Combining economical and environmental considerations in cellular phone design

Abstract

At Delft University of Technology a research project has been initiated to study a wide range of issues in the life cycle of cellular phones. The main focus in the first stages of this study has been on the end-of-life stage of cellular phones. Particularly the relation between several environmental and economical parameters has been investigated. Special attention has been paid to phone parts having a significant impact on the environmental performance as well as on the financial results in the end-of-life stage, such as printed wiring boards (PWBs). It is shown how scenario analyses can be used to investigate the environmental and financial consequences of technical developments for example related to PWBs.