Sustainability issues of the electronics lifecycle

23rd July 2015

Jordan Mulcare

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The Green Electronics Council has unveiled the full list of sessions and speakers for the Emerging Green Conference, the premiere international green-electronics conference in 2015. Emerging Green will be composed of 13 tracks and five general sessions. The experts in each will join previously announced keynote speakers from HP, Facebook, Electronic Recyclers International and author Andrew Winston as the three-day conference explores issues of electronics in a circular economy.

Emerging Green will be held from 22^nd - 24^th September, 2015. Early Bird registration, which reflects a 20% ($240) discount, ends on 1^st of August. More than three dozen speakers will present at the Emerging Green Conference, including representatives from HP, Lenovo, Akamai, Dell, Arrow, Seagate, Intel, Business for Social Responsibility, the U.S. Dept. of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, iNEMI, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, thinkstep, 3M, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Basel Action Network, UN University, EICC, WorldLoop, Fraunhofer IZM, and iFixit.

General sessions will address overall issues tied to electronics in a circular economy, where 'circular economy' is defined as an economic system that is safe and restorative by intention and seeks to eradicate waste through the careful design, manufacture, use and handling of products and components. Plenary sessions will also discuss sustainability opportunities for mobile phones, sustainable infrastructure at scale and original research co-sponsored by TruCost and the Green Electronics Council.

Focused breakout sessions at Emerging Green will explore sustainability issues throughout the lifecycle of electronics. Panelists, experts and plenary sessions during the three-day programme will present the latest findings and next steps in 11 core areas: Safer Chemicals, Critical Materials, Electronic Waste (e-waste), Design for Long and Extended Life, Environmental Product Technologies, A Greener Cloud, Supply Chain Impacts and Opportunities, Supply-Chain Social Issues, Research and Compliance, Greening through Information and Communications Technology and Initiatives to Promote a Circular Economy.

Emerging Green provides global technology leaders an opportunity to discuss the advances, challenges and role of electronics in the circular economy. UL is the Title Sponsor of Emerging Green 2015, presented by TÜV Rheinland. The Conference also marks the inaugural presentation of the Green Electronics Council’s Catalyst Awards, which recognise electronics and related infrastructures’ positive impact on the circular economy.