Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1467185
60 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2022 Regulations, policies, and plans are being adopted around the world which require man- ufacturing companies of all kinds to imple- ment sustainable engineering practices. ese efforts are numerous and are intended to pro- tect human and environmental health as well as the integrity of supply chains that may rely on non-renewable resources. While these reg- ulations largely focus on limiting the release of chemicals—either during production or end-use—that contribute to anthropogenic cli- mate change, most also address the potential hazards to both workers and consumers posed by the process chemicals and materials used to manufacture a product. e electronics man- ufacturing industry is no different, of course, and every electronics engineer is certainly at least aware of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS). One of the most watched of these novel plans is coming from the European Union (EU) in the form of the European Green Deal. is sprawl- ing framework is devised to help EU mem- ber states meet emissions targets—namely, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, as compared to levels measured in 1990—and achieve other circu- larity benchmarks regarding the recyclability, repairability, and reusability of products. is framework was bolstered by the European Climate Law, passed in July 2021, that legally binds EU member states to these benchmarks. To accelerate the changes mandated by the European Green Deal, the European Com- mission draed the Circular Economy Action Plan, which details how governmental and pri- vate entities can minimize their environmental footprint while also minimizing the impacts on businesses that these progressive steps may incur. Ultimately, the European Commission writes that the Circular Economy Action Plan will create a "regenerative growth model that Green Ambition for the Electronics Manufacturing Industry Design Circuit by Patrick Crawford, IPC