4. eco-designed toys - Generalitat de Catalunya
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Transcript of 4. eco-designed toys - Generalitat de Catalunya
ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY): ECOLOGICAL TOY DESIGN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The authors would like to express their appreciation to all those people and organisations who contributed to the process of generating this publication and the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project.
In the first place, we would like to mention the effort made by the four companies who collaborated in the ECOJOGUINA Project and who, among other things, developed a pilot experience for the application of ecological design in their com-panies. These companies are: EDUCA BORRAS, IBB AUTORACING, IMC TOYS and NINCO.
We would also like to mention the dedication of all the people and organisations who, as part of the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project, participated in different expert workshops, conferences and meetings to gain a deeper understanding of some aspects related to the application of eco-design in the toy industry (such as, design for recycling or environmental communication). We would especially like to thank all the members of the product panel for their constant dedication to the Project.
Finally, we want to thank the reviewers for their collaboration with the guide and for their valuable contributions, as well as the institutions of the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya) who gave their support to the ECOJOGUINA Project: CIDEM, Catalan Waste Agency, Department of Environment and Housing (Agència de Residus de Catalunya, Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge) and the General Directorate of Environment and Housing, Department of Environment and Housing, (Direcció General de Qualitat Ambiental, Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge)
The electrical and electronic device industry and, within this, the sub-sector of toys is being subjected to strong pressure from imports from Asian countries. Its survival depends, to a great extent, on be-ing capable of maintaining its competitiveness through improved design and quality of its products. On the other hand, toys are incorporating more and more electrical and electronic components that increase their impact on the environment and which make them the object of community legislation (WEEE and RoHS Directives).
Eco-design constitutes an opportunity for the innovation of companies in favour of the creation and development of new ways of production that are more environmentally friendly. The success of the application of this method, however, requires the contribution of other market agents. It is of little use to produce an environmentally friendly toy if it does not reach the market, is not used correctly, or not managed suitably once it becomes waste. Improving the environmental quality of toys therefore involves the collaboration of different market agents: producers, distributors, users, waste managers, legislators, investigators, etc.
PROLOGUE
Three organisations of the Government of Catalonia − CIDEM, the General Directorate of Environ-mental Quality (Department of Environment and Housing) and the Agència de Catalan Waste Agen-cy− have promoted the ECOJOGUINA Project, coordinated by the Grup Environmental Management Research Group (GiGa) of the School of International Trade. The prime purpose of ECOJOGUINA is to encourage environmental awareness in the toy sector, that is, the inclusion of the environmental variable on a level of importance comparable to economic and social aspects.
Over the almost three year duration of the project, more than fifty professionals from companies, as-sociations, public administration and universities, have collaborated with a will to find integrated and practical solutions in the short or medium term. Some of the initiatives of the project have appeared in the press (radio, television and written and digital newspapers), an indication of the interest awakened by a project related to the world of children and with a high level of commitment from the different actors involved. This document presents the proposals made from within the sector itself for its environmental improvement and which, undoubtedly, can also be of enormous interest for other markets.
Francesc Baltasar i Albesa
Councillor of Environment and Housing
Generalitat de Catalunya
(Government of Catalonia)
SUMMARY
In 2006, CIDEM, the Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge (Department of Environment and Housing) and the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (Catalan Waste Agency) signed a protocol for the development of a demonstration project for eco-design in the sector of toys with electrical and/or electronic (components ECOJOGUINA Project). Since then different actions have been carried out, all coordinated by the Grup d’Investigació en Gestió Ambiental (Environ-mental Management Research Group) (GiGa) of the Escola Superior de Comerç Internacional (School of International Trade). This document includes part of the results of ECOJOGUINA consisting of proposals for the environmental awareness of the sector. The proposals resulted from a common approach to the visions and partial experiences contrib-uted by producers, distributors, users, waste managers, representatives of public administration, investigators, etc.
The ECOJOGUINA Project included the organisation of different discussion forums which invited the maximum pos-sible number of members of the toy sector. These forums analysed the challenges and barriers that must be overcome by the toy sector to be able to incorporate the environmental variable. This knowledge was the basis used by a product panel to elaborate a Pla d’Acció per a l’Ambientalització del sector de la joguina. Action (Plan for Environmental Awareness of the toy sector).
One of the basic aspects to be overcome in achieving environmental improvement of a sector is the design of its products. Designers and manufacturers make decisions that determine a large part of the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle (what natural resources are used for manufacture, how much energy they need to operate, what resistance they will have, what materials can be recycled, etc). Often, however, no information or tools are available to introduce environ-mental criteria in the design of products (that is, to apply eco-design). On the basis of consultations with experts and the practical experience of the application of eco-design by four toy manufacturers (EDUCA BORRAS, IBB AUTORACING, IMC TOYS and NINCO), it has been possible to identify the most suitable eco-design strategies and tools for the toy sector. This publication also includes four eco-design case studies which can be used as an inspiration for other companies of this or other production sectors.
This publication is addressed to all agents involved on the toy market in general, and particularly to designers and manufacturers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The toy sector. Environmental challenges 13The environmental proposals 19Examples of environmental awareness activities 22Recommendations for responsible consumption of toys 22R-Ciclejoguina Campaign (R-Cycletoy) 23
ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS OF THE SECTOR
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Introduction to eco-design 25Recommendations for the eco-design of toys 38Environmental analysis of toys 40Life Cycle Analysis 41Simplified Life Cycle Analysis 49 Checklists 50 Eco-design strategies 51 Reduce the amount and diversity of materials used 53 Use materials with low environmental impact 55
METHOD FOR THE ECO-DESIGN OF TOYS
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2.1. 2.2. 2.3. 2.3.1. 2.3.2.
3.1. 3.2. 3.2.1. 3.2.1.1. 3.2.1.2. 3.2.1.3. 3.2.2. 3.2.2.1.3.2.2.2.
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Reduce the amount primary packaging used 57Reduce the environmental impact associated with use of the toy 58Simplify recycling 61Evaluation of eco-efficiency 64Environmental communication 68Communication regarding the product 68 Communication within the company 73
3.2.2.3. 3.2.2.4. 3.2.2.5. 3.2.3. 3.2.4. 3.2.4.1. 3.2.4.2.
ECO-DESIGNED TOYS4.Conector Enciclopédia®, (Connector Encyclopaedia) EDUCA-BORRAS 78DS-200 Lap Counter, IBB Auto Racing 88Winnie Cuentos y Canciones (Stories And Songs), IMC Toys 100Digital kit ® Ninco, NINCO 112
4.1.4.2. 4.3. 4.4.
REFERENCES
APPENDIX 1: CHECKLIST FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICPRODUCTS (ECMA-341 Standard)
APPENDIX 2: SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON ECO-DESIGN
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1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
In 2006, CIDEM, the Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge (Department of Environment and Housing) and the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (Catalan Waste Agency) signed a protocol for the development of a demonstration project for eco-design in the sector of toys with electrical and/or electronic components (ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) PROJECT). Since then different actions have been carried out, all coordinated by the Grup d’Investigació en Gestió Ambiental (Environmental Management Research Group) (GiGa) of the Escola Superior de Comerç Internacional (School of International Trade). The main objective of ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) is to favour environmental awareness of the toy sector from a con-sensus assumed by the market itself. This approach eschews unilateral environmental policies and promotes those that arise from “governance”. The first were shown to be rather ineffective and inefficient: increasingly wide and demanding environmental legislation can not, in itself, halt the worsening of environmental impact. ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) is based on the hypothesis that actions for improvement with the greatest probability of success are those that are taken from “governance”, that is, from the formulation and implementation of common policies by all types of organisations, both public and private [Scheer, D. et al; 2006]. The ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project has been designed according to the recommendations of the Integrated Prod-uct Policy of the European Union [ECC, 2001] and, in this way, has adopted a life cycle vision, integrated different en-vironmental tools and cooperated with all actors in the value chain and its environment. Eco-design is fundamental and necessary to achieve the objectives set, but not sufficient in itself. It is also necessary to work on other aspects so that this can be implemented in companies, valued by the end consumer, and produce a real environmental improvement. Therefore, it is necessary to consider all the different stages of the product life cycle (raw materials extraction, produc-tion, distribution, use and waste management) and, to ensure the success of initiatives, count on the participation of the actors involved: manufacturers, recyclers, consumers, Administration, research and distribution. The main activities that have been carried out are:
1. Eco-design of toys: development of real applied cases studies of environmental criteria in the design of four toys produced by EDUCA BORRAS, IBB AUTORACING, IMC TOYS and NINCO.
2. Expert workshops: organisation of different workshops for discussion of specific aspects related to the pro-duction, communication, distribution and recycling of toys with electrical and electronic components.
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3. Product panel: creation of a forum of representatives of the toy sector which met regularly over the last few years. The members of the panel reached common agreement for their different views and experiences and proposed integrating solutions.
The results of these activities are the three large advances that are presented in this publication.
The second chapter explains the Plan for Environmental Awareness of the toy sector (Pla d’Ambientalització del sector de la joguina) which resulted from a reflection on the challenges this sector must overcome.
The third chapter includes recommendations for the practical application of eco-design in toy manu-facturing companies, especially with regard to those that include electrical and electronic components.
Finally, the fourth chapter presents the process and results obtained in the eco-design of four toys cur-rently on the market.
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The actors
MANUFACTURERS RECYCLERS ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH DISTRIBUTORS AND USERS
EDUCA BORRAS ELECTRORE-CYCLING
DMAIH ESCI ANCOJ
IBB AUTORACING VIUDA DE LAURO CLARIANA
CIDEM URV ABACUS
IMC TOYS FUNDACIÓN ECOTIC
ARC AIJU ANGED
NINCO ASIMELEC ACC OCUC
DIPUTACIÓ DE BARCELONA
The activities
ECO-DESIGN OF 4 TOYS EXPERT WORKSHOPS PRODUCT PANEL
The results
PLAN FOR ENVRONMENTALISATIONOF THE SECTOR
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ECO-DESIGN OF TOYS
ECO-DESIGNED TOYS
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ACC: Catalan Consumers Agency
AIJU: Toy Technology Institute
ANCOJ: National Association of Toy Traders
ANGED: National Association of Large Distribution
Companies
ARC: Agència de Residus de Catalunya
ASIMELEC: Multi-sectorial Association of Spanish
Electronics and Communication Companies
CIDEM: Centre for Business Innovation and
Development
DMAIH: Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge
ESCI: Escola Superior de Comerç Internacional
OCUC: Catalan Organisation of Consumers and Users
URV: Rovira and Virgili University
2. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS OF THE SECTOR
Making a sector more environmentally aware consists of minimising the impact it causes on the natural envi-ronment, through improving its environmental and economic efficiency throughout the value chain: production, distribution, use and waste management. This means it is necessary to adopt a global outlook and determine the challenges to be confronted (see section 2.1) before making environmental proposals (section 2.2.). These proposals arose from the joint work of different sector representatives. At the end of the chapter (section 2.3), some examples are given of specific actions that have already been put into practice.
2.1. The toy sector. Environmental challenges.
There are a large variety of products in the toy sector: cars, dolls, jigsaw puzzles, table games, party and magic articles, tracks for slot cars, balls, skates, etc. As for the companies, there are three large groups: importers (sell and distribute toys wholly manufactured in other countries), assemblers (combine parts manufactured by their suppliers, often from other countries) and manufacturers (carrying out all or the most of the process in their own facilities).The leading toy producing country in the world is China, with 70% of the market share [Herranz, J.; 2006]. It is the country where a large part of the production of the main multinational companies from the United States, Taiwan and Japan, as well as other world producers, is delocalised. The Spanish toy industry [Herranz, J.; 2006] has the following characteristics:
It is comprised of 203 companies, excluding auxiliary companies and those dedicated exclusively to mar-keting. The annual production is 977 million Euros (2006). The subcontracting of processes represents 26% of the total turnover.
The majority of companies are located in the Community of Valencia (90) and Catalonia (60), and are small (11 to 50 workers) or very small (less than 11 workers). In total, the sector generates about 6.000 direct jobs and an estimated double amount of indirect jobs.
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The trade balance between exports and imports is uneven, and in 2006 (latest data available) the deficit was 560.3 million Euros. The majority of the imports (60.3%) come from China.
The main destination of Spanish toys is the European Union (EU), especially Portugal, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The apparent consumption of toys is 1,537 million Euros (2006), the majority of which (64%) is covered by domestic products.
Marketing is concentrated in large sales areas as well as large specialised companies.
Consumption is characterised by high seasonality: between 70% and 80% of the toy consumption takes place during the holiday season.
Tendencies
After years of growth, from 2003 to 2006, there has been a reduction in production of 4.4%.
The deficit of the trade balance has grown considerably over the last few years (and multiplied by 9.2 between 1996 and 2006). There has been, however, a deceleration of this growth over the last few years.
The consumption of toys has grown over the last few years, and doubled between 1996 and 2006.
The production of toys has dispersed into different companies, facilities and countries with certain tech-nologies, a specific raw material and/or cheap labour costs. The majority of the electrical and electronic components of toys are manufactured in China and south-east Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, etc.) [see figure 1].
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Toys incorporate more and more electronic components which now have an accessible cost. This means that they are more and more complex and difficult to repair and recycle (the manufacturer often prefers replacing the product instead of repairing it).
Companies are rather inactive in relation to protection of the environment. Some have incorporated the figure of the environmental manager and very few incorporate environmental criteria in the design of their products (see examples in chapter 3).
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Figure 1: World tour of a lap counter for slot tracksToy production is dispersed over several countries, as shown in the figure
Countries where distributed: SPAINPORTUGALITALY
CATALONIA (SPAIN)Printing of the PVC plateManufacture of the ABS bodyManufacture of the electronic boardAssembly of the components of the lap counter
CHINA AND SOUTH EAST ASIAManufacture of electronic components
ITALYManufacture of the PVC backing for the adhesive on the body
Source: In-house data from IBB Autoracing
Component manufacture and assembly
Countries where distribution takes place
Environmental challenges
When introducing environmental improvements in the design of toys, representatives and experts from the sector mention the following challenges to be overcome:
1. Comply with WEEE legislation
Toys with electrical and electronic components are subject to Royal Decree 208/2005 on electrical and electronic devices and their management as waste. This legislation obligates manufacturers to comply with a series of restrictions on the use of determined sub-stances, as well as with certain marked objectives for collection, evaluation, reuse and recycling. The follow-ing difficulties were detected:
Production is delocalised, often in Asian countries, and this makes rigorous control of production processes difficult. One example is the case of Mattel, the largest toy manufacturer in the world. In 2007 they withdrew almost 20 million toys manufactured in China from the market because they contained substances hazardous to health (specifically, high levels of lead in the paint used) [La Vanguardia; 2007].
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1 As part of the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project, three expert workshops were organised on eco-design strategies and environ-
mental communication, toy recycling, and distribution. They were attended by more than fifty professionals.
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For reasons of structure, functionality and price, a large variety of plastics are used in the production of toys, and this makes waste assessment difficult.
Waste managers do not have enough information about the composition of the toys that come to treat-ment plants.
At present, few residues of toys with electrical and electronic components reach recycling plants and those that do arrive do so discontinuously, making it infeasible to put together a specific recycling line. It is estimated that only 2% of electronic toys reach recycling plants [Julián, J.; 2008], and the RAEE group has the least collection.
