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Environmental Impacts in the Production of Personal Computers

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Computers and the Environment: Understanding and Managing their Impacts

Part of the book series: Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science ((ECOE,volume 14))

Abstract

The environmental impacts associated with a product include those that occur in the production processes to make it. These impacts occur not only at the final stage of assembling parts, but also in the production of parts and their constituent materials. Environmental analyses often put emphasis on impacts from producing the raw materials to make products, such as those arising from mining, metal smelting, and refining petroleum. From this perspective, a personal computer (PC) does not make much of an impression. A PC is much smaller than a car, for instance, and being a high-tech product, was presumably produced by a “clean” set of processes. The objective of this chapter is to examine this issue more carefully, starting with the basic question: What are the types and extent of the environmental impacts associated with making a computer? This examination will also consider hazardous materials that may leach from end-of-life computers in landfills. While this is ultimately a disposal issue, the materials are put in the computer at the production stage so should be considered here.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United Nations University, Japan

    Eric Williams

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  1. Eric Williams
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zero Emissions Forum, United Nations University, European Focal Point, Hamburg, Germany

    Ruediger Kuehr

  2. Environmental and Sustainable Development Programme, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan

    Eric Williams

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Williams, E. (2003). Environmental Impacts in the Production of Personal Computers. In: Kuehr, R., Williams, E. (eds) Computers and the Environment: Understanding and Managing their Impacts. Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0033-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0033-8_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-1680-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0033-8

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