Chapter 2. Materials Used in Manufacturing Electrical and Electronic Products

Abstract

Since the last decade there have been many changes to legislation impacting the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), proscribing a wider range of input materials. The cases of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and brominated flame retardants in particular are examined. Product innovations have increasingly been made possible owing to the application of novel materials containing elements that are sometimes rare, expensive and in limited supply, so-called critical raw materials. This chapter discusses the issues surrounding the use of gallium, cobalt, tantalum, indium, antimony and silicon in EEE and in batteries. Along with the common thermoplastics, opportunities for closed loop or in-sector recycling exist but are currently not adequately exploited. The strengthening of key European Union Directives has required industry to adopt a more holistic approach to manufacture, with the emphasis being placed on all aspects of a product's lifecycle, from design to the end-of-life, with legislation and the economics of materials supply and lifecycle management being the key drivers for change. Applying ecodesign principles, which include materials selection, will lead to further integration of environmental considerations during the design and materials selection phases of a product. This will require changes in thinking and practice within the electronic and recycling industries which will address the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) challenge.