2. Find economic incentives
Apart from the legal requirements mentioned, manufacturers do not find any incentives for the production of more environment friendly toys:
There is still no consolidated demand. Few consumers are concerned with environmental matters. One example of this is that, unlike other countries (Germany or the Nordic Countries), the Spanish market is characterised by using high volume, oversized packaging because this gives the impression that the larger and more attractive the packaging, the better the toy. Some companies have a double packaging line depending on the country of destination, with differences in the size that may be as high as 30%.
There are no other economic incentives such as tax rebates.
Some manufacturers do not realize that, even though implementing eco-design requires an initial in-vestment in time and money, it can mean cost savings due to a reduction in the consumption of resour-ces and the production of waste.
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3. Be able to invest the necessary time
The rhythm of design and manufacture of toys is affected by factors that make the incorporation of strategies for improvement difficult in the short or medium term:
The strong seasonality of the market: 80% of sales are concentrated in six weeks, and during the rest of the year huge production is necessary to meet this demand.
It is often difficult to maintain a constant catalogue of products, as the sector is very conditioned by fashion. Many toys have a very brief life and can become obsolete in a short time, as they are related to specific promotional campaigns (associated with films, cartoon series, sports, famous characters, etc.).
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2.2. The environmental proposals
As already mentioned, eco-design is a very important tool to confront the environmental awareness of the toy market, but it is not sufficient in itself to overcome the challenges. It is necessary to work simultaneously on other aspects, as resulted from the jigsaw puzzle (TRENCACLOSQUES) study [Fullana, P. et al; 2007] on the recycling market.
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Trencaclosques (Jigsaw Puzzle): design, sell and buy recycledIn 2005, the Agència de Residus de Catalunya, with the collaboration of the Escola Superior de Comerç Internacional, organised the TRENCACLOSQUES conference. Its purpose was to unite and promote the participation of the different agents involved in the production, distribution, use and waste management of recycled and recyclable products. The main conclusion of this study is that design, sale and purchase are three necessary, but individually insuf-ficient, components to promote the offer and demand for recycled products. All the actors involved must work in harmony and in a compensated way to promote the recycling market. The publication “Trencaclosques: Dissenya, ven i compra reciclat” describes this research study in Catalan [Fullana, P. et al; 2007].
A “product panel” was organised as part of the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project that is the creation of a working group whose purpose was to promote the development and sale of more environmentally friendly products in a certain area. In the case of this project, thirty representatives of the toy market (manufactur-ers, distributors, consumers, waste managers, Administration, university, etc.) have met regularly since early 2007.
The panel detected three main areas of action: 1. Production of more environment friendly toys: : introduction of improvements in the design and pro-duction of toys to reduce the environmental impact associated with their life cycle.
2. Sale of more environment friendly toys: give priority to the sale of more environmentally friendly toys compared to conventional toys, and publicise the differences and advantages.
3. Valuation of unused toys: increase the value given to used toys through their reuse (if possible), recy-cling the material and, finally, their energetic value.
After a period of consultation, the members of the panel proposed seventy actions organised along fifteen strategic lines to comply with these objectives.
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They then voted for those they considered more important and/or easier to apply. Finally, as a result of a joint debate, they identified the following eight areas of priority activity:
1. Creation of an ecological design label that distinguishes toys that incorporate environmental pa-rameters.
2. Edition and publication of a manual for eco-design.
3. Promote training in eco-design, in both the academic and professional field.
4. Encourage green public purchasing of eco-designed toys.
5. Organisation of information campaigns for the general public about the responsible consumption of toys.
6. Promotion and recognition (through advertising, awards, etc.) of companies who encourage the applica-tion of eco-design in their creations.
7. Compilation and publication of the subsidies available to companies and related to the application of eco-design.
8. Training of tip points on the correct management of electrical and electronic toys.
At present the panel is working on the development of these areas of activity. More information is available from: www.esci.es.
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2.3. Examples of environmental awareness activities
The ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) product panel has already begun some activities aimed at increasing the environmental awareness of the sector. Two examples are given below.
2.3.1. Recommendations for responsible consumption of toys
During the 2007 Christmas Campaign, the following recommendations for the responsible consumption of toys were prepared and published in different media (radio, television and printed press).
Toys may have very important entertainment and educational functions to aid in child development. But, like any other product, they also generate environmental impact when they are produced, transported, used or once they are discarded. More and more toys incorporate small electrical and electronic components that make them more attractive, but at the same time increase the amounts of resources required and make re-cycling difficult.When reducing the environmental impact of toys it is obvious that the manufacturers have the greatest re-sponsibility. But we must remember that buyers and users also play an important role:
WHEN BUYING TOYS...
Educate your children about over-purchasing and encourage them to participate in the second-hand market.Reject over-packaged toys. Give preference to toys whose packaging is long-lasting and made of only one type of material.Choose toys that consume little or no energy. Choose rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. Look for environmental labels and be interested in their meaning. Prefer toys that incorporate recycled material.
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Look for the CE label and the manufacturing company. Encourage fair trade. Promote local shopping.
WHEN USING THEM...
If the toy is battery-operated, use rechargeable batteries. This produces less hazardous waste. If the toy functions on electricity, remember to unplug the transformer when it is not in use. Do not waste energy!
WHEN NO LONGER USED...
If the toy is not broken, give it to someone else so that it can be reused. Toys are for being played with!If it no longer works, take it to any recycling facility. Toys with electrical and electronic components can be recycled, and if they are, we save natural resources and reduce the environmental impact on our surroundings. Remember that, under no circumstances can a toy with electrical and electronic compo-nents be discarded in a waste container.
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2.3.2. R-Ciclejoguina Campaign (R-Cycletoy)
The ECOTIC Foundation has started the R-Ciclejoguina Campaign (R-Cycletoy) to increase awareness and selective collection of toys and small electrical and electronic devices. Between the months of November 2007 and February 2008 two pilot projects were carried out for the collection of used toys in primary and secondary schools of Esplugues de Llobregat (46,808 inhabitants) and Molins de Rei (23,374 inhabitants). The experience gained in the development of this initiative will serve to extend it to other parts of Spain in the future and, in this way, increase the rate of reuse and recycling of this waste. More information is avail-able from: www.r-ciclejoguina.org
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This chapter presents the eco-design method as applied to toys with electrical and electronic components, but which could also be used for other products.
3.1. Introduction to eco-design
Design is a key element in policies for the reduction of the impact of the production sector. The decisions taken during the design of products and processes have enormous repercussions of the footprint they leave on the environment. The types of materials used, the resistance of the product, energy consumption required for its use, etc. are parameters that are set during design and which will affect the environmental impact of the product during its life cycle (see figure 2).Eco-design (or Design for Environment or ecological design) consists of introducing environmental consider-ations into the process of development of a product with the purpose of minimising the impact on the environ-ment during its whole life cycle. Eco-design does not ignore other basic requisites that must also be included in the product, such as the quality/price ratio, functionality, health and safety, durability, ergonomics or aesthetics. In this way, a product with eco-design has similar or better quality than its market equivalent, with the added value of being an innovative product that is more environmentally friendly.
3. METHOD FOR THE ECO-DESIGN OF TOYS
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emissions
resources
PRODUCTION SYSTEM
Figure 2. Life Cycle of Products
RECYCLING
DUMPING
INCINERATION
3. MANUFACTURE OF PARTS AND COMPONENTS
4. ASSEMBLY
5. DISTRIBUTION
6. USE
8. REUSE
2. TRANSPORT AND PROCESSING OF RAW MATERIALS
1. EXTRACTION OF RAW MATERIALS
9. WASTE COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT
7. MAINTENANCE
ENVIRONMENT
The benefits this implies are
Reduction of manufacturing and distribution costs through identification of inefficient processes to be im-proved and added value through the use of fewer natural resources (see example 1).
More added value of products as they have less environmental impact throughout their life cycle, more qual-ity and lower costs associated with use and maintenance (see example 2).
Encouragement of innovative thinking within the company, which could aid in finding new solutions and simpli-fy the creation of new market opportunities (see example 3).
Reinforce the brand and product image as a result of a more innovative and sensitive attitude in relation to envi-ronmental matters.
Compliance with applicable environmental standards and anticipation of future policy changes. Current legislation must be considered as the starting point for improvement.
Improve the quality of the product by increasing its durabil-ity and functionality when necessary and making it easier to repair and recycle.
Possibility of accessing eco-labelling systems.
Greater knowledge of the product and its life cycle that can be used in strategic planning, communication or when benchmarking the company.
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Source: [ESCI; 2005]
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BENEFITS OF ECO-DESIGN
EXAMPLE 1. ORGANIC COTTON COLOURS, S.LOrganic Cotton Colours manu-factures textile products (clothing, plush toys, household linen, etc.) with organic cotton that is pro-duced without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. As they use varieties of cotton with natural colour (green and brown) their products do not require the use of dyes. Even though the initial cost of organic cotton is higher than conventional cotton, the overall cost is lower because they do notneed dying (see table).
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Cost per 1 kg of brown yarn (US$)
Raw material Obtaining the cotton Dyeing TOTAL
Conventional brown yarn 4,35 4,44 8,79
Ecological brown yarn(Foxfibre 50% + white cotton 50%)
6,04 0 6,04
Source: In-house development from data in [Sweatman, A. et al.; 2000]
2 European Life Cycle Database. European Commission.
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POWER MAC G4
ENERGY STAR COM-PUTER
CONVEN-TIONAL COMPUTER
Hypothesis
Power required in operation (W)
45 55 55
Power required in standby (W)
5 30 55
Energy con-sumption in one year (kWh)
131 317 482
24 hours a day during 1 year, 25% in operation and 75% in standby
Emissions of CO2 equivalent (kg)
86,7 209,6 318,0
0.66 kg CO2 equivalent / kWhelectricity(source: ELCD2 , 2007)
Cost of electricity (Euros)
10,9 26,3 40,08.3 Euro cents/ KWh (Source: ICAEN)
EXAMPLE 2. APPLEIn 1999 the company Apple re-leased POWER MAC G4 onto the market with a microprocessor that consumed 5W in standby mode. This meant 83% less than that required for the Energy Star Energy Efficiency Label (US En-vironmental Protection Agency). This improvement not only repre-sented a saving in environmental terms, but also in economic terms for the user.
EXAMPLE 3. TOYOTAIn 1997 Toyota launched the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle on the market: the Toyota Prius. This is one of the cars that consumes less fossil fuel because of the simultaneous use of a petrol motor and an electric motor, the efficiency of the motor that can travel only with electric energy at speeds of up to 40 km/h, and au-tomatic shut-down when the vehicle is stationary. It is the hybrid vehicle with the highest market share (90%). It was selected as “European Car of the Year 2005” and has received various awards.Source: www.toyota.es
What does the changeover from design to eco-design imply?
In the first place, eco-design implies adopting and integrating approach to the relationship between products and the environment. This is defined as:
Considering the whole life cycle of the product. Conventional design considers the production, distribution and use stages, but often forgets the others: extraction of materials and waste management. Consider the product as a system. Products do not exist in isolation in the market, but need other compo-nents to be manufactured, used, transported or managed as waste. Eco-design considers all that constitutes the system of the product in question: parts and components, packaging, transport systems, perishable materials, energy, recycling processes, etc. (refer to figure 3).Consider the different environmental impacts generated by the product. As a result of the consumption of resources and the generation of emissions (to water, the atmosphere or soil), products cause various changes in the environment: global warming, acid rain, destruction of the ozone layer, depletion of resources, etc. It is important to consider all of these impacts and not concentrate on only one, as they are all important.
The second great innovation that eco-design implies is the need to evaluate the environmental impact of the product in question. This refers to the use of environmental analysis methods (such as Life Cycle Assessment) that enable the anticipation of the potential impact that could be produced by a product, detecting the most problematic components or comparing design alternatives. The final objective is to apply the most efficient solutions from an economic and environmental point of view.
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Figure 3: Vision of the product as a system
Primary packaging Secondary packaging Tertiary packaging
LOGISTICS
PRODUCTION
SALESPoint-of-saleadvertising
USEbatteries andbattery packaging
WASTE MANAGEMENTWaste collection trucks and treatment plants (recyclers, incinerators, dumps...)
Source: In-house data from IMC Toys.
Winniethe Pooh
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Example of the selection of eco-efficient strategies: BSH
Generally, the stage with most envi-ronmental impact of clothes and dish-washers is that corresponding to their use. This is when they consume more resources (water, energy, detergent, etc.) and for a longer period. Their eco-design would have to concentrate on improving the performance of the units and minimising the amount of electricity, water and detergent required. The eco-nomic effort that a company dedicates to achieving this improvement will have greater environmental results than, for example, replacing part of the machin-ery for more efficient production. On the other hand, users also benefit from a reduction in the operating costs. When considering both the environmental and economic factors it is possible to find the most eco-efficient solutions, that is, those that create more value using less resources and causing less impact on the environment.
Source: [BSH; 2006]
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Usage (consumption of water,energy and chemicals)
90-95%*
Disposal(consumption of energy)
0,5%
Rawmaterials
Non-ferrous metals
Steel
Synthetics
Glass
Others
Distribution (energy consump-tion and harmful emissions)
0,5%
Production (consumption of rawmaterials, energy and water)
4-9%*
Environmental impact during the product lifecycle
How is it done?
Once the environmental impact of the product has been determined and the priority action points have been detected, it is possible to apply different eco-design strategies:
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STAGES OF THE LIFE CYCLE
STRATEGIES EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS
OBTAININGMATERIALS
Design for the conservation of resources
- Minimise the use of materials.- Use of renewable materials.- Use recyclable materials.- Use recycled materials.- Reuse parts of the product.
Design for low impact materials
- Use materials that do not contain hazardous substances.- Use materials with low energy content.
PRODUCTION Design for cleanerproduction
- Minimise the variety of materials used.- Reduce the number of parts. - Reduce the number of production processes required.- Minimise the waste and emissions generated by replace-
ment of materials.
DISTRIBUTION Design for efficientdistribution
- Reduce the weight of the product and its packaging.- Reduce the volume of the product and its packaging.- Use recyclable packaging.- Use packaging materials with a low environmental impact,
recycled and/or recyclable.- Transport the product disassembled or stacked so that
takes up less space.
Table 1: Eco-design strategies
Source: In-house data based on [CCR; 2001] and [ESCI; 2005]
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USE Design for energyefficiency
- Incorporate saving systems.
Design to save water - Incorporate systems for savings and reuse.
Design for the prevention of contamination
- Incorporate the use of renewable energy.- Minimise the consumption of auxiliary products.
Design for durability - Identify and eliminate the weak points of the product.- Ensure that the product is designed for an appropriate and intentioned use.- Design the product in modules that can be up-dated. - Simplify repair and maintenance.
END OF LIFE Design for dismantling - Minimise the number of components, materials and joints.- Ensure that joints are accessible.- Ensure dismantling is fast uses common tools.- Design the product in modules.
Design for biodegradability - Use biodegradable materials for which there is a system for collection and treatment.
Design for recycling - Use technically recyclable materials for which there is an established system of collection and recycling.
