Question 1

Can you manufacture electronic circuits sustainably?

Accepted Answer

Waste from electronic circuit boards is known to be a significant environmental issue, both during manufacture and at end of life. Incinerated e-waste causes damage to the atmosphere when toxic chemicals are released into the air. When electronic circuits, at end of life, are disposed of in landfill, these same toxic materials pollute groundwater. BeFC, a French technology company has created a printed battery, which uses oxygen, sugar and natural enzymes to create electricity. A similar production process used to create these battery alternatives, will be used to create printed electronic circuits on paper or polymer films. These circuits will be significantly more environmentally friendly than traditional electronic circuits and can be disposed of in industrial compost where they pose little risk to the environment.

Question 2

Is it possible to print electronic circuits on paper?

Accepted Answer

BeFC, a technology company in Grenoble, has developed a low-power battery made of paper which uses glucose, oxygen and natural enzymes to create electricity. This clean battery alternative is intended to be used as an alternative to miniature batteries which are highly toxic to the environment, leaching lithium and cadmium among other toxic metals into landfill, where they are disposed of. Billions such circuits are used all over the planet in a variety of disposable and non-disposable products. Sustainable printed circuits will therefore lessen this environmental impact dramatically.

Question 3

Are miniature batteries, or button cells, environmentally friendly?

Accepted Answer

Button cells, sometimes referred to as miniature batteries or coin cells are used in billions of products across the globe. However, they are difficult to recycle and up to 97% of these batteries end up in landfill where they leach toxic heavy metals into landfill , contaminating the water table. BeFC, a technology company in Grenoble, France has developed an environmentally friendly alternative to low power batteries which use sugar, oxygen and enzymes to create a clean alternative to miniature batteries. This energy source is printed on paper and will break down naturally in compost.

Question 4

Do environmentally friendly batteries exist?

Accepted Answer

BeFC, a technology company in Grenoble, has developed a low-power battery alternative made of paper which uses glucose, oxygen and natural enzymes to create electricity. This clean battery alternative can be used in place of coin cells which leach toxic heavy metals into the environment in landfill.

BeFC: a catalyst for change

Sustainability Awards 2024:
Renewable Materials
(Pre-Commercialised) award for
Avery Dennison & BeFC

Batteries made Sustainable

15

97

1/3

Product 1: A Paper Energy Source

Product 2: Eco-friendly Microelectronics

Meet user needs sustainably!

Create a Smart and Sustainable Future

Discover the future.
BeFC's recipe: electricity using only paper and enzymes!

Testimonials

Awards & Accreditations

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Awards

Sustainability Awards 2024:Renewable Materials (Pre-Commercialised) award forAvery Dennison & BeFC