Sustainable and green electronics for circular economy

Purpose and goal:

The electronics industry faces challenges such as increasing e-waste, demand for critical raw materials, and high energy consumption. SUSTRONICS main goal is to support renewal of European electronics industry towards circular economy, eco-design, bio-based materials, and material- and energy-efficient manufacturing. SUSTRONICS will re-design electronics products into circular, compostable and reusable products, demonstrating that there are business opportunities in sustainable electronics.

Expected results and effects:

SUSTRONICS will develop circular designs, bio-based materials, material- and energy-efficient manufacturing processes and software for sustainable electronic devices and systems with low environmental footprint, that will be demonstrated in nine use cases, with special focus on healthcare and diagnostics. SUSTRONICS will pave the way towards circular electronic products with sustainability as competitive edge, supporting the digital and green transition and strengthening European industry.

Approach and implementation:

At the start of the project, the needs and requirements for the nine use case specific pilots will be gathered and translated into technical specifications for the systems, which also will guide the development of the materials, manufacturing processes, components and devices. Three generations of each pilot prototype will be developed, manufactured, tested and validated. Life cycle assessment and ecodesign methods will be applied to ensure environmental sustainability.