MEG equivalents and the SVHC Score: assessment of problematic substances in software and digital services

A wide range of chemicals are used in the manufacture and use of electronic devices. For most applications, alternatives for problematic substances are now available that have better properties. For the assessment of sustainability in the ICT sector, it is therefore important to know to what extent problematic chemicals are used. Therefore we developed the indicator TOX. It complements the method of life cycle assessment. It consists of a single value, the MEG equivalents. This is the total quantity of problematic substances, which have been used, weighted according to their hazardousness. Monoethylene glycol is used as the reference substance. This method can be used for all hazardous substances, not only for hardware and software in the electronics sector.

In addition, the SVHC score shows how much is known about the concentrations a particularly problematic group of chemicals in a device, the so called SVHC (‘Substances of Very High Concern’)