New Aspects of Ecomaterials from the Viewpoints of the Consumer and Regional Communities

Abstract

Presently, materials security and production of environmentally conscious materials (ecomaterials)1) are of concern to the global community, which needs to recognize the challenges that both present. As a nation, Japan has focused on better management of natural resources and materials, and has developed a framework to advance a move towards a closed-loop economy through advancing and implementation of its knowledge of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). Ecomaterials also make an important role in ecodesign. Ecodesign is an approach to design of a product with special consideration for the environmental impacts of the product during its whole lifecycle. Substantial progress has been made in ecodesign and high-performance fabrication for sectors such as living, automotive, electrical, machinery, building, etc., where a need to improve resource productivity and adopt ecomaterials are a key priority for progress.2) The concept of ecomaterials, defined as an ecosphere with three basic paths (i.e., frontier, environmental protection, and amenity), was originally proposed in Japan in 1992 and became the preferred area of focus in materials engineering through the 1990s.1) In the beginning of the 21st century, Halada et al.3) attempted to classify ecomaterials into three categories as follows: (1) Functional materials for environmental protection, (2) Energy-saving materials and materials supporting lowemission systems, and (3) Materials designed by means of life-cycle assessment or analysis (LCA), and selected based on a lower environmental impact. This is why not only materials selection is important, but also novel process technologies for synthesizing high-performance materials with a low environmental burden. Both are also dependent on product design to achieve coexistence of societal economic health and reduced environmental burden. Therefore, general guidelines for ecomaterial selection and development were discussed and proposed,2) in which ecoefficiency was defined by an equation.4) We have developed and standardized the indices of this equation, and its framework for disclosing information on environmental impact of materials traded under international collaboration.5) The six environmental information indices are demonstrated in the eco-star system.6) The specific challenges facing ecomaterials have played an important role in the global recognition of environmentally conscious concepts since 1993, and have served motivators for the development of an eco-friendly world. In fact, the ecomaterials concept has already been widely accepted in the fields of material production and product manufacturing, in addition to being accepted by the academia and various governments. This is especially true in Japan, where adoption of ecomaterials that are less hazardous, or have a higher resource productivity, has noticeably increased. Despite all the importance attached to ecomaterials, its concept has now become outdated, and a new categorization of ecomaterials is therefore being sought. Through the declaration at Ishigakijima,7) and at the round table conference at ICEM9,8) we have discussed the breakdown and rebuilding of the ecomaterials concept for a sustainable society. The point at issue, and the direction of technological advancement of the world, has remained confused, and it is this that we seek to correct. Moving from high eco-efficiency of products to consumer orientation and regional community adaptation is focused upon as a part of the “amenity”, one of three basic paths in achieving an ecosphere. A new concept, the robust design of materials, is also proposed as part of new range of activities focused on ecomaterials.