AEOLOS: An end-of-life of product system

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0128-1

Key words (English)

Economic indictor; ELECTRE III; environmental performance; EOL option; EOL scenario; original equipment manufacturer; policy maker; recycler; remanufacturer; social aspect; WEEE

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: G1RD-2000-00257

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.3.1 Innovative products, processes and organization

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: SINTEF, Trondheim (NO)

Abstract (English)

The objective of AEOLOS project is to provide the end-users involved in the treatment of EOL products with an integrated methodology and tool set that support them in defining relevant EOL scenarios and comparing them on the basis of their performances with respect to selected environmental, social and economic indicators. Even if the methodology and tool set were intended to be used for waste from electrical and electronic equipments, the AEOLOS methodology and tool set are developed in such a way to deal with any type of EOL products. The stepwise structure of the AEOLOS methodology and tool set allows the end-users to progress easily in their decision making process concerning the choice of the most appropriate EOL scenario.
The EOL scenarios are defined from a combination of product description and EOL options. The level of details required for the description of the product depends on the type of activity of the end-user and the EOL options considered are product remanufacturing, part/components reclamation, material recycling, incineration with energy recovery, incineration without energy recovery and disposal to landfill. Information about market, technology and legislation is provided in order to select feasible EOL scenarios.
The economic indicators are calculated on the basis of the various processes associated with the EOL scenario. A long list of environmental and social indicators is provided. This list is structured on dimension/category/aspect/indicator in order to guide the end-user in the identification of the most relevant indicators. The environmental indicators should be evaluated via an external tool set called TEAM while the values for social indicators should be entered manually. The ELECTRE III method is used to rank the EOL scenarios from the best to the worst on the basis of the performances of each EOL scenario with respect to each indicator and the preferences of the end-user. Once the ranking of the EOL scenarios is established, a check list of relevant questions is used to refine the results.
At the beginning of September 2002, sessions for testing and evaluation of the AEOLOS methodology and tool set were organized. The testing and evaluation tasks were performed throughout the close collaboration of end-users and IT partners. In particular, each industrial user collaborated with one IT partner who acted as facilitator for the testing and evaluation tasks. The end-users described AEOLOS as a useful means to deal with EOL products. The methodology is very well structured and provides the user with a valuable means for defining, comparing and analysing EOL scenarios. Concerning the toolset, there are certain aspects that could be further improved for a more efficient implementation of the methodology. Provided that certain improvements are made on the toolset, AEOLOS system could provide a constructive means for the management of EOL products.
Our laboratory has contributed to almost all the tasks. For the methodology and toolset, we were mainly responsible for the development and implementation of step 2 dealing with the selection of indicators and evaluation of EOL scenarios and step 3 dealing with the analysis and comparison of EOL scenarios. We also prepared documentation for the testing and evaluation of the AEOLOS methodology and tool set and we did the analysis and the overall evaluation of the results of the testing and evaluation sessions.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0128-1