A practical approach to the ecological lifetime optimization of electronic products

In order to be able to answer the question of whether to "extend or shorten the product lifetime", one must first analyze the gap between the ecologically optimum lifetime and the current usage time. The ecologically optimum lifetime is defined as "the time until replacement is considered ecologically sound" and is determined by two factors: the reduction in the efficiency of the product itself due to use and the improvement in the efficiency of new products in the market. When trying to find a way to close the gap, it is helpful to distinguish between the different dimensions of the product that can become obsolete. This information forms the basis for the development of directions for redesign.