Chapter 8. Electronics: A Broken Story about Production and Consumption

Abstract

Today's economy is based on production and consumption, with ever-increasing consumption representing our prosperity. Although the economic value, and especially the financial one, seems to be the most important measure for companies, consumers also focus on the social benefit consumption can bring them. The consequential stress placed on global resources and society is having serious consequences, leading to the growing problem of toxic electronic waste. This chapter examines the problems of the production and consumption of electronics, and of the sector's major stakeholders, in particular, companies and consumers. To analyse the sector on a lifecycle basis, from production to waste generation, the triple bottom line (TBL) approach is used, alongside a company supply chain and customer journey. It is concluded that while current supply chain strategies are effective techniques for increasing companies’ economic values, these strategies are generally built on the assumption of infinite resources, and marginalise social and environmental impacts, generating negative impacts along each step on the supply chain, ultimately leading to toxic electronic waste. Often, company involvement in social responsibility is sporadic. On the other hand, consumers display an attitude-behaviour gap, the discrepancy between avowed sustainability concerns and actual purchasing and consumption decisions. Actions by companies, consumers and policymakers are proposed to better balance the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainability.