Environmental labelling of mobile phones : LCA standardisation process

The mobile phone market is constantly evolving. Retailers and manufacturers offer a larger number of features to customers: a mobile network more and more efficient (2G, 3G then 4G), handsets with computer features, navigation, gaming, etc. This progress involves the use of more efficient and reduced electronic components: larger display panels with higher resolution, more powerful microprocessors and more memory available. One of today’s most important problematic is the emergence of environmental consciousness. In this context, various studies based on LCA have been recently conducted by the mobile phones retailers and manufacturers to understand to which extend their product could contribute to the environmental issues. One of these studies goals is to provide information to consumers on the environmental impacts of mobile phones. These initiatives are supplemented by the French and European environmental labelling programs. Moreover, methodologies for LCA are also evolving. For example, the JRC, the European Union's scientific and technical research laboratory, advocated a series of recommendations in order to reduce uncertainty about the impact from LCA results [1]. However, there are two main constraints in the creation of an environmental labelling dedicated to mobile phones. Firstly, the time between designing a mobile phone and its marketing is very short. Time to perform LCA studies is thus limited. Secondly, mobile phones market share is large and submitted to an important turnover. The development of easy-to-use methodologies and tools with quick return on investment is necessary. In this context, how can we provide a reliable environmental labelling while meeting the criteria of cost and time? This article deals with the environmental labelling scheme of mobile phones developed by SFR, a French telecommunications company. First of all, this article summarizes the LCA results uncertainties caused by two main aspects: the need to update life cycle inventories datasets (LCI datasets) faces the lack of availability of these data with the manufacturers and the need to develop the methodology to monitor the market and scientific advances. Secondly, the article will address various solutions that have been implemented in relation to these issues. Finally this article will detail the future challenges about methodological and standardisation. Index Terms — Environmental labelling, ICT, mobile phones, LCA standardisation.