Design of next generation electronics for a circular economy

Rapidly developing project has its online Progress meeting on 27^th September this year. Around 40 participants took part in evaluations of new results. Insightful presentations were given by researchers from Universities of Leiden, TU Delft, Radboud, Eindhoven, Erasmus University Rotterdam, TNO and Saxion Hogeschool representing work packages on all circularity aspects from lifecycles flows through lifetime extension technologies and design for sustainability, down to the dismantling and metallurgical recovery united by new business models for circularity.

20 non-academic partners support the project providing data and expertise. Three partners ASML, Umicore and KPN shared their circularity view and current challenges during the meeting.

The collaboration across the whole supply chain is crucial to achieve zero-waste goals on industrial scale. As David van Dijck from Umicore said: “Circularity is at the heart of everything we do and of course we do not achieve this circularity alone.” The uniqueness of the project lies in the interdisciplinary and intersectoral interactions, which also attracts numerous master students, striving for the safe and climate-neutral future.

The project will make a pivotal contribution to the Dutch Government program ‘Netherlands Circular by 2050’, particularly for consumer goods and the manufacturing industry which are two of the five priority transition sectors.