- Use materials that are compatible for joint recycling.- Minimise the use of paints, lacquers, additives, surface
treatments, etc.- Concentrate all the components of the product that are not
recyclable at the same point.
Who does it?
The systematic improvement in the behaviour of industrial products and services is not sophistication or luxury, but a real need [Wimmer, W. et al.; 2004]. There are more and more leading companies in the electronic, car and other sectors that are incorporating life cycle thinking of the product and making eco-efficiency a working theory (see Table 2).
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Information and telecommunications technology
Car industry Large Household Appliances
Others
- Apple - BMW - Bosch - BASF
- AT&T - Daimler-Benz - Electrolux - Camper
- Ericsson - FIAT - Fagor - Demano
- Hewlett-Packard - Renault - Hitachi - Freitag
- IBM - Toyota - Miele - Hispacold
- Motorola - Volkswagen - Panasonic - IKEA
- Xerox - Volvo - Ofita
- Organic Cotton Colours
- Roca
- Steelcase
- Tehsa
- Thimberland
- Titan
Source: In-house data
Table 2: Example of companies that have integrated eco-design into their
The following is a list of companies that have incorporated environmental criteria into the design of their products for the toy sector (there in another list in chapter 3).
Eco-design in the toy sector
NINCO
The Catalan based company NINCO has developed a “Digital Kit” to improve the functions of analogue slot car tracks. Its envi-ronmental advantages are:
Improved operation. The new system allows circuits with only two tracks to be used simultaneously by eight players, and even allow passing and track changes. With analogue circuits this would require either eight tracks or the players taking turns (and, therefore, consuming more energy). Saving of materials and waste. It allows the use of analogue cir-cuits and, therefore, by extending their useful life, saving on waste and the manufacture of other types of digital circuits. A small adapt-er chip which is included also allows the use of analogue slot cars.Reduction of packaging. The packaging for this toy is fully optimised. The tracks, which fill all the space in the box, are below the cardboard used to hold the controls, the console and the transformer.Long-lasting product. Slot toys usually have high sentimen-tal value and are passed from parents to children.Simplify recycling. Large plastic parts are marked with their identifying symbol to simplify recycling.
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IMAGINARIUM
The Spanish multi-national company Imaginarium has created a line of educational games to make children more aware of the need to protect the environment.
BIO PAPER
Educational game to learn how to recycle used paper at home and even make your own paper.
BIO RECYSACS
Educational game to learn how to classify and recycle at home.
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3.2. Recommendations for the eco-design of toys
Based on the practical experience acquired with the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project, the most suitable tools and eco-design strategies for the toy sector were identified, especially for toys fitted with electrical and electronic compo-nents (Appendix 2 includes sources of information on eco-design in general: regulations, awards, references, etc.).The use of specific tools and methods are recommended for each innovative aspect of the changeover from design to eco-design:
• Environmental analysis of toys to obtain information to be used in decision-making. The recommendations are, in this order: Life Cycle Assessment, Simplified Life Cycle Assessment and Checklists.
• Eco-design strategies for the environmental improvement of toys. Among the possible strategies, a selection was made of those with the greatest potential for improvement in this sector. Examples of their application are included.
• Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the dif-ferent improvements available. A method has been developed to simplify decision-making.
• Communication of the environmental im-provements to distributors and consumers. It is very important that the purchaser and final user be informed about the environmental im-provements included in the products. The use of eco-labels is recommended for this aspect.
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CONVENTIONAL DESIGN PROCESS
1. Development of the proposal and specification of requirements (brief)
ASPECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN ECO-DESIGN
- Environment analysis
- Eco-design strategies
- Evaluation of eco-efficiency
- Environmental communication
RECOMMENDED TOOLS(TOY SECTOR)
- LCA, Simplified LCA and checklists
- Priority eco-design strategies and examples of application
- Eco-efficiency evalua-tion table
- Eco-labels and others
2. Design and development of the toy
3. Production and distribution
4. Introduction on the market and assessment
5. Evaluation of the project and action plan
Source: In-house data
3.2.1. Environmental analysis of toys
In the framework of eco-design, environmental analysis of the product can be used to:
Anticipate the potential impact that could be caused by a product to be designed or redesigned and detect the more problematic points (for example, the use of a particular material, excessive energy consumption during use, etc.).
Evaluate and compare different design alternatives to see which is the most eco-efficient from the life cycle point of view. It is necessary to make sure that resolving one problem is not causing a worse one (for example, replacing a material with high emission of greenhouse gases, for another that is rare or detrimental to health).
Obtaining quality information that is useful for product communication.
There are different tools for carrying out an environmental analysis of a product, with different degrees of complexity and which, therefore, require more or less time, expert knowledge or the use of a specific computer program. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the most complete method and the one offering the best guarantees about the quality of the data obtained. Obviously, its application is often incompatible with the established schedule (especially short in the case of some toys) or the resources available for product development. In these cases simplified methods can be used, such as: Simplified Life Cycle Assessment and checklists.
The following is a brief explanation of these three tools together with recommendations for their application to the toy sector.
Information can be found about other tools in [ESCI, 2005], [IHOBE, 2000] and [Rieradevall, J. et al., 1999].
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3.2.1.1. Life Cycle Assessment
Methodology
The LCA method is standardised by the ISO 14040 and 14044 regulations and is divided into four main steps:
1. Definition of the objectives and scope of the study. This phase describes what is to be studied, why and how. It is necessary to define the reasons for making the study and the use to be made of the results. Further-more, it is necessary to describe the scope of the study by the definition, among other things, of the functional unit (quantification of the function the product is designed to respond to), the system to be analysed, its limits, any assumptions, the impact categories to be considered or any existing limitations.
2. Inventory analysis. This is a technical process for collecting data to quantify what is entering and leaving the system, such as energy and materials consumed, emissions to the environment and the by-products resulting from the whole life cycle of the product. It is necessary to go as far as “elemental flows”: direct flow into and out of the natural environment.
3. Impact evaluation. Identification and characterisation of the effects of the studied system on the environment. In the first place, elements entering and leaving the inventory are classified according to the impact category they could affect. The products are then characterised. This means that they are converted into a common measuring unit in function of their degree of contribution to the corresponding impact category. Each impact category has a pre-defined measuring unit such as carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in the case of global warming or sulphur dioxide (SO2) equivalent for acid rain. The results may also optionally be standardised in relation to the impact pro-duced in a larger system, such as a determined geographic area, and assessed (weighted according to the relative importance of each impact category and added to obtain a single global indicator). This last step is not based on scientific, but social criteria and, therefore, is highly imprecise. This is why ISO 14044 does not allow assessment in the case of comparative LCA studies that are made public.
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4. Interpretation. Evaluation of the inventory results or the impact evaluation in relation to the initially defined objectives and scope of the study, with the intention of reaching a series of conclusions and recommendations.
Furthermore, LCA studies may include a critical review made by an expert in the method who will have to verify that the LCA study complies with the requirements of the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. In the case of public comparative studies, the actors interested or affected by the results must participate in the review process. More information in [Fullana, P. et al; 1997].
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1. DEFINITION OF OBJEC-TIVES AND SCOPE
2. INVENTORY ANALYSIS
3. IMPACTEVALUATION
4. INTERPRETATION
The use of computer tools
LCA is a complex method and requires a lot of resources and time for its application. For this reason, computer tools are commercially available to simplify application. These tools contain environmental databases on the manufacture of basic materials, the production and use of fuels and electricity, goods transport, waste treatment, etc. Two examples of these tools are GaBi (developed by PE International and the University of Stuttgart) and SimaPro (developed by Pré Consultants).
Recommendations for Application of LCA to the Toy Sector
Under the framework of the Ecojoguina (Ecotoy) Project, four LCA studies were undertaken of toys with electrical and electronic components. Chapter 4 describes these studies in detail. Below are some recommendations for the application of LCA to the toy sector.
1. Definition of objectives and scope:
This section is always provided when no comparison is being made. It is better to use a physical functional unit, such as “the toy itself”. This simplifies the collection of the required information.
It is important to describe the life cycle diagram in as much detail as possible to gain general knowledge of the product. The recommended starting point is that shown in Figure 4.
2. Inventory analysis:
Use commercial LCA software to simplify the calculations and especially to have access to commercial data-bases that include electrical and electronic components, for example, Ecoinvent (v.2.0), EIME (v.8) and GaBi 4 (extension module XI).
Have, at least, a couple of samples of the reference toy, one assembled and the other completely dismantled.
Have good communication with the suppliers and/or the different departments of the company that can provide information and resolve doubts.
Have a list of components and materials (bill of materials) that is as detailed as possible, with the part identifica-tion code, its weight and material composition, and the supplier it comes from.
In case it is necessary to weigh the components directly, it is important to have access to a precision balance for smaller parts (0.01 g).
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Describe the distances travelled and the means of transport used in the distribution of components and the toy.
Determine the weight, volume and material composition of all the packaging used in the distribution of the toy (primary, secondary and tertiary).
Determine the energy consumption of the toy, its estimated lifetime and the most probable use scenario.
Estimate the amount and type of consumables required for operation and/or maintenance of the toy.
Contact treatment plants for electrical and electronic waste to assess the real recyclability of the toy.
3. Impact evaluation: The optional steps of “normalization” and “weighting” should not be applied as they increase the uncertainty of the results. It is necessary to select more than one impact category for inclusion in the analysis. At least the following should be used:
Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP): potential reduction of abiotic resources. Relation between the amount of non-renewable resources extracted (fossil fuels and minerals) and the reserves remaining for extraction measuring unit: kg of antimony (Sb) equivalent. Normally, this category is related to the depletion of fossil fuels, but there are more substances being depleted by human activities.
Acidification Potential (AP): potential reduction of the environmental pH (soil and water), as a result of the emission of acidic substances such as sulphur compounds (SOx), nitrogen compounds (NOX and NH4+), hydrochloric acid (HCl), etc. Measuring unit: kg of sulphur dioxide (SO2) equivalent. The main effect of acidification is the death of forests due to acid rain produced by transport and thermal power stations.
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Global Warming Potential (GWP): potential increase of the mean temperature of the planet as a result of the greenhouse effect which is brought about by a greater concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapour, nitrous oxide (N2O), etc. Measuring unit: kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. This is the method for measuring climate change.
Eutrophication Potential (EP): potential increase in the concentration of nutrients in a determined space. In the aquatic environment (lakes, rivers, etc.) this favours the rapid growth of algae which ends up preventing light from reaching organisms in deeper areas, depleting nutrients and oxygen in the environment, and generating compounds that are toxic to many organisms. On land the exces-sive accumulation of nutrients favours the development of opportunist species in detriment to native ones. Measuring unit: kg of phosphate (PO4-) equivalent. This category alternates aquatic and land eco-systems.
Photochemical Oxidant Formation (POF): potential formation of reactive chemical compounds (such as ozone) because of the action of light on certain primary atmospheric contaminants emitted by human activities. Measuring unit: kg of ethylene (C2H2) equivalent. This category has negative effects on hu-man health.
Other impact categories such as the destruction of stratospheric ozone or toxicity are also very relevant, but they are not recommendable, as the data currently available is insufficient for correct evaluation.
4. Interpretation of the results:
Analyse the contribution of the different phases and components to the different impact categories.
Verify the sensitivity of the results to changes in the main hypotheses: use scenario, waste manage-ment, etc.
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Production ofelectrical andelectronic
Production other components
Production of pack-aging components
Transportcomponents
Assembly
Distribution to desti-nation countries
Production of secondary packaging
UseProduction of alkaline batteries / electricity
Energy assessmentControlled dump Recycling
Production of fuels and electricity
Production of raw materials
Recuperation of materials
Figure 4: Example of a chart for a toy with electrical and electronic components
Natural Resources
Source: In-house dataEmissions
Toy transport
Toy transport
Transport of secondary packaging
Transport of batteries / electricity distribution
Waste Transport
Comparison of toys
The correct comparison of products must be based on their operation and consider all the stages of the life cycle. In the case of the LCA studies performed, they used physical functional units that are not suitable for comparison (this was never a purpose of the project). Furthermore, the four toys have a vastly different function related to the type of user that they are targeted at.
Whenever the toys compared have similar functions (to entertain, to educate, etc.) one functional unit that could be used, for example, would be “one hour of entertainment”. In this case, the results would be ex-pressed as an environmental impact per unit of use time . These values are calculated by dividing the results for the total impact of the product (throughout its entire life cycle) by the amount of time it is being used (throughout all its useful life). For example: an evaluation of the global warming potential requires dividing the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted by the total number of hours of use. In this case, the unit of the resulting indicator could be: kg of CO2 equivalent / hours of use.
In the case of products that consume energy, the impact of the use phase will obviously depend on the time of use (longer time, more batteries or more electricity). On the other hand, the impact of production, distribution and end of life do not depend on the hours of use and, therefore, are constant for each specific product. The more time the toy is used, the greater the equality between the results of the indicator and the value of the impact associated with the use phase, while the relative contribution of the other stages will become lower.
Evidently, the more it is used, the more an electrical and electronic toy consumes energy and the greater the environmental impact it will have. But if this toy is quickly replaced by one with less consumption, it is pos-sible that instead of reducing an impact we are in fact causing another one (the result of the production of a new toy and the waste treatment for the old one). Knowing the impact per unit of time could aid in deciding at what moment it is better to replace the product by a more efficient one.
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Source: In-house data
Impact use stage/use time
IImpact (production + distribution + end of life)/use time
Total impact /time
Total impact
1,0E+00
1,0E-01
1,0E-02
1,0E-03
1,0E-04
Typ
e of
impa
ct
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Time (h)
Impact (production + distribution + end of life) = Use impact
Figure 5: Graph of the evolution of the environmental impact of an electrical and electronic toy with increased time of use
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3.2.1.2. Simplified Life Cycle Assessment
LCA can be simplified in two ways: by using generic data originating from commercial databases and/or by elimi-nating the least relevant processes. This makes the LCA easier and faster to apply, but the quality of the results obtained will be lower. When applying simplified LCA it is recommendable to:
Have a computer based LCA program. The main commercial programs have simplified versions that are easier to use.
Use the commercial databases to make the inventory. Those containing information on electrical and elec-tronic components are of special interest, such as Ecoinvent (v.2.0), EIME (v.8) and GaBi 4 (extension module XI).
Have a list of components and materials (bill of materials) of the product, which includes their weight, com-position, distance to the production site and the transport system (truck or ship).
Exclude the production processes for small electrical and electronic parts of the toy, such as electrical wire, LEDs, etc. Under no circumstances should the base plate be excluded.
Exclude the secondary and tertiary packaging used for distribution of the toy (not the primary packaging).
Never leave the use stage of the toy out of the study unless it is impossible to include.
Another possibility for simplifying the LCA is to use the method created as part of the European MEEUP research project . This proposal uses unit impact indicators for energy consumption, water consumption, waste genera-tion, emissions to the atmosphere and emissions to water which occur during manufacture, use and waste man-agement of different materials or components (see example in Table 3).
