Bridging the information gap: Material tracking and consumer labels to encourage sustainable computing

A major barrier to encouraging sustainability in the computer industry is the absence of accurate information on material flow through the industry supply chain. This information gap constrains the abilities of designers as well as consumers in making informed decisions. We propose a system for developing, sharing, and communicating information about the material contents and energy use of computers and other electronic devices. The simplest electronic components will be analyzed for content of materials of interest, and the component will be entered into a computer database system. Companies assembling larger devices from a number of components will use the database system to indicate which subcomponents they use, and the computer system will generate an entry for their new product by adding up the material contents of each subcomponent in the supply chain. Eventually this system will be able to estimate the complete contents of any electronic product on the market. The computer system will also include metrics for the recyclability and environmental hazards posed by different materials. This data could be used for many purposes. A "Production Facts" label could provide consumers with information about a computer's potential environmental impact and recyclability. This will help consumers put market pressure on the computer industry to develop more sustainable products by facilitating side-by-side comparisons. A bar code will provide each product's model number so that recycling companies can easily look up what valuable materials it may contain, and will improve automation in recycling. The scope of the system can easily be expanded to include use-phase impacts such as electricity use. Regulators will be able to track the database for products with large amounts of potentially dangerous materials, or to encourage highly recyclable products. If price and performance data are included in the database, it will also help companies buy and sell the components they need. Researchers will be able to use the database to analyze the flow of different materials through the computer industry and estimate how sustainable it is.