Applying the grEEEn method: initial results from an ecodesign case study

The European Commission has identified waste of electrical and electronic equipment as one major waste stream and aims at the reduction of the environmental impacts. The result has been the WEEE and RoHS directives, which have come into force in February 2003. The grEEEn project (running from 1. January 2001 to 31. December 2003) has already anticipated the requirements of these directives and developed the method presented in this paper; covering environmental, economic and legal assessment at the same time. The results from the first application of the grEEEn method on an electronic device for the automotive sector are presented. Subsequently, the assessment of the method in the case study regarding the possibility to achieve a combined analysis of environmental and economic impact as well as fulfillment of the directives and essential features for the design methods are performed. Potentials for future research are summarised in the concluding remarks.