IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 36 FALL 2024 The electronics industry faces increasing pres- sure from consumers and regulators to imple- ment more circular design principles in their products. While some companies lead the way, many grapple with significant knowledge gaps. These include a lack of clear definitions for "cir- cular economy" in the context of electronics, insufficient data, and inadequate training to apply circular principles effectively across prod- uct lifecycles. Additionally, there's a pressing need to understand the return on investment (ROI) and other potential incentives for imple- menting circular principles. In response to these chal- lenges, two industry lead- ers—iNEMI (International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative) and IPC—joined forces. Their collaboration aims to identify and address key circularity challenges in electronics manufactur- ing. This initiative gained momentum following a successful workshop at the Electronics Goes Green (EGG) conference in Berlin on June 17, 2024, setting the stage for a series of focused efforts to tackle the industry's most pressing cir- cularity issues. Key Challenges The collaboration between iNEMI and IPC has identified four primary areas of focus in address- ing circularity challenges. 1. Data scarcity: One of the most significant hurdles is the lack of comprehensive data. The industry needs to determine what specific data is required, who needs access to it, and how circularity-related information can be effec- tively identified, collected, and communicated throughout the electronics manufacturing value chain. 2. Defining circularity: There's a critical need for a clear, industry-wide definition of what Closing the Loop iNEMI workshop addresses circularity challenges By Kelly Scanlon, IPC Lead Sustainability Strategist SUSTAINABILITY Kelly Scanlon