ABSTRACT
The difficulties of defining greener concepts will plague any company which chooses such a route to new product development. Analysing products' environmental impact from cradle to grave through techniques such as Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) will become increasingly important with the implementation of the European eco-labelling guidelines in the Autumn of 1992. Undertaking a thorough Environmental Audit will be a part of achieving this, as will the implementation of employee awareness and training programmes. The 'Duty of Care' proposals in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ensure that a producer will be responsible for waste even when it has passed into the hands of a waste contractor. The availability of expert advice and support is crucial to the success of a greener product. Greener product development will centre on making more from less. Ideas of greenness coincide with ideas of efficiency, reliability, longevity, staff and customer care—the watchwords of companies committed to quality.