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3.2.1.3. Checklists
In the event it is not possible to perform a complete or simplified LCA study, we recommend the use of a eco-design checklist consisting of questions on relevant elements of the product life cycle. As the questions are answered, the strong and weak points of the product are identified from the environ-mental point of view.The application of this tool is fast and does not require previous experience in its use, but the results obtained are qualitative. There are generic checklists and others that are more specific for a certain type of product. With a little ex-perience and knowledge of the sector, it is even possible to create your own checklist. In the case of toys with electrical and electronic components we recommend using the checklist for electrical and electronic devices described in the ECMA 341 standard [ECMA International, 2004] and which can be consulted in Appendix 1 of this publication.
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ENERGY (MJ) WATER (LITRES) EMISSIONS TO AIR
MATERIAL(1 kg)
PRIMARY ELECTRICAL EMBODIED ENERGY
PROCESS COOLING CO2 EQUIVA-LENT (kg)
SO2 EQUIVA-LENT (g)
PEAD 78 13 52 3 45 1,9 7
PEBD 77 10 54 3 31 1,81 6
PP 73 3 53 5 40 1,97 6
EPS 84 3 48 6 177 2,70 18
PVC 57 11 23 11 62 2,16 15
ABS 95 7 46 9 165 3,32 18
Table 3. Extract of the Unit Indicator Table - MEEUP Project.
Source: [MEEUP, 2005]
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3.2.2. Eco-design strategies
When recommending the priorities for environmental improvement of toys, two sources of information were taken into consideration:
1. The experience acquired in the ECOJOGUINA (ECOTOY) Project and, more specifically, the four case studies for the application of eco-design and consultation with experts. The main conclusions reached are:
In the case of toys that require energy (not renewable) to operate, the use stage has more impact. Ob-viously, the greater the use given to the toy using energy, the greater its environmental impact (more batteries or electricity will be needed). On the other hand, the more the toy is used, the greater the am-ortisation of the environmental and economic impact of its manufacture and distribution.
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Figure 6: Typical distribution of the impact of the dif-ferent life cycle stages of a small electrical and elec-tronic device.
TOTAL IMPACT
Impacte durant la fabricacióImpacte durant l’ús
Impacte durant el final de vida
The results obtained in the LCA of the toys are similar to those of other comparable electrical and electronic devices
Source: ECORECYCLE, 2004.
The manufacture stage has the second largest environmental impact. The main reasons are the use of materials that are non-renewable or very energy intensive, as well as the manufacture of the electrical and electronic components. The transport factor is also relevant in the case of toys totally or partially produced in distant countries such as China.
At present the design strategies for dismantling aimed at simplifying recycling, are not very effective. It is not profitable for recyclers in Catalonia to manually separate parts. The current process consists of removing hazardous parts (batteries, adaptors, etc.) and large pieces of plastic and, followed by grinding the remain-der to select valuable materials (mainly metals).
2. The current legislative framework specifically RD 208/2005 on electrical and electronic devices and the management of their residues, in relation to the design of toys, refers to restricting the use of certain substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybromodiphenyl ether) and favour dismantling, repair, reuse and recycling of toy residues. Based on this information, we recommend the preferential application of the following eco-design strategies (classified by life cycle stage):
reduce the amount and diversity of materials used;use materials with low environmental impact;reduce the amount of primary packaging used;reduce the environmental impact associated with the use of the toy;simplify recycling of the toy residues.
Guidelines for the application of each of these strategies are described below, together with some examples of their application to the toy sector. Further information on other eco-design strategies applicable to electrical and electronic products can be found in [Kemna, R. et al., 2004], [Rodrigo, J. et al., 2002] and [Lewis, H. et al., 2001].
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3.2.2.1. Reduce the amount and diversity of materials used
Less consumption of materials means a reduction of the environmental impact at different points of the toy life cycle: extraction and transport of raw materials, manufacture (less material to be transformed) and distribution (less weight to carry). On the other hand, less diversity of materials also simplifies the production process and, further-more, aids in recycling the product. It is possible to reduce the amount and diversity of materials used by:
These hand puppets (YMCA) are manufac-
tured from cotton cloth and adhere to the prin-
ciples of fair trade.
Distributed by: ABACUS Coop.
www.abacus.es
Compared to previous models, the new ver-
sion now named “Mickey Stories and Songs”
reduces the amount of plastic necessary to
house the control buttons by 30%.
Company: IMC Toys
www.imctoys.com
Minimising the components that do not have an important function or that do not increase the quality or aesthetic value of the toy
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Reducing the size of the parts•
Optimising the thickness of the walls and the density of the materials used
A reduction of the material used will imply savings of environmental impacts. Obviously, this reduction will be limited by the need for the product to perform its functions correctly. One example is the case of the primary packaging of the toy Winnie Stories and Songs which was redesigned to make it more resistant. The reason for this change was that some of the boxes suffered damage during transport of the toys from China and, once at the point of sale, were returned to the company. It was decided to reinforce the packaging to reduce these returns. Even though this increased the amount of material necessary, this measure also implied a reduction of the environmental impact associated with transport from the company to the point of sale, the manufacture of new boxes and the management of the residues of the damaged boxes.
Reuse parts of the product
Avoiding the use of paints, lacquers or other surface treatments
Consulting suppliers on how to optimise product design
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Dematerialising part of the game (such as extensions or updates)
• The “Sing StarTM” for Play Station 3 enables on-line access to the “Sing StoreTM” to purchase and download new songs. Company: Sony Computer Entertainment España (SCEE) - http://es.playstation.com/
The “Kit Digital” is designed to convert analogue slot car tracks into digital ones. This technologi-cal changeover means that it is possible to reuse existing toys Company: Nincowww.ninco.es
3.2.2.2. Use materials with low environmental impact
An environmental analysis tool should be used when selecting materials with a lower environmental impact.. If this is not possible, and knowing that there may be exceptions, the following characteristics should be taken into consideration [ESCI; 2005]:
Recycled materials
Renewable materials
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The toy Mickey Stories and Songs uses recycled fibre for
stuffing the figure.
Company: IMC TOYS
www.imctoys.com
HAPPY MAIS is a fully biodegradable toy manufactured using Mater-Bi®, a mate-rial obtained from corn starch. The colours use food colouring and so the toys are non-toxic for children.When the pieces are wet the corn starch acts as a glue allowing the pieces to be stuck together to create different forms and shapes.In addition, for each sale the companymakes a donation to the NonGovernmental Organization (NGO) “Earth Fund”.Company: Ecotoys®www.happymais.it/esp/index.htm
1. 2.
3. 4.
Jigsaw puzzles made from Rubber Trees, the tree used to extract latex.
These trees are planted to take advantage of their latex-producing years
and after 25-30 years are replaced by young trees. This is when this
company recuperates the wood to make jigsaw puzzles.
Company: Imagiplay
Font: www.imagiplay.com
Plush toys made from naturally coloured organic cotton. They contain no dyes or pigments as additives.Company: Organic Cotton Colourswww.nuevenoventa.es
Toys made from organic cotton.Company: Maud N Lil Organic Cottonswww.maudnlil.com.au
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3.2.2.3. Reduce the amount primary packaging used
Toy packaging is very often over-sized. From an environmental point of view it is better to use the least possible amount of materials as these materials usually have a very short life: only the time the child takes to open the toy. Another strategy is to manufacture packaging that can be reused to store the toy or other products, thus extending its useful life.
Design the packing so that it can be reused•
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The packaging for this toy forms part of the game and is also used to store it.
The packaging for Connector Encyclopaedia forms part of the game and is also used to store it.Company: Educa-Borraswww.educaborras.com
Volumetric Coefficient of packaging (VCP):
VE Volume occupied by the packagingCVE = = VC Volume of the contents
The closer this coefficient is to 1, the better optimised the packaging.
VE (VP)
VC (VC)
Optimise the dimensions
3.2.2.4. Reduce the environmental impact associated with use of the toy
Reducing the environmental impact associated with the use of the toy means reducing the energy consumption required and studying the possibility of incorporating renewable energies.
Introduce automatic shut-down mechanisms
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The packaging is fully optimised. The tracks
occupy al the space inside the box, they are lo-
cated under the cardboard used to hold the con-
trols, the console and the transformer.
Company: Ninco
www.ninco.es
The toy Mickey Stories and Songs has 20% less power
consumption when in use compared to the earlier mo-
del Winnie Stories and Songs. It also has an automatic
shut-down mechanism.
Company: IMC TOYS
www.imctoys.com
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Correctly dimension the power supply
Use wind-up mechanisms
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This lap counter for slot cars uses a transformer connected to the power supply. The one used now consumes 26% less electricity when in operation and 63% less when only connected to the power outlet. Company: IBB Autoracingwww.ibbautoracing.com
A car that moves using a wind-up mechanism.Company: Imaginariumwww.imaginarium.es
A frog that moves when its tongue is pulled to wind up the mechanism.Company: ABACUSwww.abacus.es
Incorporate solar energy
Favour the use of rechargeable batteries (either using conventional battery chargers or those operating with renewable energies)
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A collection of toys that operate on solar energy.Company: Electrolugwww.electrolug.com
Battery chargers that use
renewable energy: turning
a handle, solar energy and
wind energy.
Company: IMAGINARIUM
www.imaginarium.es
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Car that operates using a station that converts water into hydrogen using solar energy.Company: IMAGINARIUMwww.imaginarium.es
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3.2.2.5. Simplify recycling
Design can apply different measures to simplify later recycling of the toy as waste:
Identify and make the hazardous parts of the toy easily separable
Make the hazardous parts of the toy easily visible and removable (circuits, batteries, accumulators, electrolytic condensers, etc.) to simplify waste management and enable better reuse of the component materials. This will mean that not all parts of the toy will have to be treated as hazardous waste.
Identify the plastics
Use the codes of the ISO 11469 standard to identify the plastic materials present in the toy, especially large parts.
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PET
02
PE-HD
01 03
PVC
04
PE-LD
05
PP
06
PS
07
O*
Avoid mixing plastics that are incompatible for recycling
Mixing plastics makes it difficult to obtain a quality material when the residues of the toy are recycled. As such, it is important, to consider the compatibility of different types of plastics during recycling (see Table 4). The poly-mers listed have different characteristics depending on the additives used, for this reason later analysis may be required.
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Majority component
ABS ASA PA PBT PBT+PC
PC PC+ABS
PC-PBT
PE PET PMMA POM PP PPO PPE+PS
PS PVC SAN TPU
ABS + + + + + + + + + + +
ASA + + + + + + + + + + +
PA + +
PBT + + + + + + + +
PBT+ PC
+ + + + + + + + +
PC + + + + + + + + + +
PC + ABS
+ + + + + + + + + + +
PC+PBT
+ + + + + + + + + + +
PE + +
PET + + + + + + +
PMMA + + + + + +
POM +
PP +
PPE + + +
PPO+PS
+ + + +
PS + +
PVC + + + + + + +
SAN + + + + + + + + + +
TPU + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Min
ori
ty c
om
po
nen
t
Table 4. Compatibility of various thermoplastics
ABS: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ASA: Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate, AP: Polyamide, PBT: Polybutylene terephthalate, PC: Polycarbonate, PE: Po-lyethylene, PET: Polyethylene terephthalate, PMMA: Polymethyl methacrylate, POM: Polyoxide methylene, PP: Polypropylene, PPO: Polypropylene oxide, PPE: Polyphenylene ether, PS: Polystyrene, PVC: Polyvinyl chloride, SAN: Styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, TPU: Thermoplastic polyurethane.
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Majority component
ABS ASA PA PBT PBT+PC
PC PC+ABS
PC-PBT
PE PET PMMA POM PP PPO PPE+PS
PS PVC SAN TPU
ABS + + + + + + + + + + +
ASA + + + + + + + + + + +
PA + +
PBT + + + + + + + +
PBT+ PC
+ + + + + + + + +
PC + + + + + + + + + +
PC + ABS
+ + + + + + + + + + +
PC+PBT
+ + + + + + + + + + +
PE + +
PET + + + + + + +
PMMA + + + + + +
POM +
PP +
PPE + + +
PPO+PS
+ + + +
PS + +
PVC + + + + + + +
SAN + + + + + + + + + +
TPU + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Good compatibility with a large variety of mixtures
Limited compatibility with small amounts of majority components
Incompatible
3.2.3. Evaluation of eco-efficiency
When selecting the most suitable eco-design strategies, it is necessary to evaluate the environmental benefit they imply as well as the possible associated economic costs or the effects they could have on users. This evalu-ation enables identifying the most eco-efficient options, that is, those that bring about the largest reduction of the environmental impact with the least possible economic cost. The following chart should be used when making this evaluation. The procedure for completing this chart is explained below, and chapter 4 shows some examples of its application.
Table 5: Evaluation chart for the eco-efficiency of design strategies
1. List the proposed design strategies in the first column of the chart.
2. Evaluate the technical viability of the proposal, that is, whether the characteristics of the company, the existing machinery and/or resources available allow it to be applied with little or no changes.
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PROPOSED STRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
FE= FA= FS=
Economicviability (0-3)
Environmental relevance (0-3)
Socialacceptance (0-3)
Weight reduc-tion of 10%
Use of rechar-geable batteries
....Source: in-house data
3. Decide the degree of importance to be given to the environmental, economic and social aspects. This means giving a value to the economic (ECF), environmental (ENF) and social (SAF) weighting factors. For example: ECF=ENF=SAF=1 or ECF=5, ENF=2 and SAF=5.
4. Evaluate the economic viability, environmental relevance and social acceptance of the strategies. The follow-ing values are suggested:
Economic viability: degree of investment the company must make to adapt to the proposal, in function of the economic resources available.
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3 no additional investment implied
2 a certain investment is implied but this is assumable by the company
1 implies an investment that the company can assume with relative effort
0 implies an investment completely un-assumable by the company
3 very well accepted: innovative proposal perceived by the user and with good possibilities for suc-cess; market opportunity
2 accepted: the user does not perceive the changes
1 acceptance with some reservations: the user may have a certain reticence in buying the new toy, but this can be easily overcome with good communication
0 not accepted
Social acceptance (by the consumer): degree of acceptance of the change by the purchaser (whether the distributor or the end user).
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Environmental relevance: degree of repercussion that the strategy could have in relation to the environmental im-pact of the product. In the event that it is possible to apply LCA methodology, it will be necessary to calculate either the mean percentage variation of the whole environmental impact as a result of application of the strategy, or the relative influence of the affected component or process on the overall impact results. In the event that LCA is not possible, the use of the following qualitative criteria is suggested. The individual scores should be added up.
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Increased or no change
Reduced less than 10%
Reduced between 11 and 30%
Reduced by more than 30%
The number of materials... 0 1 2 3
The energy required during use... 0 1 2 3
The diversity of materials... 0 1 2 3
Reduced or no change
Increased to 10%
Increased bet-ween 11 and 30%
Increased more than 30%
Product recyclability 0 1 2 3
In any case, the results obtained will be used to calculate the value of the environmental importance according to the following criteria:
Quantitative evaluation (Life Cycle Assessment study) Qualitative evaluation
Mean reduction of the environ-mental impact by applying the strategy
Relative importance of the process or element affected by the strategy
Score obtained using the qualita-tive method
3 more than 75% represents more than 75% of the total impact
score above 8
2 between 26 and 74% between 26 and 74% score between 4 and 8
1 between 1 and 25% between 1 and 25% score between 1 and 3
0 increase of the impact less than 1% score equal to 0
5. Calculate the total score for each of the proposals by dividing:
Numerator: sum of the partial scores for economic viability, environmental relevance and consumer accep-tance multiplied by their corresponding weighting factors (ECF, ENF or SAF).
