Ecodesign

All products have an impact on the environment
during their life-cycle spanning all phases from
cradle to grave, including the use of raw
materials and natural resources, manufacturing,
packaging, transport, disposal and recycling.
More than 80% of the environmental impact of a
product is determined at the design stage.
Ecodesign implies taking into account all the environmental
impacts of a product right from the earliest
stage of design. In particular, this avoids uncoordinated
product planning (for example, eliminating a toxic
substance should not lead to higher energy consumption,
which on balance could have a negative impact on
the environment).
The Ecodesign Directive provides a coherent and
integrated framework which allows setting mandatory
ecodesign requirements for some products. For instance,
the Ecodesign Regulation on standby requires that many
domestic electrical and electronic products such as
washing machines, TV or personal computers do not
consume more than 0.5W in off mode as of 2013.


However, ecodesign requirements must not lower the
functionality of a product, its safety, or have a negative
impact on its affordability or consumers’ health.
A methodology has been developed to provide
operational guidance to the Commission on how
to assess whether and which ecodesign requirements
are appropriate for a given product.