I. Reverse Logistics Networks:
European, East Asian, and American Perspectives and Tools

The goal of this tutorial is to provide examples of electronics take-back programs in East Asia, Europe, and the US.

In the first part of the tutorial, the motivation for reverse logistics is presented. Reverse logistics is the process of continually taking back products and/or packaging materials for the purpose of re-use, recycling or disposal. In addition to refurbishing, reselling and recycling return products, many companies see returns as a potential alternate source of supply chain support products, assemblies and components. The potential value in return products is tremendous. Unfortunately, the high cost of transportation, storage and handling often exceed the value of return products. Time and distance are the enemies of asset value recovery in the US. The recoverable value of returned products is constantly shrinking. High technology turnover reduces the life cycle of resale value potential. The recyclable content value is diminishing as companies engineer out expensive raw materials in an attempt to maintain competitiveness. Cost in transportation and inventory carrying are continually increasing through inflation, wage, fuel and space rates. This creates a paradox in "value versus cost." This reverse logistics session will explore that paradox and how companies can utilize a comprehensive reverse logistics process to reduce cost and thereby increase revenue through the retained value of a return product pipeline.

In the second part of the tutorial, the challenge and possible solution of reverse logistics system integration for recycling electronic and electrical goods in Taiwan is presented. Mathematical programming models that can be used to improve the reverse logistics system are also presented.

In the third part of the tutorial, a brief overview is provided of the development of end-of-life management systems to handle the rising amount of elektronik scrap, which exceeds currently more than 8 million tons within 15 european countries, and to manage the increasing cost and environmental burden through transportation. The changing legal situation concering the "Producer Responsibility" will require producers of electrical and electronic products as well as all other parties involved in the entire chain of waste management service providers to concider operations which are not originally part of their core competencies. The Project RELOOP (Reverse Logistics Chain Optimisation in a Multi-user Trading Environment) adresses that topic developing a decision support tool for end-of-life management. During that project a best practice study has been carried out covering 10 different european companies of all stages in the take back and recycling chain. This session will give insights in research results of that area.

Les Bury – Biographical Sketch

Les Bury is a veteran of Logistics with over 20 years of experience in many areas of this diverse and innovative industry. Currently, M r. Bury is Managing Director of Equipment Recy cling Services (ERS), an operating division of North American Logistics . ERS provides resale and recycling services to the computer and electronics industry. Mr. Bury has held Management positions at Hewlett Packard for over 10 years in Materials, Manufacturing, Traffic, Logistics, Environmental Health & Safety and Account Management. As an industry Consultant, he specialized in 3rd Party Logistics Outsourcing, with expertise focused in reverse logistics, network modeling, activity based costing and 3rd party programs. Mr. Bury holds a Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Li-Hsing Shih is Professor of Resources Engineering at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. His research applies operations research and statistics to resource recycling management and business environmental management. Recent research projects supported by Taiwan EPA and National Science Council are on the reverse logistics system integration and life cycle assessment for recycling electrical household appliances in Taiwan.

Karin Auernhammer – Biographical Sketch

Karin Auernhammer works as a scientist within the Fraunhofer Society for the Institute of Human Factors and Industrial Engineering. The Fraunhofer Society is one of Germany’s leading research institutes and conducts applied research amongst various other fields in reverse logistics and end-of-life management. Reloop is one of Ms. Auernhammers projects where she leads the technical project management. The aim of the project is to develop a decision support tool for end-of-life management.

Karen Maas – Biographical Sketch

Karen Maas works as a consultant at the Institute for Applied Environmental Economics in the Netherlands. TME is specialized in, among others, the field of eco-efficiency, chain management Life Cycle Analysis and Life Cycle Costing. Karen Maas has extensive experience in the field of environmental-economic assessments. Within the Reloop project she is responsible for the environmental and economic data and calculations.

The Natural Step provides a scientifically based planning framework, which helps businesses assess and communicate how they can move strategically toward sustainability. This tutorial will examine the use of the framework in relation to the IT and electronics industry. Initially, the framework will be presented along with case studies illustrating how it is being used in a number of different sectors. Following this there will be a dialogue around sustainability in the IT/electronics sector.

