limited means of practically assessing the circular economic value (recyclability, reusability, reparability and refurbish-ability) of ICT products. The team developed the iNEMI R&RM tool as an aid to both product designers and end-of-life providers to provide visibility prior to a product being manufactured as to the impacts of material choices, product design choices, and the region(s) where a product would be recovered at end of life.
Continue reading the rest of this article in the June issue of SMT007 Magazine.
Share on:
Suggested Items
It’s Only Common Sense: Selling to Today's Generation of Buyers
06/30/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseMillennials and Gen Z hold significant purchasing power and influence in industries worldwide. Selling to them requires adapting to their unique preferences, behaviors, and values, and exploring their buying habits, embracing their emphasis on social values, and mastering digital communication. Unlike previous generations, they prioritize experiences, sustainability, and value.
Adeon Technologies Signs Agreement as Distribution and Service Partner for PMT Global
06/13/2025 | Adeon Technologies BVAdeon Technologies has signed an agreement as Distribution and Service partner with PMT Global from Germany for its high precision measurement range of products.
Plexus Issues Fiscal 2024 Sustainability Report
06/06/2025 | PlexusPlexus Corp. released its fiscal 2024 Sustainability Report. The report, which is now available on the company’s Sustainability web page, highlights how Plexus’ commitment to sustainability and innovating responsibly is rooted in its values.
Technica Expands into Emerging Printed Electronics and Advanced Coatings Markets
06/04/2025 | Technica USATechnica is expanding its product portfolio with Agfa’s advanced line of Orgacon conductive coatings. The Orgacon products are a natural complement to Technica’s existing solutions and will allow the company to deliver greater value to customers in these markets.
Tariffs: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
06/04/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPaul Krugman received the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2008 for his work in economic geography and identifying international trade patterns. In April, he told the Goldman Sachs Exchanges podcast1, “The secret sauce of the Trump tariffs is that they are extremely uncertain. Nobody knows what they will be. Nobody knows what comes next. Now, if you’re a business trying to make plans, would you want to invest under those conditions?”