Every year, the electronics sector produces more waste than it recovers. According to the UN’s Global E-Waste Monitor 2024, the world generated about 62 megatonnes of electronic waste in 2022, with only 22% formally recycled. As billions of new connected devices join the Internet of Things each year, the need to design electronics with sustainability as a core parameter is critical.
For engineers, sustainability must move from aspiration to specification. Like power efficiency or size constraints, environmental performance must be engineered from the start. The following practical guidelines outline how greener design can be systematically integrated into development workflows from first sketch to end-of-life.
Quantify before you optimise
Sustainability begins with measurement. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reveals which components or processes dominate a product’s footprint (typical hotspots include PCBs, integrated circuits, and batteries). LCAs translate impact into quantitative metrics such as carbon footprint, energy demand, or material scarcity. These numbers guide meaningful improvements early in the design process, when changes are easiest to implement. Where detailed data is lacking, approximation is acceptable; the goal is not perfection, but progress supported by data.
Match design to lifetime
No device needs to last forever. Short-lived or disposable devices such as diagnostic strips or environmental sensors should use benign, degradable materials (e.g., cellulose, biopolymers, or water-soluble conductors). Meanwhile, long-lived or reusable devices such as IoT nodes or wearables benefit from durable substrates, modularity, and repairability. Designing for actual use ensures materials and architectures align with purpose, reducing both waste and over-engineering.
Simplify for end-of-life handling
Complexity is the enemy of circularity. Reduce material diversity and simplify construction to make disassembly, recycling, or degradation more feasible. Prioritise material simplicity and compatibility with existing recycling streams. Choose materials that can be processed together, standardise fasteners, and minimise adhesives and laminates.
Concentrate high-value parts such as chips and batteries into detachable modules that can be upgraded or reused. Even small structural changes during design can cut disassembly time and lower recycling costs. The easier a device is to take apart, the more likely it is to enter a recovery loop rather than landfill.
Use alternate materials and manufacturing methods
Traditional electronic materials were optimised for performance, not environmental compatibility. New options are emerging that maintain functionality with lower impact. Substrates like paper, or recyclable PET offer more sustainable alternatives to FR4. Conductors based on copper, carbon, or PEDOT:PSS reduce reliance on precious metals, while bio-derived dielectrics such as PLA or shellac decrease dependence on petrochemicals.
Investigate alternative manufacturing methods as well. Additive and printed electronics methods, for example, reduce material waste and enable low-temperature processing compatible with bio-based materials. Even minor process optimisations can have measurable energy benefits at scale.
Consider the system as a whole
Sustainability extends beyond individual components. Power management, data transmission, packaging, and logistics all influence total impact. Designing low-power systems reduces lifetime energy demand, while minimising packaging, sharing enclosures across product lines, or simplifying circuitry can yield measurable savings with minimal additional cost (if any!).
Equally important is ensuring these design decisions are visible and verifiable from manufacture to end-of-life. Frameworks such as the EU Digital Product Passport will formalise this approach, requiring transparent environmental information at each stage. Embedding traceability (e.g., QR codes, RFID tags, or digital records) into design can transform sustainability into a data-driven design feature.
Acting sustainably
Greener design is not a single innovation but a disciplined engineering process. By quantifying impact, tailoring designs to use-cases, simplifying end-of-life handling, embracing new materials and manufacturing methods, and viewing the system holistically, sustainability becomes a measurable engineering practice.
The e-waste problem is immense, but by following structured, data-driven design principles, we can ensure that the next generation of electronics is as responsible as it is intelligent.
About the author:
Morgan Monroe, R&D Engineer, Integrated & Wireless Systems, CSEM, Switzerland.
Morgan Monroe is an R&D Engineer in Integrated & Wireless Systems at CSEM, a Swiss technology innovation centre. In her role she focuses on printed and sustainable electronics, flexible sensors, and low-power wireless communications. She holds a PhD in Microtechnology and Engineering, and her background bridges academic research and industrial collaboration, with contributions to peer-reviewed publications, patents, and the transfer of emerging technologies from the lab to real-world applications. At CSEM she works across disciplines to design, prototype, and integrate advanced electronic systems that drive innovation in sustainability and next-generation connectivity.
