Integrated Product Policy - Eco-Product Development (IPP-EPD) is a policy level project of The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD) linked to CfSD's ETMUEL project (Eco-design Training for Manufacturing, Use and End-of-life for SMEs), which is funded by the Adapt  programme of the European Social Fund.

• Introduction
• IPP-EPD Project Objectives

Introduction

Integrated Product Policy (IPP) is an environmental policy toolbox currently being discussed within the EU. Its aim is to green markets through an integrated use of policy tools to green consumption (demand side) and to green product development (supply side). As a policy concept, IPP aims to take a life cycle perspective ('cradle-to-grave'), include all relevant stakeholder viewpoints and consider (in the case of products) the product development process from idea generation to product management and reverse logistics (ie. 'end-of-life' management (EOLM)).

The IPP discussions are part of a growing trend within certain environmentally advanced countries in Northern Europe towards product-oriented environmental policy (or environmental product policy (EPP)), which represents a new shift in thinking towards governmental policy measures to reduce environmental impacts at the 'front-of-pipe', eg. product development and design stage, rather than relying on 'end-of-pipe' technologies or 'middle-of-pipe' measures (eg. waste minimisation, cleaner production, and pollution prevention).

Member States of the EU are increasingly applying different environmental product policy (EPP) measures, such as ‘producer responsibility,’ take-back, economic measures, eco-labels, etc., in an attempt to lower the environmental impact of products at various stages of their life cycle. These different approaches amongst Member States have led to a call for harmonised measures across the EU in order to avoid market distortions and other problems that might arise from different policy approaches. As a result, the EU Environment Directorate (DGXI) is proposing an Integrated Product Policy (IPP) as a basis for a common framework for the EU and the EPPs of the Member States.

However, the debate on IPP is still in its infancy. It is uncertain how it will progress or what its potential impact will be on eco-product development (EPD). The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD), with extensive experience in eco-design and eco-product development (EPD) research, is currently engaged in research on the IPP issue, with a focus on the electronic sector. The aim of this research is to encourage a two-way information and knowledge exchange between different stakeholder groups involved in the IPP debate. This web site is therefore, designed to both highlight the results of this research, as well as to facilitate further information and knowledge exchange through regular updates on the state-of-play of the IPP debate, as well as through its online discussion board and related links.

IPP-EPD Project Objectives

The objective of the IPP-EPD project is to examine and compare current environmental product policy (EPP) approaches at the EU Member State level (Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and UK) and to interpret what they may mean for industry and for product development. The project will focus on the electronics sector because of its dynamic product innovation and global nature, as well as because of the current regulatory focus on this sector within the EU. The main objectives of the project are:

• Define the IPP toolbox for products (supply) and consumption (demand)
• Interpret what IPP might mean for industry (electronics sector) and its implications on product development
• Gather views of the main stakeholder groups
• Develop recommendations for the further development of IPP
• Develop recommendations for further research in IPP and EPD.

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