George Basile, Ph.D. – Senior Scientist – Biographical Sketch

Dr. Basile received his undergraduate training in physics at the University of California, Irvine and his doctorate in biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. He has advanced training in biophysics, cellular biology, molecular genetics, and education, and has undertaken research in numerous areas, including environmental toxicology, cancer, and aging. Dr. Basile has served on the faculty at Stanford University, has been a National Institute of Health Post-Doctoral Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an SNIB Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the UC, Berkeley. Among his current activities, he is a specialist in the fields of industrial ecology and biotechnology at UC Berkeley and consults in industrial ecology, including strategic planning, scientific advising, and organizational restructuring to integrate global competitiveness with sound health and environmental strategies. Dr. Basile has made community outreach and education a focus of his work, integrating science, education, environmental health, and public health.

Mary Altomare – Co-Director of Corporate Initiatives – Biographical Sketch

Mary Altomare, along with Brian Nattrass, has conducted research on the integration of The Natural Step framework into corporate strategies and practices in several corporations in both North America and Europe. They are the world’s leading experts in this area. Ms. Altomare is the former Administrative Director of The Center for International Development Research at Duke University. She has done extensive research in social and economic development issues for the World Bank, USAID, and the Research Triangle Institute. She has experience in complex project coordination and the development of collaborat i v e research and innovation projects. She and Nattrass are co-authors of the book The Natural Step for Business: Wealth, Ecology and the Evolutionary Corporation, Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers:1999.www.newsociety.com

Brian Nattrass – Co-Director of Corporate Initiatives – Biographical Sketch

Brian Nattrass, along with Mary Altomare has conducted extensive research on the integration of The Natural Step framework into corporate strategies and practices in several corporations in both North America and Europe.They are the world’s leading experts in this area. Nattrass, a corporate lawyer, former President of publicly held company and former Chair of Earth Day International is currently completing doctoral research in Learning and Change in Human Systems. He and Altomare are co-authors of the book The Natural Step for Business: Wealth, Ecology and the Evolutionary Corporation, Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers: 1999. www.newsociety.com

Peter Price-Thomas – Education Associate – Biographical Sketch

Mr. Price-Thomas received an MA in Geography from the University of Edinburgh, prior to starting work with Scottish Natural Heritage on the environmental sensitivity of upland areas. He then took up a Fulbright Scholarship at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies where he completed his Master’s in Environmental Studies. He has worked on sustainability issues in North America, Europe and Asia - including work with state and national governments, corporations and multilateral agencies. Mr. Price-Thomas’ primary focus is on the application of sustainability and industrial ecology to industry in ‘developing’ countries.

III. Integrating Design for Environment into an
Environmental Management System

EORM’s tutorials on Design for Environment at the last two International Symposiums on Electronics and the Environment have received overwhelmingly positive feedback.This year’s tutorial has been expanded to consider Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and how they relate to Design for Environment (DfE). The tutorial aims to:

• Describe how Design for Environment can be integrated into an Environmental Management System

• Explain how targets and objectives can be set for Design for Environment programs and how these can monitored throughout the design process

• Discuss the limitations of Environmental Management Systems and how they need to be adapted for Design for Environment.

• Provide case studies of companies integrating the two approaches.

The tutorial is intended to provide an introduction for those entering the field, as well as those experienced in these areas.

David Newman, CHMM – Biographical Sketch

Mr. Newman is a Senior EHS Consultant and Northeast Regional Manager for Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, (EORM®) in Boston, MA. Mr. Newman specializes in implementing compliance-driven, as well as strategic Environmental, Health and Safety programs for consumer electronics and semiconductor manufacturers. His strategic environmental management experience includes working for almost four years for a computer component manufacturer to implement its DFE program. Mr. Newman holds Masters’ degrees in Public Health and Industrial Environmental

Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.

Andrew Sweatman – Biographical Sketch

Mr. Sweatman is an Associate EHS Consultant with EORM in Sunnyvale, CA. His areas of expertise include Design for Environment implementation, and Environmental Management Systems development and training. Prior to working in the United States, he lived in the UK and Australia and assisted a range of companies develop Design for Environment programs. Mr. Sweatman’s original training was in Industrial Design, followed by a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Brunel University, London.