A model for project-based environmental compliance management for small and medium enterprises

New environmental regulations are now forcing manufacturers to remove lead and other hazardous substances from their equipment, and to take responsibility for the eventual recycling of their products. However, many SMEs have little knowledge of environmental questions and have difficulties in adopting environmental compliant production process. They also cannot afford large investment in human resource, time, and budget to cope with the new regulations. This project, thus, focuses on developing a model for Environmental Compliance Management (ECM) for SMEs to achieve a compliant product development and production process. In particular, a model that provides a guideline for implementing ECM by employing a PDM system and web-technology is proposed. The model includes a logic process unit that retrieves product data from PDM systems to analyse the content of hazardous materials in a product. Finally, an ECM system for WEEE and RoHS compliance was developed and tested.