Denominator: sum of the different weighting factors, ECF, ENF and SAF.
6. Decide the degree of priority for putting the proposals into practice: short, medium or long term. It is possible to reject proposals that are not technically viable or with an economic viability, environmental relevance or con-sumer acceptance score of 0.
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3.2.4. Environmental communication
The following tools are recommended for environmental communication related to the application of eco-design:use of ecological labels and environmental recommendations in product communication; and/or AENOR eco-design certification in the company.
3.2.4.1. Communication regarding the product
When launching a new eco-designed toy on the market, it is important to ensure good communication with the purchaser so that they become aware of the environmental benefits it provides and that this should be taken into account when selecting products. The proliferation of different environmentally related messages and labels, however, could create confusion and mistrust among consumers. This can be avoided by making the label clear and ensuring that the information provided is verifiable, exact and pertinent. On the other hand, toy packages are already very full of information which, in addition, often must be translated into different languages. Eco-labels are a good solution to be able to transmit environmental information in an understandable way and they also take up very little package space. Gaining consumer confidence means, in the first place, that the la-bels be known and, in second place that an organisation of confidence either grants or promotes them.These concepts are also applicable to distributors, although in this case direct, more complete and personalised communication is also important.
Official eco-labels
The “official” labels (or type I, according to the nomenclature established by ISO) distinguish products that have better environmental behaviour in comparison to the market average. They are usually granted by an official organisation which is responsible for establishing the minimum criteria which distinguish more environmentally friendly products for a certain category. Obtaining an eco-label requires the company to prove that the product in
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question complies with the established benchmarks. At present the AENOR Environment type I eco-label system and the Environmental Quality Assurance Distinc-tion do not consider the category of toys; neither does the European community eco-label system. Recently, the official eco-label system for Nordic Countries (The Swan) has included the category of “toys for children under 14 years of age”. More information: www.svanen.nu.
Self-declared environmental products
In view of the non-existence of an official eco-label in Spain or the EU, the use of so-called “Self-declared environmental claims” (or type II labels according to ISO) is recommended. These self-declarations consist of information provided by manufacturers, distributors, etc., about the environmental benefits of their products and can be presented in the form of a phrase, symbol or graph. Even though no certification from a third party is necessary, the manufacturer should provide information that is exact, pertinent and can be contrasted. In this sense, it is important to avoid the following actions:
The use of imprecise terms such as “friendly”, “green”, “ecological”, etc.
The use of the concept of “sustainable”, as it is too complex to be measured.
The use of the concept “without”, unless it can be really demonstrated that the product does not contain a certain hazardous substance that other products with the same function do contain.
Making statements based on confidential company information, as third parties must be able to verify what is being said.
The use of symbols that could be misinterpreted.
The use of natural objects, except those that are clearly related to the product.
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In order to increase the consumer credibility in these labels, make sure to:
Use exact statements, not misleading ones.
Make reference to environmental aspects that are important in the life cycle of the product and for consumers.
Use information that is relevant, verified and verifiable.
Make it clear whether the statement refers to the whole product or only some parts, for example the packaging.
Use symbols that aid in clarifying the environmental statements only if they are related to the product in question and are clearly differentiated from others commonly used on the market.
The following points should be considered when preparing a self-declaration:
1. Revise which aspects of the product are relevant from a life cycle perspective. A life cycle assessment study
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should be undertaken or other simplified tools used for environmental analysis that consider the whole life cycle of the product.
2. Select one specific environmental aspect that has been improved in the product (in the re-design process) or one that represents an advantage over other products for the target consumer group.
3. Use symbols that aid in clarifying the environmental statements only if they are related to the product in ques-tion and are clearly differentiated from others commonly used on the market. As an option, it is also possible to use a symbol or image only if it aids in clarifying the statement. It is preferable to adhere to the ISO 14021 stan-dard. The communication will be more effective if the chosen aspect has a special interest for the target public.
4. Ensure that the necessary information is available to enable interested third parties to verify and as such avoid possible complaints. If the information is confidential, a self-declaration is not a good idea.
The self-declarations can appear on the product packaging, its instructions, the catalogue or the company web page.
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Recommendations for use and waste management
As already mentioned, the toy manufacturer plays a very important role in the reduction of the environmental impact of its products, but so does the user. Depending on how the toy is used and especially what happens to its waste, its environmental footprint will be larger or smaller.Taking advantage of the instructions for the toy, the product catalogue and the company web page, it is possible to remind the consumer that:
Toy packaging can be recycled (separating the plastic parts from the cardboard).
In the case of battery operated toys, it is possible to use rechargeable batteries.
In the case of electrically operated toys and when the toy is not in use, disconnect the plug to save energy.
Used toys in good condition can be reused by other families.
The waste from toys with electrical and electronic components should be taken to a recycling facility (or special waste collection point) or other authorized collection points.
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3.2.4.2. Communication within the company
Apart from communication regarding the product, a company that has incorporated eco-design into its operations can obtain a certificate to accredit this. AENOR has published the standard UNE 150301:2003 Environmental management of the design and development process: Eco-design, which can be certified by an independent third party. The corresponding certificate can be used in either the corporate or product sector.
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4. ECO-DESIGNED TOYS
This section describes the eco-design experiences of the companies that participated in the ECOJOGUINA (EC-OTOY) project. The companies were selected so that they would have different characteristics (size, production structure, type of product, etc.) and so that they would be representative of the sector. The companies and toys participating in the project were:
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COMPANY REFERENCE TOY
EDUCA-BORRAS Connector Encylopaedia ®
IBB AUTORACING DS-200 lap counter (full pack)
IMC TOYS Winnie Stories and Songs ®
NINCO Digital Kit®
In all cases, the procedure used was:
STEP OBJECTIVE
1. Selection of the reference product Select a star product from the company catalogue
2. Life cycle assessment of the reference product Detect the critical points of the product, from an envi-ronmental point of view
3. Proposed strategies for eco-design Improve the environmental behaviour of the product
4. Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the proposed strategies
Select the most viable strategies, from an economic, environmental and social point of view
5. Eco-redesign of the product of reference Apply the most viable eco-design strategies
6. Product environmental communication Publicise the environmental improvement achieved
In relation to the application of LCA, the main common aspects and limitations of the case studies are dis-cussed below:
The functional unit is the reference toy.
The system analysed includes all the components and sub-components of the toy and all stages of its life cycle: extraction of raw materials, processing, assembly and manufacture of the toy, distribution, use and waste management. Only in the case of NINCO was it not possible to estimate the energy consumption of the toy during use.
Because of the lack of market studies, the scenarios for toy use had to be estimated.
In those cases that used recycled materials, the inventory of waste treatment processes and production of secondary materials were included in the analysis. As a result, the processes for recycling the waste generated by the system are outside the limits (as they form part of the system of a new product that uses them).
The data used to evaluate the environmental impact of the products are representative of current tech-nology, and whenever possible have been adapted to the specific geographic location (for example, production in China).
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The evaluation of the distribution and waste management stages established a mean scenario for each toy. The scenarios for waste management were estimated in function of the composition of the toy and the country of final destination. It was considered that only the packaging materials could be recycled, whereas the rest of the toy would end up going to a final treatment: dumping or incineration. Unfortunately, and according to the sector sources consulted, this is the most common situation today.
The environmental results are expressed in the following impact categories:
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Impact category Measuring unit
Abiotic Resource Depletion (ARD) kg of antimony (Sb) equivalent
Acidification (AP) kg of sulphur dioxide (SO2) equivalent
Global Warming Potential (GWP) kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent
Eutrophication (EP) kg of phosphates (PO43-) equivalent
Photochemical Oxidant Creation (POC) kg of ethylene (C2H2) equivalent
In the case of the production stage, the results graphs show the mean distribution of all of the environmental impacts by component.In relation to the application of the eco-efficiency evaluation chart for the proposed strategies, the four companies gave an equivalent importance to environmental, economic and social aspects, that is, ECF=ENF=SAF=1. 77
4.1. Connector Encyclopaedia® EDUCA-BORRAS
The company EDUCA-BORRAS has a large production and presence all over the world. It is specialised in educa-tional products and toys. The production is highly concentrated in the company facilities in Sant Quirze del Vallès, where they also carry out the design. The electrical or electronic parts of some toys are imported from China, as is the case of the selected toy which is basically distributed in Spain and Portugal.
The following professionals from the company participated in the pilot experience for the application of eco-design:
Florenci Verbón, General managerMontse Vergel, Quality ManagerDavid Olesti, MarketingDiana Hundius, New Product DevelopmentJosep Ramos, DesignXavier Guimerà, Process EngineeringPalmira Baraut, Quality Assurance
1. Selection of the reference product
Connector Encyclopaedia®
Educational toy that connects questions and answers through an electronic circuit.
It has 30 sheets with more than 720 questions.
It operates on 2 LR6 batteries.
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The component parts are:
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COMPONENT Sub-component Weight (g) % of weight
Packaging Film 5,04 0,7%
Instruction manual 3,57 0,5%
Rubber terminal support 0,10 0,01%
Game board Question sheets 172,5 23,0%
Multi-connector Base 173,0 23,1%
Game box 276,0 36,9%
Electrical and electronic circuit
Body 86,0 11,5%
Electric circuit 18,2 2,4%
Electronic circuit 14,5 1,9%
TOTAL 748,9 100%
Electric and electronic circuit
Game board Packaging
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2. Life cycle assessment of the reference product
The figure below shows the system analysed in this case. Two types of use were assumed: minimum (only using one set of batteries equivalent to 4.5 h) and continued (1 hour a week during 2 years, equivalent to 48 alkaline batteries).
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Production of electric and electronicdevices
Production ofpackaging components
Production of the game board
Assembly
Distribution to points of sale
Container production
UseProduction ofalkaline
Energy assessmentControlled disposal
Recuperation of materials
Production of fuel and electricity
Production of raw materials
Recuperation of materials
Figure 7: System analysed - Connector Encyclopaedia®
Natural Resources
Source: in-house data
Emissions
Transport
Toy transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Residues for recycling
Energy Materials81
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Results:
The components of the toy with the greatest environmental impact are the electrical/electronic circuit and the game board, which represent approximately 57% and 40% of the impact of the game production stage, respectively.
For the electrical/electronic circuit, the highest impact is that of the plastic body and the electronic circuit (and, within this, the electronic circuit). The former represents between 40%-45% of the impact, depending on the category, and the latter between 25%-45%.
The impact of the game board is approximately distributed in equal parts between the production of the question sheets, the multi-connector base and the box.
The environmental impact of a toy is highly conditioned by the use it is put to. The more it is used, the more batteries it will consume and the greater importance this stage will have on the complete life cycle of the toy.
The distribution and waste management stages are not critical.
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Figure 8. Environmental profile of the Connector Encyclopaedia®
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40% Toy Production
3% Pack Production
Production of electric/electronic assembly 57%
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF-20%
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40%
60%
80%
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PERA PA PE PEG PFOF-20%
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End of life
Use
Distribution
Production
Minimum use scenario Continued use scenario
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3. Proposed strategies for eco-design
From an environmental point of view, the current toy has the following strong points that must be maintained:
The majority of materials are of low environmental impact (paper and cardboard).
The plastic materials (polystyrene and polyethylene) can be easily recycled.
The different parts can be easily separated for recycling.
The packaging forms part of the game and is highly optimised.
The proposals for improvement are:
Reduce the height of the toy (see table).
Use paints with vegetable derivatives (currently using water-based paints obtained from oil derivatives).
Increase the content in recycled material: use recycled paper for the manufacture of the question sheets and the box lining.
Reduce the weight of the product and its packaging: reduce the height of the game.
Recommend the use of rechargeable batteries.
Mark the packaging materials with an identifying symbol to simplify recycling.
In addition, the possible use of one of the game question sheets for environmental education.
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4. Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the proposed strategies
Table 6 shows the results of the company evaluation of the strategies. According to this table, the strategies to be applied are:
In the short term: identify the plastic parts with their identifying symbol. This will be done during the next injection of parts.
In the medium term: reduce the volume of the housing for the electrical/electronic circuit.
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Graphic comparison of the impact values of the current game and in the event of reducing the height by 1 cm and increasing the amount of recycled material
Reduction of the height of the game
The housing which contains the electrical/electronic system has an empty space be-tween the batteries and the electrical and electronic system. This space could be re-duced by lowering the height of the body by a maximum of 2 cm. Furthermore, this would enable the reduction of the height of the game box and the multi-connector base. This would reduce the consumption of the following materials: plastic, card-board, aluminium, ink and glue. Finally, reducing the height of the game would bring about optimisation of the distribution system (more units would fit into the same space) and secondary packaging.
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On the other hand, still under study:
The design of a question sheet on environmental education. This will be incorporated when a new version of the product is released.
Reduction of the thickness of the game. This measure could cause problems for distributors, as the box would be more unstable when placed vertically to show the front side. In this case, acceptance by the consumer refers to the distributor and not the final consumer.
The other strategies have been rejected for not being technically or economically viable in the company’s opinion.
5. Eco-redesign of the product of reference
At the time of publication, EDUCA-BORRAS was developing prototypes of the product that incorporated some of the recommended ecodesign principles.
6. Product environmental communication
As they have not yet applied the improvement actions, the subject of communication is still pending. The Market-ing and Design Departments are assessing the incorporation of environmental information on the product pack-aging. Among other things, it is necessary to assess the economic cost and the most suitable way of providing clear concise information.
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PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 SAF: 1
Econom-ic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Reducing the height of the game (reducing the box, multi-connector base and housing of the electrical/electronic circuit).
yes 2 2 0 1,3 Rejected
Reduce the volume of the housing for the electrical/electronic circuit.
yes 2 1 2 1,7 Medium term
Use of vegetable dyes. no 0 1 2 1,0 Rejected
Use of recycled paper to line the box and the question sheets.
yes 0 1 1 0,7 Rejected
Identify the plastic parts with their identifying symbol yes 3 1 2 2,0 Short term
Measures to reduce battery consumption during use
no 0 1 3 1,3 Rejected
Table 6: Evaluation chart of the eco-design strategies of the Connector Encyclopaedia®
* Data referring to the mean reduction of impact by applying the strategy and considering the base use scenario.ECF: Factor for weighting the economic viability ENF: Factor for weighting the environmental relevance SAF: Factor for weighting consumer acceptance 87
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4.2. DS-200 lap counter, IBB Auto Racing
The company IBB Autoracing is a small, family business and is dedi-cated to the production of slot car related products for a specialised market. The production and design is located in the company facility in Igualada and distribution is for a select public who place orders through specialised shops and the Internet. The process for manufac-turing the selected toy is very hands-on.
The company made the Director and Manager, Mr. Joan Basas, re-sponsible for coordinating the project.
1. Selection of the reference product
DS-200 lap counter complete pack
Lap counter for slot car circuits.
The pack is comprised of the counter, a sensor bridge (sends a signal to the lap counter when the vehicle passes) and a power adaptor.
It operates with electricity.
