Guenter

The one that sells best is the one which has the label "Made with virgin
materials" :-)

Brian

Guenter Grossmann wrote:
>
> Joe
>
> Yes you are right. Recycling seems to be the best way. But somehow it seems as if recycling is still not a way people go for. See, we tried several times to start research projects about recycling, repair and reuse of used electronic equipment. We never got 1 cent of support. After 4 years the person responsible for these projects had to leave our lab because "no money no research". Some examples:
> - We where part of the advisory group when Switzerland started its legislation about electronic waste. It was not possible to convince the authorities that used electronic equipment is not waste but raw material. Now a new copier is delivered by standard transport. After 2 years, when it is waste, it has to be transported in a special designated transport as hazardous waste. Costs a fortune.
> - One retailer of computers agreed to start a trial to give away the equipment left in the store for self costs whenever a new model comes up. No success. The customers always chose the newest model even though they would have bought the old one yesterday for a higher price. Now every 6 months the storage is cleared and all computers are shreddered at 6$ per kg (at least they shredder them instead of dumping).
> - Automobile industry refused to start a project about degradation mechanisms and reliability of used electronic equipment in automotive applications. Their use is out of discussion because of legal riscs.
> And one highlight
> - Switzerland has a law for electronic waste that obligates the distributors of electronic equipment to take back used electronic equipment. A fee for the recycling is payed in advance when one purchases an electronic equipment. 70% of the electronics sold come back. The rest is thrown away, which is the bitter part of the story.
>
> Now, that I started a project dealing with the modelling of deformation and degradation of lead free solder I got founds for a 3 years project.
>
> The problem seems to be that only new things are good. Whenever something is used it becomes waste that is to be thrown away (not brought back). And who wants to work with waste? It's simply not prestigious it is better to work on something new, exiting. Also for the marketing. Imagine two radios in a shop.
> - One has a label that says: Lead free product or even better: Free of hazardous materials
> -The other has a label : All recycled materials
> Which one will be sold better?
>
> Have a great day
>
> Guenter Grossmann
>
> Swiss Federal Institute for Materials Testing and Research EMPA
> Centre for Reliability
> 8600 Duebendorf
> Switzerland
>
> Phone: xx41 1 823 4279
> Fax :      xx41 1823 4054
> mail:     [log in to unmask]
>
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