Evaluating Sustainability, Environment Assessment and Toxic Emissions in Life Cycle Stages of Printed Antenna

Abstract

In this work cradle to grave life cycle assessment of printed electronics resources have been presented. An attempt has been made to investigate and evaluate the life cycle assessment and environmental impacts of printed electronics resources such as polymer substrate-printed RFID antenna. Life cycle inventory analysis for these resources has been carried out to quantify total systems’ inputs and outputs that are relevant to the environmental impacts especially emissions to air, fresh water, industrial soil and sea water. The results show that printed electronics materials are considerably more environment friendly than materials needed for PCB electronics. We have obtained the mass of emissions in each life cycle stages which verify that technology wise printed antenna causes less harmful and hazardous impacts to the environment.