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Comptavoltes
Pont sensor
Alimentador de corrent
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COMPONENT Sub-component Weight (g) % of weight
Lap counter Packaging 275,00 21%
Outer case 157,04 12%
Electronic circuit 143,66 11%
Base plate 39,00 3%
Connections 23,82 1,8%
Other components 80,84 6,2%
Sensor bridge Packaging 129,00 10%
Sensor 156,75 12%
Power supply Packaging 25,00 2%
Screws 1,87 0,1%
Outer case 69,66 5,3%
Circuit components 15,95 1,2%
Polarity switch 1,84 0,1%
Voltage selector switch 3,48 0,3%
Power cable 13,00 1,0%
Transformer 314,99 24%
TOTAL 1.307,20 100%
Alimentador de corrent
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The component parts are:
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2. Life Cycle Assessment of the Reference Product
The figure below shows the system analysed in this case. Two types of use were assumed: basic (1 h a week during 2 years) and intensive (4 h a week during 2 years).
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Production of power supply components
Production of lap counter components
Production of primary packaging
Assembly
Distribution to points of sale
Packaging production
Use
Energy assessmentControlled disposal
Recuperation of materials
Production of fuel and electricity
Production of raw materials
Recuperationof materials
Figure 9: System analysed - DS-200 lap counter
Natural resources
Emissions
Transport
Toy transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Residues for recycling
Energy Materials
Production of sensor bridge components
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Results:
The environmental impact of a toy is highly conditional on its use. The more it is used, the more electricity it will consume and the greater importance this stage will have on the complete life cycle of the toy.
The component of the toy with most environmental impact is the base plate of the lap counter, which repre-sents between 20% and 41% of the global impact of the toy depending on the impact category considered.
The second element of importance is the primary packaging of the lap counter, which represents between 9% and 23% of the impact depending on the impact category analysed.
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Figure 10: Environmental profile of the DS-200 lap counter
Basic use scenario Intensive use scenario
72% Sensor bridge
18% Lap counter
10% Power supply
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF0%
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40%
60%
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End of life
Use
Distribution
Production
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF0%
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3. Proposal for eco-design strategies
From an environmental point of view, the current toy has the following strong points that must be maintained:
The different parts (lap counter, sensor bridge and power adaptor) can be purchased separately.
The plastic materials (ABS and PVC) can be easily recycled.
The packaging is made from cardboard and easily recyclable.
No paint, lacquers, additives or surface treatments are used (except for adhesives).
The proposals for improvement are:
Unify the lap counter and the sensor bridge in a single element to save materials (when selling the product as a whole).
Move from printed wiring board (PWB) to surface mount device (SMD) technology to reduce the size of the electrical and electronic components and, as a result, the body of the lap counter (see table)
Fix the maximum sizes of the parts of the sensor bridge (those manufactured by hand vary considerably).
Reduce the thickness of the PVC tube used in the sensor bridge.
Replace the current power supply with one that is switched or which incorporates an on/off button.
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Eliminate the inner parts of the packaging and adjust its size to that of the lap counter.
Create a single common packaging for the three components (even though it is necessary to maintain the individual packaging for their sale separately).
Design the product to be connected to the same power supply as the slot car track.
Mark the packaging materials with an identifying symbol to simplify recycling (especially the largest ABS and PVC parts).
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Changeover from PWB to SMD technology
The PWB system (Printed Wiring Board) requires the electrical and electronic components making up the circuit to be assembled on a base plate through a series of holes. Soldering is usually manual. The SMD system (Surface Mount Device) is a more recent technology where the devices are mounted on the surface of the base plate and soldered by a robot. It does not require going through the base plate and so enables: reducing the weight and size, electromagnetic interference and ensuring more precise values in the case of passive components (resistances and condensers). The changeover from PWB to SMD technology brings about a reduction in the size of the electrical and electronic components and the base plate (component with a high environmental impact). Furthermore, the reduction of these components also enables the reduction of the consumption of other parts, such as the body.
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4. Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the proposed strategies
Table 7 shows the results of the company evaluation of the strategies. According to this table, the strategies to be applied in the medium term are:
Changeover from PWB to SMD technology. This seems like a viable option, even though it implies out-sourcing a part of the production. This will be instigated in the next production run.
Minimise the packaging. Once the changeover from PWB to SMD technology has taken place, the size of the packaging will be reduced and adjusted to the new product size. At present the packaging of the lap counter is used for other products of the company and for the time being making this modification is not cost effective.
Identify the plastic parts with their identifying symbol.
Study other measures to reduce the energy consumption of the product during use, such as a more ef-ficient transformer.
On the other hand the following measures have been rejected as not technically viable according to the company:
Design of a transformer that switches off automatically. Generally this device is connected to the same power outlet as other devices. On ending the game, the user unplugs the devices or turns of the circuit breaker, and so any effort to design the transformers would not be effective.
Combining the lap counter and the sensor bridge in a single element was also rejected as they must be separated in competitions.
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5. Eco-redesign of the product of reference
At present, the lap counter uses a power transformer with a lower associated energy consumption. Specifically, the new electronic power supply consumes 26% less electricity when in operation (and, therefore, connected to the lap counter) and 63% less without load (connected to the network). At the same time, as it is smaller, the packaging has been reduced.The changeover to SMD technology will be considered for the design of other products of the company, even though it will possibly not be applied to the lap counter, as the customer requires a minimum product size to make it visible from a certain distance.
6. Product environmental communication
At the time of publication, no publicity action had yet been taken regarding the environmental improve-ments incorporated. It is considered necessary to develop a type I label that would be recognised by consumers and to which the company could adhere. In the future, they plan to include an environmental product declaration and try to select suppliers who have implemented an environmental management system (ISO 14001 or EMAS).On the other hand, they have made environmental communication of the Ecojoguina (Ecotoy) Project. The company, IBB Autoracing, organises the Span-ish Slot Car Championship and during the last edition they distributed information about the project to all those attending.
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PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 SAF: 1
Economic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Changeover from PWB to SMD technology on the lap counter base plate and redu-ce the body of the lap counter
yes 3 2 2 2,3 Medium term
Reduce the size of the plate on changeover from PWB to SMD technology
yes 3 1 2 2,0 Medium term
Use smaller electrical and electronic components in the changeover to SMD technology
yes 3 1 2 2,0 Medium term
Reduce the body of the lap counter in relation to the smaller size of the SMD integrated circuit
yes 3 1 1 1,7 Medium term
Reduce the size of the integrated circuits on the base plate of the lap counter maintaining PWB technology
no - 1 - - Rejected
Minimise the primary packa-ging of the lap counter
yes 3 1 3 2,3 Medium term
Table 7: Evaluation chart of the eco-design strategies of the DS-200 Lap counter
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* Data referring to the relative importance of the process or component affected by the measure and considering the scenario of basic use.ECF: Factor for weighting the economic viability ENF: Factor for weighting the environmental relevance SAF: Factor for weighting consumer acceptance
PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 SAF: 1
Economic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Integrar el comptavoltes i el pont sensor en un únic element
no - 2 - - Rejected
Identificar les parts plàs-tiques amb el seu símbol identificatiu
sí 1 1 2 1,3 Medium term
Buscar un transformador amb desconnexió automàti-ca quan deixi de funcionar
no - 2 - - Rejected
Dissenyar el comptavoltes per poder connectar-lo directament al transformador de la pista d’slot
no - 2 - - Rejected
Altres mesures de disseny per disminuir el consum d’energia durant l’ús
sí 2 2 2 2,0 Medium term
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4.3. Winnie Stories and Songs, IMC Toys
The company IMC Toys has an enormous production volume and presence throughout the world. Its wide range of products is renewed on a regular basis. It has enormous flexibility in response to market changes and is basi-cally aimed at small children. The toy selected by the company is wholly manufactured in China and distributed from there to all European countries, America and Africa where it is marketed.
The following professionals from the company participated in the pilot experience for the application of eco-design:
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COMPONENT Sub-component Weight (g) % of weight
Packaging Outer box 155,0 14,8
Internal parts 127,0 12,1
Instruction manual
20,0 1,9
Mounting strips 3,7 0,4
Other components 7,3 0,7
Josep Matarín Carro, Quality Control ManagerJosep Bueren, Marketing DirectorXavier Torróntegui, Industrial Design ManagerAnna Esteba, Graphic Department ResponsibleMiguel Ángel Fernández, R+D Manager
1. Selection of the reference product
Winnie Stories and Songs®
A plush bear of about 30 cm in height that has movement and tells stories and sings songs.
It includes three LR6 batteries to be able to see how it works at the point of sale. It is then neces-sary to use three LR14 alkaline batteries.
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COMPONENT Sub-component Weight (g)
% of weight
Base of the figure Outer case 186,0 17,8
Buttons 16,0 1,5
Battery cover and adaptors 16,2 1,5
Other components 8,8 0,8
Mechanical Body part 40,0 3,8
Head part 19,2 1,8
Rocking part 20,2 1,9
Other components 45,6 4,4
Figure Plush 52,0 5,0
T-shirt 6,8 0,6
Stuffing 77,0 7,4
Eyes 1,0 0,1
Electrical and electronic part PWBs 11,9 1,1
Electrical wire 14,0 1,3
Motors 55,1 5,3
Switches 8,7 0,8
Speaker 43,8 4,2
Other 39,5 3,8
Demonstration batteries Three LR6 batteries 72,0 6,9
TOTAL 1.047 100,0
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2. Life Cycle Assessment of the Reference Product
The figure below shows the system analysed in this case. Two types of use were assumed: minimum (only the sample batteries, equivalent to 4.7 h) and continued (1 hour a week during 1 year, equivalent to 3 LR6 batteries and 39 LR14).
Package Mechanical part
Base ofthe figure
Electric and electronic part
Figure
LR6 battery
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Production of pack-age and manual
Assembly
Distribution to points of sale
Pack production
UseProduction of alka-line batteries
Energy assessmentControlled disposal
Recuperation of materials
Production of fuel electricity
Production of raw materials
Recuperation ofmaterials
Figure 11: System analysed - Winnie Stories and Songs
Natural resources
Emissions
Production of electric and electronic components
Production of base components
Transport
Toy transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Waste for recycling
Energy Materials
Production of me-chanical components
Production of figure
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Results:
The environmental impact of a toy is conditional upon its use. The more it is used, the more batteries it will consume and the greater importance this stage will have in its life cycle.
The components of a toy with greatest environmental impact are: the figure and the base of the figure, and the electrical and electronic system (together representing 30% of the total impact).
Within the figure, the components with most impact are: the plush (63% of the impact of the figure) and the inner stuffing (23%).
The impact of the base of the figure is mainly dependent on the production of ABS, the majority plastic component.
Within the electrical and electronic part, the components with the greatest impact are: printed circuit boards (25% of the impact of this component), electric motors (29%) and speakers (13%).
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Figure 12: Environmental profile of Winnie Stories and Songs
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF-20%
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100%
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
End of lfe
Use
Distribution
Production
Primary packaging12%
Base of the figure24%
Electrical andelectronicalsystem21%
Figure28%
Mechanical System11%
Piles4%
Continued use scenario Minimum use scenario
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3. Proposed strategies for eco-design
Move from PWB technology to SMD to enable a reduction of the size of the printed circuit boards and other electronic components.
Change the primary packaging of the toy to minimise material waste.
Increase the use of recycled material: use recycled fibres for the inner stuffing of the figure, recycled plastic for the non-visible parts of the base and the electrical and electronic system.
Change the shape of the primary packaging to reduce waste material during manufacture.
Recommend the use of rechargeable batteries.
Reduce the number of different materials in the product packaging (PVC, PP and cardboard).
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Use materials that are compatible for recycling: avoid the joint use of PVC and PP in the packaging.
Eliminate the battery adapter or use a plastic compatible with ABS (see table).
Mark the different plastics in the packaging with their identifying symbol.
4. Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the proposed strategies
Table 8 shows the results of the company evaluation of the strategies. As can be seen, the majority of the strate-gies were considered viable in the short, medium or long term. Only two were rejected:
Replace the synthetic polyester material of the figure with organic cotton.
Mark the different plastics in the packaging with their identifying symbol.
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Change the material for the battery adapter
The toy is fitted with batteries so that customers can see how it works at the point of sale. These demonstra-tion batteries are smaller than those required later and use three pieces of polypropylene (PP) to hold them against the contacts.ABS is the major component of the base of the figure and is incompatible with polypropylene for recycling. The recyclability of the product can be improved either by eliminating this adaptor and using larger test batteries, or manufacture this from a material compatible with ABS for recycling.
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PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 CAF: 1
Economic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Move from PWB technology to SMD to enable the reduc-tion of the size of the printed circuit boards and other electronic components
1 2 1 2 1,7Medium term
Work on the primary packa-ging of the toy to minimise material waste
1 2 1 2 1,7Medium term
Replace the synthetic polyes-ter material of the figure with organic cotton
0 - 1 - - Rejected
Use recycled fibres for the inner stuffing of the figure
1 1 1 2 1,3 Long term
Use recycled plastic in the non-visible parts of the base of the figure
1 2 1 2 1,7Medium term
Use recycled plastic in the inner non-visible parts of the electrical and electronic system
1 2 1 2 1,7Medium term
Table 8: Evaluation chart of the eco-design strategies for Winnie Cuentos y Canciones (Stories and Songs)
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* Data referring to the relative importance of the process or component affected by the measure and considering the minimum use scenario.ECF: Factor for weighting the economic viability ENF: Factor for weighting the environmental relevance CAF: Factor for weighting consumer acceptance
PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 CAF: 1
Economic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Use rechargeable batteries 1 3 2 2 2,3 Short term
Reduce the number of differ-ent materials in the product packaging (PVC, PP and cardboard)
1 3 1 2 2,0 Short term
Avoid the joint use of PVC and PP in the packaging as they are not very compatible.
1 3 1 2 2,0 Short term
Seek an alternative to the PP battery adapter
1 3 1 2 2,0 Short term
Mark the different plastics in the packaging with their identifying symbol
0 - 1 - - Rejected
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5. Eco-redesign of the product of reference
At the time of publication, the proposed measures had not yet been implemented in the reference product, but they have been included in a new toy with similar characteristics: “Mickey Stories and Songs”.
The improvements implemented in this product are:
The plastic battery adaptor has been eliminated, as the demonstration now operates on LR6 batteries.
The energy consumption of the toy has been reduced by 20%. This has enabled reducing the battery format from model LR14 (type C) to model LR6 (type AA).
There has been a changeover from PWB technology to SMD technology in the circuits.
Recycled plastic fibres are used for the inner stuffing of the figure.
Eliminating the base of the toy has reduced the amount of plastic by 30%. The part that controls the func-tions of Mickey uses less plastic than the base for Winnie.
The number of different materials in the packaging has been minimised: The adhesive tape has been elimi-nated and the number of wires needed to hold the toy have been reduced.
The instruction manual makes reference to the possibility of using rechargeable batteries.
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6. Product environmental communication
For the time being there has been no advertising on the new toy about the environmental improvements it in-cludes. As it is a product under licence from Disney, this company must give permission for IMC Toys to incorpo-rate the new information on the product package. At the moment IMC Toys is in contact with Disney to discuss this matter.On the other hand, this case of eco-design also appeared in the chapter “In search of the eco-toy” of the program “The Environment”, broadcast by Television of Catalonia.
