I guess the simplest option would be making the statutory warranty on electronic devices 5 years. Then the manufacturers have to bare the cost of replacement, or make it repairable, or (good grief!) actually make reliable stuff.
I don't agree with you there. Not in a day and age where (online) businesses and retailers bring new, returned products to the skip, "because we don't have the storage room" or "it is too expensive to reissue them". Then again, if the financial incentive countering this is big enough... Like REALLY big...
Another option of course, would be if the regulatory route was utilised. After all, electronic products like this have to apply for, and can only be sold after receiving a CE mark (in EU). So, if it needs to get approval anyway, I can't see why "sustainability" can not be one of the design requirements, just like "radio waves should not fry users brain". The fact that this isn't captured yet in design regulations might be a symptom of the standard MO of rule makers/ politicians: "Let's start thinking about this when it becomes a problem for me/ people start making noise that affects me personally"...
Biting the hand that feeds IT
