Evaluating Sustainability, Environmental Assessment and Toxic Emissions during Manufacturing Process of RFID Based Systems

Abstract

The present state of the art research in the direction of embedded systems demonstrate that analysis of life-cycle, sustainability and environmental assessment have not been a core focus for researchers. To maximize a researcher's contribution in formulating environmentally friendly products, devising green manufacturing processes and services, there is a strong need to enhance life-cycle awareness and sustainability understandings among embedded systems researchers, so that the next generation of engineers will be able to realize the goal of a sustainable life-cycle. In this work an attempt has been made to investigate and evaluate the life-cycle management and environmental assessment in fabricating processes of the RFID based systems. We have chosen a general life cycle assessment approach which involves the collection and evaluation of quantitative data on the inputs and outputs of materials and energy associated with the RFID based systems. Based on the developed generic models, we have obtained the results in terms of environmental emissions for a production of paper substrate printed RFID antennas. We also make an attempt to raise several sustainability issues and quantify the toxic emissions during the manufacturing process.