Cleaner by Design

Did you know…at least 80 per cent of the amount and costs of materials and utilities required to manufacture many products are locked in at the design stage?¹

So companies can save time, money and the environment by investigating cleaner, more efficient product design. In addition, the imminent arrival of the EU's Energy Using Products (EuP) Directive, along with existing environmental legislative pressures such as WEEE and RoHS, make it more important than ever for companies to think smarter from the start of any design process. Sustainable business expert Envirowise is helping UK business clean up their product design with its first ever free online seminar.

Taking place at 11.30am GMT +1, on Thursday October 11, 2007, the live webcast will give product designers and manufacturers practical guidance on 'cleaner' product and packaging design, helping them identify potential changes to product specifications which could generate cost savings.

Resource efficient and with no environmental impact of attendance, the 'Webinar' will feature presentations by expert advisors, including an update on current and future legislation. An interactive product design demonstration will illustrate how to develop sustainable designs that minimise environmental impacts throughout the product life-cycle, using a practical dismantling exercise. There will also be a Q&A forum and a presentation outlining re-design solutions for product packaging, which can be downloaded after the event.

Jenni Rosser, cleaner design specialist for Envirowise, commented: "The webinar is designed to help businesses grasp the environmental and commercial opportunities associated with cleaner design."

"Some companies involved in the manufacture of electrical products may be required to 'design-in' efficiency measures throughout the product life-cycle, when the EU's Energy Using Products (EuP) Directive comes into force. These factors mean that businesses simply cannot afford to ignore the advantages that can be gained through sustainable design."

Companies can register for the event or find out more by visiting www.envirowise.gov.uk/webinar.

Businesses can source confidential advice on a wide range of issues relating to cleaner design and sustainability by calling the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794, or by visiting www.envirowise.gov.uk/cleanerdesign

1. (Source: Design Council, 2005)

Issued on behalf of Envirowise by The Mistral Group. For more information contact, Alison Hill or Lucinda Roberts on 01869 352 722 / alison.hill@mistral-pr.co.uk or 01869 352 729 / lucinda.roberts@mistral-pr.co.uk.

Notes to editors:

Envirowise is a Government-funded programme dedicated to putting the sustainable use of resources at the heart of UK business practice.

Since 1994 Envirowise has helped UK businesses save over £1 billion by enabling them to significantly reduce their environmental impact.

Envirowise offers businesses of all sizes and sectors a wide range of free, independent and practical advice designed to genuinely improve their processes, profitability and competitiveness. Services include:

• Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585794
• An encyclopaedic website of valuable and relevant information www.envirowise.gov.uk
• On-site visits* conducted by a nationwide team of expert advisors
• Over 200 events each year, from Product Design Workshops to major exhibitions

* Please note that different services are available in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – please contact our Advice Line on 0800 585 794 for more information on whether you are eligible for a site visit.