Structure of chain and parties involved Consumer electronics cover a broad range of products, ranging from telephones and TVs to audio apparatus, printers and PCs. In many other products, electronics parts are increasingly important, as in cars, washing machines, door locks, etc. The supply chains involved in electronic consumer goods include chains for materials such as plastics and various components. Typical components are printed circuit boards, capacitors, resistors, integrated circuits, solder, cables, transformers, electric motors, switches, coatings, batteries, mounting, housing, connectors, flame retardants, LCDs, monitors with their coatings, magnetic tape, and a broad range of mechanical parts. The chains involved in supply, use and waste management of consumer electronics mostly have a high degree of vertical integration.
Most producers have production facilities for major components and for assembly.
However, smaller parts originate from all over the world, involving large numbers of often smaller producers. The electricity chain is the most important in the use phase. The markets of most consumer electronics products are truly global, although for regional markets adaptations in products are made for technical and marketing reasons. Waste management activities of discarded products cover the full range from local incineration and landfill, through to small scale re-use and recycling to even globally centralised recycling activities, as for TV tubes. Public regulations, both in the EU and in Member States, are of increasing importance in waste management of discarded products.