Life cycle assessment: of an inkjet print cartridge

Hewlett-Packard's Inkjet Business Unit (HP IJBU) designs and manufactures inkjet print cartridges for a wide variety of computer printers, plotters, facsimile machines and related equipment sold by Hewlett-Packard and other companies. In September 1994, HP IJBU undertook a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of it's highest selling print cartridge. The project was conducted with the assistance of Ecobalance, Inc., the US branch of a worldwide LCA consulting firm. After six months of extensive work involving many of HP's primary suppliers and over 100 HP people spread over the USA, Europe, and Asia, the project was completed. To the authors' knowledge, this in-depth LCA of a consumable is one of the first in the computer industry. This paper covers the reasons for undertaking the study, the project findings, and how this information is being used.