Unzipping the future of SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS

In2Tec brings an innovative closed-loop solution to the global e-waste problem.

Electronic-systems designers are facing a serious reckoning: How to significantly reduce the environmental impact of more and more electronic content in new vehicles?

E-waste - the mountains of discarded electronic refuse piling up all over the planet - is a global problem that is getting worse each year (see sidebar). And while consumer electronics are the primary constituent in e-waste, the auto industry is steadily exacerbating the mess. With the addition of on-board processors for every new function, and a sensor deluge with no end in sight, a typical passenger vehicle can contain up to 200 electronic control units. Each ECU has a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) that is difficult and costly to disassemble and reclaim. While the scrapped boards have component and material salvage value, most go to landfill, according to the U.S. EPA.