In so far as they relate to product design, significant environmental aspects are identified with reference to the following phases of the life cycle of the product:
raw material selection and use;
manufacturing;
packaging, transport, and distribution;
installation and maintenance;
use;
end-of-life, meaning the state of an EuP having reached the end of its first use until its final disposal.
For each phase, the following environmental aspects are to be assessed where relevant:
predicted consumption of materials, of energy and of other resources such as fresh water;
anticipated emissions to air, water or soil;
expected generation of waste material;
possibilities for reuse, recycling and recovery of materials and/or of energy, taking into account Directive 2002/96/EC.
In particular, the following parameters will be used, as appropriate, and supplemented by others, where necessary, for evaluating the potential for improving the environmental aspects mentioned in the previous paragraph:
use of materials issued from recycling activities;
consumption of energy, water and other resources throughout the life cycle;
use of substances classified as hazardous to health and/or the environment according to Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packing and labelling of dangerous substances (1) and taking into account legislation on the marketing and use of specific substances, such as Directives 76/769/EEC or 2002/95/EC;
quantity and nature of consumables needed for proper use and maintenance;
ease for reuse and recycling as expressed through: number of materials and components used, use of standard components, time necessary for disassembly, complexity of tools necessary for disassembly, use of component and material coding standards for the identification of components and materials suitable for reuse and recycling (including marking of plastic parts in accordance with ISO standards), use of easily recyclable materials, easy access to valuable and other recyclable components and materials; easy access to components and materials containing hazardous substances;
incorporation of used components;
avoidance of technical solutions detrimental to reuse and recycling of components and whole appliances;
extension of lifetime as expressed through: minimum guaranteed lifetime, minimum time for availability of spare parts, modularity, upgradeability, reparability;
amounts of waste generated and amounts of hazardous waste generated;
emissions to air (greenhouse gases, acidifying agents, volatile organic compounds, ozone depleting substances, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, fine particulate and suspended particulate matter) without prejudice to Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1997 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from internal combustion engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery (1);
emissions to water (heavy metals, substances with an adverse effect on the oxygen balance, persistent organic pollutants);
emissions to soil (especially leakage and spills of dangerous substances during the use phase of the product, and the potential for leaching upon its disposal as waste).
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