Green product manufacturing

FIGURE 9.1. Green product manufacturing and usage methodology (cradle-to-grave or life-cycle analysis). 

Energy intensity. Energy intensity is an obvious target for green product design. This is the easiest dimension to identify commercial benefits. Lower energy intensity can clearly either save manufacturing costs, or total cost of ownership for the user. 

In this chapter, we focus on strategies, tools and metrics that help chemical choosers to green their chemical product inventories and to benchmark progress. The term chemical chooser applies to those who purchase chemicals for use in the development of formulated products or those who purchase formulated chemical products for use in their use in activities such as maintenance, repair and operations. Most product manufacturers are chemical and material choosers in contrast to chemical or raw material manufacturers who process, synthesize and supply chemicals as raw materials. 

Long-term goals consist of step-by-step implementation of environmentally friendly manufacturing, developing "innovative products." The ultimate outcome is design of innovative food products like functional foods, which can open new markets and meet green productivity objectives. 

In the past, the sports industrywide approach to product manufacturing had minimal consideration for its environmental and social impact. However, many c(Misumers are now becoming more aware of sustainability issues and are interested to know under what conditions their textiles were manufactured, while, at the same time, they want to benefit from innovation and functionality. Unfortunately, as green washing is prevalent, research with end users indicates that they expect more transparent and clear information in this area. 

Recently, however, the United States Green Building Council has promoted in the USA the use of composite products manufactured without any urea-formaldehyde [8]. While the addition of urea as a potential formaldehyde scavenger in the glue-mix of a finished pure melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin is tolerated, the use of even the best copolymerized MUF resins today on the market is not ac-... 

LCA Tool (2013) Manufacturing LCA Tool. Sustainable Green Products, http //www.sustainablegreenproducts.org/ (last accessed July 2013). 

PLA is a suitable substitute for existing petrochemical polymers in the manufacture of cups, containers and packaging. PLA is known to degrade well when disposed along with municipal waste, and so is less of a burden to the environment. Unlike petrochemical polymers such as PE, PP, PET, PC and PS, which require one hundred years to break down into harmless substances, PLA is fully compostable and is accepted as a green product, especially in Japan, the United States and EU countries. Several reports have been published about the eco-efficiency of PLA post-consumer, and this has been compared to conventional plastics. These reports have included PLA cups (Vercalsteren et al., 2010), clamshells (Kruger et al., 2009) and wrappings (Hermann et al., 2010). 

Green Thumb, a manufacturer of lawn care equipment, has introduced a new product. Each unit costs 150 to manufacture, and the introductory price is 200. At this price, the anticipated demand is normally distributed, with a mean of /u = 100 and a standard deviation of cr = 40. Any unsold units at the end of the season are unlikely to be valuable and will be disposed of in a post-season sale for 50 each. It costs 20 to hold a unit in inventory for the entire season. How many units should Green Thumb manufacture for sale What is the expected profit from this policy On average, how many customers does Green Thumb expect to turn away because of stocking out ... 

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