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Initial toyWINNIE STORIES AND SONGS
Developed toyMICKEY STORIES AND SONGS
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4.4. Digital kit ®, NINCO
The company NINCO is present all over the world and is specialised in the development of products for slot cars, for both children and adults. Their production and design is located in Catalonia. The toy selected is basically distributed in Spain and the rest of Europe.
The following professionals from the company participated in the pilot experience for the application of eco-design:
Diana Nin, Research and DevelopmentEduard Nin, Director-ManagerDavid Coscullela, Managing DirectorJordi Roig, Marketing ManagerJuan Manuel Muraday, Head of Communication
1. Selection of the reference product
Digital Kit®
Series of components that enable converting analogue slot car cir-cuits into digital ones: tracks, console, controls and chips to adapt the cars.
It adapts the circuit of any analogue track of the same size.
It operates using a power adaptor.
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The component parts are:
Component Weight (g)
% of Weight
Starting grid 109,6 5,18
Straight right turn 273,6 12,93
Straight left turn 274,1 12,96
Connection straight 395,5 18,69
Digital control (x3) 296,2 14,00
Control strips 5,7 0,27
Blister and car chips 20,7 0,98
Transformer 289,2 13,67
Packaging 357,0 16,87
Instruction manual 94,0 4,44
TOTAL 2.115,6 100,00
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2. Life Cycle Assessment of the Reference Product
The chart below shows the system analysed. In this case it was not possible to estimate the energy consumption associated with neither the use of the product nor the environmental impact of this phase. Obviously, according to the results of other studies and considering that this product has a long useful life, it can be assumed that this stage will be very relevant and, therefore, must also be taken into consideration when proposing eco-design strategies.
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Figure 13: System analysed - Digital kit ® Ninco
Production of pack-aging and manual
Assembly
Distribution to points of sale
Production of secondary packaging
Use
Energy assessmentControlled disposal
Recuperation of materials
Production of fuels and electricity
Production ofraw materials
Recuperationof materials
Natural resources
Emissions
Production of controls
Production Blister pack and chips
Transport
Toy transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Transport
Residues to be recycled
Energy Materials
Production oftransformer
Production of connection strip
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Results:
The production stage has the greatest impact over the course of the entire life cycle of the toy (without consider-ing the use phase).
The component of the toy with the greatest environmental impact is the connection strip as a whole (representing 51% of the total impact of the production stage).
The rest of the impact of the production stage is divided in similar parts between the transformer, the deviation strips, primary packaging and digital controls (3 units).
On the connection strip, the components with most impact are: the mother board and integrated circuits of the elec-trical and electronic part of the digital console (representing almost 30% of the total impact of the toy).
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Figure 14: Environmental profile of the Digital Kit ® NINCO
6%
19%
7% 0%
7%
2%
2%0%
43%
14%
End of life
Assembly at home
Distribution
Production
Connection straight
Starting grid
Car ship blister pack
Instruction manual
Straight turn left
Transformer
Digital control
Primary packagingdigital kit
Straight turn right
Control stips
PERA PA PE PEG PFOF0%
30%
50%
70%
80%
100%
10%
20%
40%
60%
90%
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3. Proposed strategies for eco-design
From an environmental point of view, the current toy has many strong points that must be maintained:
The product is designed to take advantage of analogue slot tracks and adapt them to new tendencies; this increases the functions of the circuit.
Its use enables a reduction in the number of tracks and, therefore, materials necessary for the same number of players (only 2 tracks are required for 8 players, whereas the analogue system needs 8).
The variety of materials used is low.
The number of parts and, therefore, necessary production processes is low.
The primary packaging is highly optimised.
Large plastic parts are marked with their identifying symbol to simplify recycling.
The proposals for improvement are:
Include recycled material in the tracks of the kit, the body of the digital console and the controls.
Improve the transformer so that it disconnects automatically when not in use.
On the other hand, it is important to recommend that the user turn off the article when not being used so as to reduce energy losses.
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4. Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of the proposed strategies
Table 9 shows the results of the company evaluation of the strategies. The strategies to be applied in the medium term are:
Include recycled material in the tracks (see box below).
Incorporate recycled plastic in the digital console and controls.
The design of a new transformer has been rejected due to the high cost and constant changes of regulations and suppliers of electronic devices. On the other hand, it was considered a good idea for to the instructions to include the message “Disconnect from power supply when not in use”.
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NINCO is studying how to increase the percentage of recycled material included in the tracks. Currently, part of the waste produced when injecting the tracks is recycled, but only in very small amounts. The company is studying how to take maximum advantage of these industrial wastes and this is why it has consulted its raw material distributors to determine the maximum percentage of recycled material that can be incorporated with-out altering the technical characteristics of the resulting product (with current data it seems that this is between 10 and 20%, depending on the raw material used).On the other hand, the use of recycled post-consumer material (from urban waste) has been rejected as it is not possible to guarantee 100% compliance with the strict toxicity regulations of the toy industry. This conclusion is the result of a research study by the company in which they contacted the Centre Català del Reciclatge (Catalan Recycling Centre), Agència de Residus de Catalunya (Catalan Waste Agency), the Tech-nical University of Catalonia (Dept. of Material Science and Metal Engineering), Anarpla (National Association of Plastic Recyclers) and recycling companies. 119
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Table 9: Evaluation chart of the eco-design strategies of the Digital Kit ® Ninco
* Data referring to the relative importance of the process or component affected by the measure.ECF: Factor for weighting the economic viability ENF: Factor for weighting the environmental relevance CAF: Factor for weighting consumer acceptance
PROPOSEDSTRATEGIES
Technical viability(Yes/No)
SCORE WEIGHTED SCORE(0-10)
PRIORITY
ECF: 1 ENF: 1 CAF: 1
Economic viability(0-3)
Environmen-tal relevance*(0-3)
Consumer acceptance(0-3)
Incorporate recycled plastic material in the tracks
yes 3 1 2 2,0 Medium term
Incorporate recycled plastic in the digital console and controls
yes 3 1 2 2,0 Medium term
Design a current transformer with an automatic system for disconnection when it is not operating
no - - - Rejected
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5. Eco-redesign of the product of reference
The environmental improvements incorporated in the new design are:
Change of material in the side sections of the tracks (considerable because of the number produced). This material makes it possible to cancel the production stage consisting of flaming the part before printing it. This means considerable energy savings by the types of process used, lower costs, and the reduction of production processes.
Inclusion of the symbol identifying the material on track accessories where this is not marked. The moulds have been modified.
NINCO has always worked on minimising the impact of the production phase of its products. In the case of large parts (such as the tracks), they are injection moulded by the company itself and so reduce the need for transport. On the other hand, intermediate processes have been eliminated and, therefore, the number of suppliers and amount of transport necessary. Finally, it should be noted that NINCO is revising the packaging used: materials, formats and information provided.
6. Product environmental communication
There are no plans to include any explicit message on the product package because of the little space available on the packaging and the non-existence of a standard eco-label that is known to users. The company considers that this type of eco-label, common to all toys, would be the best way of informing the consumer. The following activities have been undertaken to try to increase the awareness of international consumers and distributors:
Mention of the Ecojoguina (Ecotoy) Project in the promotional documentation for 2008 and NINCO sales arguments for 2008 (training for national representatives and international distributors).
Mention of the Ecojoguina (Ecotoy) Project on the Ninco web site.
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Organisation of the workshop “Responsible consumption of toys” aimed at the press and as part of the 2007 Hobby Fair.
Press release for the participation of Ninco in the Ecojoguina (Ecotoy) Project.
Participation in the chapter “In search of the Ecological Toy” of the program,The Environment, broadcast by Catalonia Television.
The company applies specific internal criteria of rotation and life cycle (depending on types and the time of the year they are released on the market) to measure the success of each product. Obviously, it is difficult to evalu-ate the incidence of environmental improvements as with some exceptions (northern European markets) envi-ronmental arguments have no influence on the purchases of distributors and/or end customers. Nevertheless, it is more of a sales argument to aid in the final decision for purchase, and the public is more and more aware of environmental issues. The company is convinced that this is the way to go and will continue working to overcome new challenges and improve day by day.
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References
BSH Bosh und Siemens Hausge Räte Gmbh, 2006. “Environmental and Corporate Responsibility”.
CCR (Centre Català del Reciclatge), 2001. “Casos pràctics d’ecodisseny”. Edited by the Departament de Medi Ambient de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
CCE (Comissió de les Comunitats Europees), 2001. Libro verde sobre la Política de Productos Integrada. Brussels, 07.02.2001. COM (2001) 68 final.
ECMA International, 2004. Standard ECMA-341. Environmental design considerations for ICT & CE prod-ucts. 2nd Edition / December 2004.
ECORECYCLE and Design Institute of Australia Industrial Design, 2004. EcoDesign Innovation. Professional Practice Guideline (Draft 29/03/2004).
ESCI, 2005. “Ecodisseny (Eines de Progrés. Guies i eines de suport a la innovació)”. Editat pel Centre d’Innovació i Desenvolupament Empresarial (CIDEM), Departament de Treball i Indústria de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
Fullana, P.; Gazulla, C.; Mantoux, F.; Chiva, P.; Fabregó, L.; Vidal M., 2007. “Trencaclosques: Dissenya, ven i compra reciclat”. Edited by: Generalitat de Catalunya, Agència de Residus de Catalunya.
Fullana, P. i Puig, R., 1997. Anàlisis del Ciclo de Vida. Ed. Rubes, Barcelona (ISBN:84-497-0070-1).
Herranz, J. 2006. “Informe: sector juguetes 2006”. Subdirección general DECOMEX de Productos Industriales.
IHOBE, 2000. “Manual Práctico de Ecodiseño. Operativa de implantación en 7 pasos”. Departamento de Ordenación del Territorio, Vivienda y Medio Ambiente. Gobierno Vasco.
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Julián, J. Article published in “Información entorno”, Wednesday January 23, 2008.
La Vanguardia; 2007. “La CE revisará los controles de calidad de los juguetes tras la nueva retirada de Mat-tel”. Published in La Vanguardia, Thursday September 6, 2007 (page 24).
Lewis, H. i Gertsakis, J. 2001 “Design + environment. A global guide to designing greener goods”. Greenleaf Publishing.
MEEUP Project Report: Methodology Study Eco-design of Energy Using Products. VHK. 2005.
Rodrigo, J. i Castells, F. 2002. “Electrical and Electronic. Practical Ecodesign Guide”. Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Saechtling, H. Kunststofftaschenbuch. Carl Hanser Verlag. Munich, 1998 (27th edition)
Scheer, D. i Rubik, F. (editors). “Governance of Integrated Product Policy. In search of sustainable produc-tion and consumption”. Greenleaf publishing, 2006.
Sweatman, A.; Chew, C.; Wang, S.; Tsuda, D. et Aver, R.; 2000. “Desing for Environment: A Case Study of the Power Mac G4 Desktop Computer”, International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment. San Francisco (EUA).
Wimmer, W.; Züst, R.; Lee, K-M., 2004. “Ecodesign Implementation. A Systematic Guidance on Integrating Environmental Considerations into Product Development”. Springer. The Netherlands. P. XIII.
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Legislation and regulations:
Royal Decree 208/2005 on electrical and electronic devices and their management as waste.
Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
Council Directive 88/378/EEC of 3 May 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concer-ning the safety of toys
Council Directive 88/378/EEC of 3 May 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concern-ing the safety of toys
Royal Decree 880/90, dated 29 June, approving the Regulations for the Safety of Toys. (Of mandatory com-pliance since 1 January 1990).
Royal Decree 204/1995, dated 10 February, modifying the standards for the safety of toys approved by RD 880/1990, dated 29 June.
UNE Standard for eco-design 150301:2003
ISO 14024:1999 – Environmental labels and declarations – Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labeling)
ISO 14021:1999 – Environmental labels and declarations – Type I environmental labeling – Principles and procedures
ISO 14025:2006 – Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations
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ISO 14044:2006 – Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Requirements and guidelines.
ISO 14040:2006 – Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Principles and framework.
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0. General Considerations
Has Life Cycle Thinking been integrated in the design strategy of the organisation? Yes No
1. Material Efficiency
The variety of materials used in the product has been reduced Yes, describe briefly ____________________________________________________________________
No
The amount of material used in the product has been reduced Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
Els materials que el producte conté són de baix impacte ambiental Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
APPENDIX 1: CHECKLIST FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS (ECMA-341 Standard)
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The product contains materials that are considered to have lower environmental impact Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
The product contains recycled materials Yes No
The product uses recyclable materials Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
2. Energetic efficiency
2.1. Power modes and related energy efficiency measuresEase of use as related to the selection and operation of power saving features was considered and implemented
Yes, considered and implemented Short description: _______________________________________________________________________
Yes, considered but not implemented Specify reasons: _______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable
No
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List specific power modes that apply to the product: _____________________________________________
Detail significant power consumption modules and plans to reduce their consumption: __________________
2.2. Operational modes
Note actions taken to use low power components and design options: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note actions taken to improve the energy efficiency of power supply components: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note actions taken to ensure the AC-DC conversion efficiency is highest in the most used power mode: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Note actions taken to ensure over specification of items such as the power supply has not taken place: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Detail analysis undertaken to ensure operating characteristics such as room temperature have not been over specified: ______________________________________________________________________________
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2.3. Energy Saving Modes
Note design actions taken to automatically switch from on mode to save modes: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note design actions taken to reduce the time taken for the product to switch from save mode to active mode: ______________________________________________________________________________________
List actions taken to reduce energy consumption in save mode similar to those taken in point 2.2 above: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
2.4. Off Modes
Note design options taken to automatically switch from save mode to off mode: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note design options taken to reduce energy consumption in soft off mode: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note options considered in the placing of the power switch to make it more user accessible: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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In Hard-Off mode, is the power consumed zero Watts? Yes No. If no, what actions have been taken to inform the user of this? ___________________________________
2.5. No load modes
List design options taken to reduce the power consumption of the no load mode to the lowest possible: ________________________________________________________________________________________
2.6. General Energy Efficiency measures
List any power saving features of this product here that have not been noted elsewhere: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Information on power consumption in all relevant power modes has been made available to product users Yes, list sources
Manufacturer Environmental Product Declaration Product Specification Document Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Labels or Packaging Product Packaging Insert Internet. Provide URL __________________________________________________________________
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Other. Describe ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
Applicable voluntary agreements aimed at improving energy efficiency of EEE products were considered and recommendations met Yes, considered and recommendations met. Short description: ____________________________________
Yes, considered but recommendations not met. Specify reasons: __________________________________
Not applicable No
The product is compliant with the requirements of the international ENERGY STAR program. Yes, according to version _________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No; give reasons for non-compliance _________________________________________________________
The effects of improved energy design features have been quantified and communicated to marketing. Yes No/Not applicable
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Default setting is set to the most energy efficient on modes and/or transitions to save mode. Yes No
Information on proper use of available energy saving controls and/or settings is available to product users. Yes, list sources
Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Labels or Packaging Product Packaging Insert Internet. Provide URL __________________________________________________________________
Other. Describe ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
3. Consumables and batteries
3.1. Consumables
The avoidance of hazardous substances and preparations in consumables has been considered. Yes Not applicable (no consumables) No
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The product has been designed such that the use of consumables associated with the product can be optimi-sed relative to the functionality of the product. Yes Not applicable (no consumables) No
Information on the proper use of consumables associated with the product has been provided to the user. Yes, list sources (all that apply)
Manufacturer Environmental Product Declaration Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Service Manual Internet. PROVIDE URL ________________________________________________________________
Other. Describe. ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable (no consumables) No
3.2. Batteries
All batteries in the product comply with applicable restrictions on hazardous substances and preparations contained in relevant national, regional and international legislation. Yes Not applicable (no batteries) No
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All batteries in the product are labelled according to requirements of relevant regional, national or international legislation. Yes Not applicable (no batteries) No
All batteries do not exceed a mercury concentration of 5 ppm by weight. Yes No. If no provide reason(s) why mercury cannot be avoided: ______________________________________
Consideration has been given to batteries with reduced environmental impact. Yes; specify type of batteries considered
Li-Ion Li-Polymer NiMH Other; describe ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable (no batteries) No; specify reasons ______________________________________________________________________
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The product has batteries containing materials regarded as detrimental to the environment that cannot be avoided. No Not applicable (no batteries) Yes
Identify Batteries ______________________________________________________________________
Where reported _______________________________________________________________________
Reason(s) why material(s) cannot be avoided _______________________________________________
All batteries and assemblies containing batteries are easily identifiable and removable. Yes Not applicable (no batteries) No; specify reasons:
batteries are not intended to be removed until the end of life stage and equipment reliant on continuous power supply / no special disposal requirement.
