ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

“Buy new and buy often” mentality created by companies contributes to a culture of
wastefulness in a world with limited resources and limited space for storing waste

Companies limit consumers to keep the product for a longer time by designing
the product to regress in functionality to compel consumers for future purchases

Average life cycle of a phone in India is 1.5-2 years which means a normal phone would start misfunctioning post 2 years of
usage

Total e-waste generated in India was approximately $61.05Bn in 2016 which is more than GDP of most countries around
the world

Companies like Apple, OnePlus, Canon, Epson, HP are found to be engaged in Planned Obsolescence. The first few
examples of companies colluding for Planned Obsolescence goes as back as 1924 wherein lightbulb manufacturers like
General Electric, Philips, Osram colluded to decrease the lifespan of their lightbulbs from 2500+hrs to 1000hrs

Corporations are fighting to protect planned obsolescence. Microsoft filling a lawsuit against Lundgren, one of the largest
electronics recyclers in the US. Lundgren’s company provided Windows for free with the refurbished computers
 Environmental Issues
In Ghana, in order to melt off plastics and other invaluable
materials, burning e-waste is very common. Highly toxic
fumes are emitted in the process and no regulatory agency
oversees this. Children as young as 12 years old are put to
work in place most people describe as ”The gates of hell”.

Electronic gadgets require highly specific

metals and materials and are commonly
acquired by mining which in itself is an An example of above is Democratic
environmentally destructive process Republic of Congo where Cobalt is
mined. Cobalt mining compromises
workers’ health and safety and also
involves child labor among other
human rights abuses.

These extractions also creates social imbalance.

These materials are also called as “conflict
minerals”. Their extraction contributes to funding
of civil wars and perpetuate human rights abuses.
 How to address the issues ?

Companies can be penalized for Expansion of recycling of electronics.

implementing planned obsolescence. Government can either sign a contract with
France has strict laws against it and had an external e-waste recycling company or can
their first case against a company in mandate that manufacturers to provide free
2017. and convenient recycling of electronic waste

Last resort could be company coming with technological innovations

which could reduce the impact of e-waste on environment. They can
find eco-friendly alternatives to electronic materials.

This would also help companies to improve their triple bottom line also helping in
differentiating against their competitors