• français
    • English
    français
  • Login
Help
View Item 
  •   Home
  • Institut de Mécanique et d’Ingénierie de Bordeaux (I2M)
  • View Item
  • Home
  • Institut de Mécanique et d’Ingénierie de Bordeaux (I2M)
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

A comprehensive review of the end-of-life modeling in LCAs of digital equipment

Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
Author
FICHER, Marion
1061259 Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences du Numérique [LISN]
ccBAUER, Tom
1002421 Institut de Mécanique et d'Ingénierie [I2M]
ccLIGOZAT, Anne-Laure
179741 Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Informatique pour l'Industrie et l'Entreprise [ENSIIE]

URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10985/25644
DOI
10.1007/s11367-024-02367-x
Research data linked to this publication
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11367-024-02367-x/MediaObjects/11367_2024_2367_MOESM1_ESM.ods
Date
2024-09-27
Journal
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Purpose: In the context of the Anthropocene and the widespread use of ICT, the growth of digital e-waste should be tackled. In this paper, we examine the role of the of end-of-life (EoL) in relation to the other life cycle stages in life cycle assessments (LCA) of digital equipment. We investigate how LCAs of digital equipment model the EoL, what the results are for the environmental impacts of EoL treatments, and if the LCAs published after the ETSI standard and the ITU-T 1410 recommendation follow EoL modeling criteria. Method: We did a systematic literature review with three main research criteria. The LCA must (1) concern digital equipment or compare digital devices, (2) consider several impact categories, and (3) be from cradle-to-grave. As the number of scientific papers found was relatively small, we included LCAs of manufacturers, master thesis, and technical reports when they were appropriated. We found twenty-six references from academic and industrial sources corresponding to our research criteria. Results and discussions: Our review is structured according to the ISO 14040-14044 standards. EoL modeling is mainly in the scenario description, which is the first step of the LCA. For EoL modeling, we examine the allocation procedure, scenarios, distribution of scenarios, data source, transport modeling, EoL treatment rates, purity and quality of recycled materials, treatment of specific and hazardous components, and informal flow modeling. We identify the missing elements in the studies and compare them to ETSI and ITU-T 1410. We find it unclear whether ETSI and ITU-T 1410 are being followed in LCAs, as there are no noticeable changes in the EoL modeling. EoL often generates low environmental impacts compared to the other life cycle stages, except for some impact categories. Choices made in EoL modeling, such as using substitution with avoided impact approach or unspecified allocation, can result in low-impact estimates. We underline the need for more transparency in EoL allocation modeling to enable comparisons and interpretation of results from clear reporting. Conclusion: There is no clear consensus on how to model EoL in an LCA. As the EoL of a digital device is highly uncertain, modeling needs to be more consistent and detailed. LCA practitioners should go beyond these guidelines. We identify several missing elements in current LCAs. We provide recommendations for future LCAs, including providing more detail on the substitution approach, considering informal flows, using primary data, and implementing a hybrid methodology.

Files in this item

Name:
I2M-IJLCA-Bauer-2024.pdf
Size:
5.835Mb
Format:
PDF
Embargoed until:
2025-03-27
View/Open

Collections

  • Institut de Mécanique et d’Ingénierie de Bordeaux (I2M)

Related items

Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

  • X-ray Diffraction Residual Stress Measurement at Room Temperature and 77 K in a Microelectronic Multi-layered Single-Crystal Structure Used for Infrared Detection 
    Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
    LEBAUDY, Anne-Laure; FENDLER, M.; ccPESCI, Raphaël (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2018)
    The electronic assembly considered in this study is an infrared (IR) detector consisting of different layers, including (111) CdHgTe and (100) silicon single crystals. The processing steps and the low working temperature ...
  • Multilayer CdHgTe-based infrared detector: 2D/3D microtomography, synchrotron emission and finite element modelling with stress distribution at room temperature and 100 K 
    Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
    LEBAUDY, Anne-Laure; PIOTROWSKI, Boris; ccPESCI, Raphaël (Elsevier, 2020)
    The mechanical behaviour of a CdHgTe-based infrared detector was evaluated after processing at several temperatures to determine the impact of thermomechanical loading on residual stress and reliability. The architecture ...
  • Size and build strategy effects for the L-PBF process applied to Inconel 625 vertical struts: a combined numerical and experimental approach 
    Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
    ccPEYRE, Patrice; RODRIGUES DA SILVA, Julien; HAMOUCHE, Zehoua; HELBERT, Anne-Laure; ccDALIGAULT, Julien; ccDAL, Morgan; COSTE, Frédéric; BAUDIN, Thierry (Springer Nature (Research Square Platform LLC), 2024-01-22)
    A combined numerical and experimental analysis of melt-pool dimensions and resulting solidification conditions was carried out on small laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) struts (0.2 mm to 2 mm diameters), considered as single ...
  • Influence of diameter and scan strategy on the geometrical, microstructural, and mechanical properties of small Inconel 625 L-PBF struts 
    Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
    RODRIGUES DA SILVA, J.; ccHAMOUCHE, Zehoua; ccHELBERT, Anne-Laure; ccBAUDIN, Thierry; ccCOSTE, FREDERIC; ccPEYRE, Patrice (Elsevier BV, 2025-02)
    The geometries, microstructures, and mechanical properties of vertically built Inconel 625 Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) struts were investigated in this study. The influence of strut size (between 0.2 mm and 2 mm) and ...
  • Identification of the environmental hotspots of a recycling process - Case study of a Pt PEMFC catalyst closed-loop recycling system evaluated via life cycle assessment methodology 
    Article dans une revue avec comité de lecture
    ccBAUER, Tom; SINGH, Kiranpal; MANDIL, Guillaume; SVECOVA, Lenka; DUBAU, Laetitia
    Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology using green H2 as a fuel to produce decarbonized electricity is considered as a promising substitute for fossil fuels. However, its development is impeded by the use ...

Browse

All SAMCommunities & CollectionsAuthorsIssue DateCenter / InstitutionThis CollectionAuthorsIssue DateCenter / Institution

Newsletter

Latest newsletterPrevious newsletters

Statistics

Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

ÉCOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE D'ARTS ET METIERS

  • Contact
  • Mentions légales

ÉCOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE D'ARTS ET METIERS

  • Contact
  • Mentions légales