Others _______________________________________________________________________________
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Information on proper procedures for removal and safe handling of batteries is available in product user docu-mentation. Yes, list sourcest
Manufacturer Environmental Product Declaration Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Specification Manual Product Labels or Packaging Internet. PROVIDE URL ________________________________________________________________
Other. Describe. ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable (no batteries) No (give reasons) _______________________________________________________________________
For NOT easily removable batteries: Advice on service outlets for exchange of non-removable batteries (du-ring product life) is provided in the product documentation. Yes Not applicable (no batteries and/or accumulators)) No
Information on type and location is available in the appropriate product documentation. Yes
Type of battery _______________________________________________________________________
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Location _____________________________________________________________________________
Not applicable (no non-removable batteries) No
Battery management features that help to prolong battery and/or accumulator life have been considered and implemented. Yes, considered and implemented Yes, considered but not implemented Not applicable (no batteries) No; specify reasons: _____________________________________________________________________
4. Emissions
4.1. Chemical Emissions
Product has been designed such that chemical emissions are reduced wherever possible. Yes Not applicable (product is not based on electrostatic process) No
Product complies with all relevant regulations governing chemical emissions from products. Yes Not applicable (product produces no emissions) No No relevant regulations available
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For a product based on the electrostatic process, chemical emissions (ozone and VOC) and dust emissions have been evaluated. Yes Not applicable (product is not based on electrostatic process) No
For a product based on the electrostatic process, emissions measurements have been completed in accor-dance with Standard ECMA-328. Yes Not applicable (product produces no emissions) No
Results of the emissions measurement(s) have been made available to product users. Yes, list sources
Manufacturer Environmental Product Declaration Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Specification Manual Internet. PROVIDE URL ________________________________________________________________
Other. Describe. ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable (product produces no emissions) No (give reasons) ____________________________________________________________________
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4.2. Noise Emissions
Noise emissions have been evaluated according to ECMA-74 Yes No Other – describe ________________________________________________________________________
Not applicableFor products outside the scope of ECMA-74, ISO 3741, 3744 or 3745 has been used. Yes No Not applicable
Results of noise emissions measurement are available Yes No Not applicable
5. Extension of Product Lifetime
The product contains common mechanical packages (such as covers and chassis) or common parts or compo-nents that are used for multiple models in the product family or in multiple generations of the same product. Yes, describe ___________________________________________________________________________
Not applicable __________________________________________________________________________
No
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The product contains industry standard parts Yes, list _______________________________________________________________________________
No Not applicableEl producte conté components modulars Sí, anomenar ___________________________________________________________________________
No No aplicable
The product contains modular components Yes, list _______________________________________________________________________________
No Not applicable
The product contains reused components and/or parts. Yes, list _______________________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
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6. End of Life
Separation of parts containing hazardous substances and preparations is possible. Yes No Not applicable
Incompatible materials (including electronic modules) connected to case/body parts or chassis are easily separable. Yes No Not applicable
The product can be disassembled down to the module level using commonly available tools. Yes No. List all special tools required for disassembly _____________________________________________
All plastic parts with weight greater than 25 g are marked with the type of polymer, copolymer, polymer blends or alloys in conformance with ISO 11469. Yes No Not applicable
The following design choices have been avoided: Incompatible coatings on major plastic parts. Coatings and surface finishes on plastic parts that are difficult to recycle without downgrading. Adhesive backed stickers or foams on plastic parts. Metal inserts in plastic parts.
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The following aspects have been considered and their number and variety reduced: Welds and Adhesives. Connections (e.g. Fasteners and screws). Steps necessary for disassembly. Position changes that have to be made by the dismantled.
The following design choices have been included: the same polymer is used throughout the design of a product.
If this is not practical, the number of plastic types used in the product has been reduced Yes No
The compatibility guidelines found in Table 4 have been used in selecting polymers: Yes No The product has been designed such that modules can be extracted for reuse. Labels and other identification marks are made from the same material as the body of the products or a com-patible material. Snap fits or screws are used to aid disassembly.
A plan for the disassembly of the product into major modules or sub assemblies has been created and made available to dismantlers. Yes No
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7. Substances and preparations needing special attention
7.1. Content in products
The product complies with the applicable international, regional and national prohibitions on the use of certain hazardous substances and preparations. Yes, list _______________________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
Use of substances that require special handling or disposal during the recycling process has been reduced or eliminated. Yes, eliminated Yes, reduced. List _______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
Appropriate information on parts requiring special handling or disposal has been made available to users and recyclers. Yes No Not applicable
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Hazardous substances other than those restricted are used in this product. Yes, list the substances and give rationale for their use: __________________________________
No
7.2. General Limitations
The product does NOT/ does contain the following substances. Does not contain Does contain Asbestos Does not contain Does contain Ozone depleting substances: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC),
Hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFC), Hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFC); Halons, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, Bromochloromethane
Does not contain Does contain PCB, PCT, Monomethyltetrachlorodiphenylmethane (Ugilec 141), Monomethyldichlorodiphenylmethane (Ugilec 121 or 21), Monomethyldibromodiphe- nylmethane (DBBT).
Does not contain Does contain PCN Does not contain Does contain Tin organic compounds: TPT, TBT, TBTO Does not contain Does contain PentaBDE, OctaBDE Does not contain Does contain PCN Does not contain Does contain Mercury (exception: discharge lamps)
Additional from July 2006 (except exemptions made in RoHS Directive): Does not contain Does contain Lead Does not contain Does contain Cadmium Does not contain Does contain Hexavalent chromium Does not contain Does contain PBB, PBDE
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Substances recorded to be restricted in the clauses above are present in the product: No Yes; provide reason(s) why material(s) cannot be avoided: _______________________________________
7.3. Limitations on plastic parts, mechanical parts and housings.
The plastic parts for the product do NOT/ do contain the following substances Does not contain Does contain Cadmium or cadmium compounds Does not contain Does contain Short chain chloroparaffins Does not contain Does contain Lead or Lead compoundsSubstances recorded to be restricted in the clauses above are present in the product: No Yes
Provide reason(s) why material(s) cannot be avoided: ____________________________________________
7.4. Limitations on paints, coatings or colouring agents
The paints, coatings or colouring agents for the product do NOT / do contain the following substances Does not contain Does contain Cadmium or cadmium compounds Does not contain Does contain Lead or Lead compounds
Substances recorded to be restricted in the clauses above are present in the product: No Yes
Provide reason(s) why material(s) cannot be avoided: ____________________________________________
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7.5. Limitations on other parts/products
Textiles and leather coming into direct contact with the skin do NOT / do contain the following substances Does not contain Does contain TRIS, TEPA, PBB Does not contain Does contain AZO colorants that split aromatic amines specified in 76/769/EEC
(2003/3/EC) Does not contain Does contain hexavalent chromium
Wood parts/products do NOT / do contain the following substances: Does not contain Does contain Arsenic as a wood preservation treatment Does not contain Does contain Mercury for preservation of wood Does not contain Does contain Pentachlorophenol and derivatives
Toys do NOT / do contain the following substances: Does not contain Does contain Benzene
Articles coming into direct and prolonged contact with the skin do NOT / do contain the following substances: Does not contain Does contain Nickel
Substances recorded to be restricted in the clauses above are present in the product: No Yes
Provide reason(s) why material(s) cannot be avoided: _____________________________________________
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8. Packaging
The variety of packaging materials used has been reduced. Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
The amount of packaging materials used has been reduced. Sí, explicar breument _____________________________________________________________________
NoThe used packaging materials are considered to have lower environmental impact. Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
The packaging was manufactured using recycled materials. Yes No
The packaging was manufactured using renewable materials. Yes, describe briefly _____________________________________________________________________
No
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The packaging complies with the applicable international, regional and national regulations. Yes, list _______________________________________________________________________________
No
The packaging materials have an appropriate marking (e.g. according to ISO 11469) Yes, list applied standard _________________________________________________________________
No. Provide reason(s) why packaging material(s) cannot be marked: _______________________________
9. Documentation
Instructions for consumers/users on how to install, use, maintain and, where applicable, dispose of the product is provided – especially as it pertains to the environmental characteristics of the product. Yes, list sources
Manufacturer Environmental Product Declaration Product Specification Document Product User Manual (Hard Copy) Product User Manual (Soft Copy) Product Labels or Packaging
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Product Packaging Insert Internet. Provide URL __________________________________________________________________
Other. Describe ______________________________________________________________________
Not applicable No
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WEB PAGES WITH INFORMATION ON MATERIALS WITH LOWER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
• Organic cotton: www.sustainablecotton.org, www.foxfibre.com
• Bioplastics: www.european-bioplastics.com, www.novamont.com
• Recycled material: www.subproductes.com
• Recycled material: www.xcr.arc.cat
• Materials: www.materialconnexion.com
• General: www.treehugger.com
ECO-LABELLING REGULATIONS AND SYSTEMS
• UNE Standard for eco-design 150301:2003 www.aenor.es
• Technical Report ISO/TR 14062:2202. Environmental Management - Integrating environmental aspects into product design and development.
• ECMA Standards www.ecma-international.org-ECMA 341 Environmental design considerations for Electronic Products-ECMA 370 The EcoDeclaration
• Distinctive of Environmental Quality Assurance: http://mediambient.gencat.net
• European eco-label: http://www.eco-label.com
APPENDIX 2. SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON ECO-DESIGN
• Blue Angel: www.blauer-engel.de
• White Swan: www.svanen.nu
• Global Network Ecolabelling: www.gen.gr.jp
ECO-DESIGN AWARDS
• Design for recycling: recycled/recyclable product” convened by the Centre Català del Reciclatge (Catalan Recycling Centre) of the Agència de Residus de Catalunya (Catalan Waste Agency) of the Generalitat (Govern-ment) of Catalonia. Biannual. www.arc-cat.net/ca/ccr/
• “Eco-design Award” convened by the Council of Industry and the Environment of the Autonomous Community of Murcia. www.calidadambiental.info/murcia/
• “Furniture Industry Design Competition – Eco-design Award” convened by the Furniture and Wood Technology Centro of the Region of Murcia (CETEM). www.cetem.es
• “European Environment Awards – Category: product and/or service” convened by the General Directorate of the Environment of the European Commission. Biannual. http://ec.europe.eu/environment/awards/index_en.htm
ECO-DESIGNER ASSOCIATIONS
• O2Internacional: www.o2.org
• O2Spain: www.o2spain.org
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BOOKS AND MANUALS
• Ajuntament de Barcelona, 2005. “Ecoproducte Ecodisseny”. Museu de les Arts Decoratives (Institut de Cultura de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona) and Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
• Brezet, J. C, et al, 2001. The design of eco-efficient services; Method, tools and review of the case study “De-signing Eco-efficient Services” project. Ministry of VROM. Delft University of Technology (NL).
• Brezet, J. C. and C. van Hemel, 1997. Eco-design: a promising approach to sustainable production and con-sumption. UNEP. Available online at: http://design.ntnu.no/fag/ecodesign/theory/theory_frames.htm
• Centre Català del Reciclatge, 2001. “Casos pràctics d’ecodisseny. Disseny per al reciclatge. Agència de Residus de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya. Available online at: www.arc.cat/ca/publicacions/pdf/ccr/guia_ecodisseny.pdf
• Dorothy Mackenzie. 1997. Green Design. Design for the Environment. Laurence King, London (UK).
• ESCI, 2005. Ecodisseny. Eines de Progrés –Guies i eines de suport a la innovació. Editat pel Centre d’Innovació i Desenvolupament Empresarial (CIDEM), Departament de Treball i Indústria de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
• Greenwood, T. 2004. A Guide to Environmentally Sustainable Product Design. ESPDESIGN. Available online at: http://espdesign.ieasysite.com/espdesignguide_v1.pd
• Grup de Recerca en Ecodisseny i ACV ELISAVA-ICTA, 2002. El procés d’Ecodisseny de Parcs Infantils. Ca-pítol 8 del projecte “Ecodisseny de parcs infantils”. Barcelona. Document complet disponible a [www.gencat.net/mediamb/ipp/parcs.htm 154
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• IHOBE, 2000. Manual Práctico de Ecodiseño. Available online at: www.ihobe.es/herramientas/ecodesign/T_ecodesign_herramientas.htm]
• Rieradevall, J. i Vinyets, J. 1999. Ecodisseny i ecoproductes. Editorial Rubes, Barcelona Espanya.
• Kazazian, T. 2003. Design et développement durable. Il y aura l’âge des choses légères. Victoires-Éditions. París.
• Lewis, H. and Gertsakis, J, 2001. Design + environment. A global guide to designing greener goods. Greenleaf Publishing Limited. Sheffield (UK).
• Kemna, R.; van Elburg, M.; Li, W.; i van Holsteijn, R. 2004. Methodology Study Eco-design of Energy-using Pro-ducts (MEEUP). VHK for the European Commission. Available online at: www.vhknet.com/download/MEEUP_Methodology_fin.pdf
• Rodrigo, J. i Castells, F. Electrical and Electronic. Practical Ecodesign Guide. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. 2002.
• Tischner, U., Schmincke, E., Rubik, F. and Prösler, M., 2000. How to do ecodesign?. Edited by the German Federal Environmental Agency. Verlag form praxis. Frankfurt.
• UNEP, 2005. Talk the Walk. Advancing Sustainable Lifestyles through Marqueting and Communications. Uni-ted Nations Environment Programme, UN Global Compact and Utopies.
• Delft University of Technology (UK) and CEGESTI. Manual for the implementation of eco-design. Available online at: www.io.tudelft.nl/research/dfs/ecodiseno/manual.htm
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© Generalitat de CatalunyaDepartament de Medi Ambient i HabitatgeCentre Català del Reciclatge
First Edition: December 2008Printing: 500 issuesDesign and production: Contrast Estudi
This publication has been made offset paper with 100% recycled
DL: B-50710-08
