158 Chapter 9

Recent polls of citizens of both developing and industrialized countries found that a majority considered environmental protection more important than economic growth. Many European countries already have environmental product-labeling initiatives. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working with industry to define environmental goals and facilitate cooperation in achieving them. One result is a labeling program for energy-efficient computers. Design-for-the-environment initiatives are growing.

Design-for-environment (DFE) programs call for careful inclusion of environmentally safe attributes in the early design stages of new products, as opposed to re-engineering them later in the product cycle. Implementing DFE is increasingly critical if companies want to be globally competitive. These programs are also proving to be economically sound, emphasizing consideration of materials and energy, and , as a result, enhance profit potential. Recycling efforts can reduce the volume of raw materials. Maximizing the use of recyclable materials opens up revenue possibilities at the end of a product life cycle. Component reliability, a fundamental design goal in the electronics industry, supports the re-use

to facilitate — to make easy or easier; help укр. полегшувати, допомагати, сприяти sound — showing good sense Synonyms:

reasonable, sensible

укр. із здоровим глуздом (розумом),

тверезий, розсудливий, розумний

raw material — not yet treated for use, in a

natural state укр. сировина

revenue — income укр. доход

to refurbish — to make clean and fresh

again. Synonyms: to renovate, to overhaul

укр. поновлювати

landfill — укр. звалище, смітник

of such parts in new or refurbished equipment, again saving raw materials, manufacturing costs, and time. Manufacturing innovations contribute to environmental soundness while boosting manufacturing efficiency. Xerox corporation estimates that its environmental programs already save the company more than $100 million annually. One initiative at Xerox seeks such complete reuse of recycling of business equipment products that no materials need to be taken to a landfill. Another approach is manufacturing involving disassembling a machine, replacing worn-out parts with new, remanufactured or used components. Then machine is cleaned and tested to ensure it meets quality and reliability criteria for a newly manufactured machine.

To meet the challenge of zero waste material, the following issues must be addressed:

• Product simplification.

• Design for disassembly rather than merely assembly.

• Incorporating recyclable materials.