Assessing Material Circularity and Carbon Footprint at Component Level in Electronic Products

The growing demand for electronic products is not only driving the consumption of critical raw materials but is also associated with significant environmental impacts from production. In response, circular economy strategies are increasingly promoted to reduce environmental impacts over the entire life cycle and to conserve material resources. Yet, circularity does not necessarily lead to climate benefits. A more nuanced assessment is needed, particularly one that considers both aspects, quantified e.g. through Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and Material Circularity Indicator (MCI). So far, there has been little focus on electronic products when linking the two indicators. Moreover, assessments rarely consider circularity at the component-level. This level of granularity is important, as different components may be suited to different circularity strategies (e.g., reuse, remanufacturing, recycling), each with varying environmental trade-offs. In this context, this contribution assesses the PCF and MCI on a component-level using a sensor as an exemplary product. Results show that the potential climate benefit of circular strategies strongly depends on the component’s material composition and end-of-life treatment options. The findings highlight the importance of a differentiated and component-level assessment when aiming to improve the environmental performance of electronics. From the investigated use-case, general conclusions can be drawn underlining the importance of integrated component-level analysis.