Electronic Waste
(E-Waste)
Group 4 Project – Group 15
What is E-Waste?General, not any specific definition
E-Waste are the electronic equipments that have lived to their expiry date and can no longer be used by humans
They also refer to the old technology that are no longer desired by humans
Examples are computers, TVs, stereos etc
What is E-Waste? (Cont’d)
One of the largest growing problem in the world
Why? Due to the rapid advancements of technology people dispose of old models to update
Throwing away old technology builds up e-waste
Process continues frequently as long as new technology is released
What is E-Waste? (Cont’d)
E-waste greater in developed countries:- people who have access and money to purchase the technology
Price for disposing e-waste causes increase of e-waste in Less Developed Countries for a lower price
Affects health of all nearby
No way to actually get rid of technology without chemicals harming others
What Classifies as E-Waste?
Any piece of technology that can not be reused :
Televisions
Desktop computers and terminals and laptops
Monitors
Desktop printers
Fax machines
Disk drives
CD-ROM drives
Keyboards and mice
Technology that has reached the end of its life
Any technology that is dangerous to the environment after its disposal
Most technology is made up of harmful chemicals that cause unwanted results to the environment,
Example: Computers are made up of the materials in the chart to the right. most of these materials pollute and harm the environment.
Problems and Solutions
Product Lifecycle
Suggested by OTA, "Green Products by Design: Choices for a Cleaner Environment," 1992.
Material Extraction
Material Processing
Manufacturing Use WasteManagement
Recycle RemanufactureReuse
Repair
Amount of e-waste being produced each year is increasing exponentially
Reasons
Switch to new technology
• Switch to digital TVs, leading to redundant analogue TV's• People are upgrading mobile phones, computers and it’s equipment more frequently
Planned obsolescence
• This idea is becoming popular among the major electronic companies especially Apple, to make profits by reducing the life span of the product. This make a consumer by the product frequently.
Cost
• The cost of replacing an electronic item is cheaper than repairing it.
Expensive disposal
• The high toxicity of electronic waste makes its safe disposal expensive, in countries with strict environmental regulations. Hence most of e-waste is sent off to third world countries.
Problems with Current Disposal
Methods
Harmful Environmental
Impacts
Incineration is a form of e-waste disposal, which occurs in developing countries
Allows heavy metals like cadmium, lead and mercury into the air and ashes
These elements can bioaccumulate in food chains, harming the larger predators
PVC plastic releases highly toxic dioxins
Harmful Environmental Impacts cont…
Harmful elements in PCs involve: phosphor, barium, cadmium, mercury, lead, chromium and brominated flame retardants
To dispose these harmful materials acid leaching, wet chemical processing and heat treatment for metal recovery are all dangerous to the environment
Harmful Environmental Impacts cont…
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP’s) from e-waste are harmful because they
A) Persist for long durations in the environment
B) Accumulate up the food chain due to fat solubility
C) Have the ability to disrupt hormones
Landfills
Landfills are problematic because toxic chemicals can leach into surrounding soils and water. Although there is disagreement regarding the reality of this concern, many European countries have already outlawed the practice. The problem acute in developing countries, however, where people are more likely to live in close proximity to a landfill.
Incineration
It releases heavy metals and highly toxic fumes into the air, which cause respiratory and skin problems to those exposed. In developing countries where organized trash collection is often absent, it is typical for people to burn garbage in their backyards or neighbourhoods.
Who Wins?No one wins since the world is being polluted
Only short-term profits are taken into account instead of recognizing the dangers of e-waste
Companies introduce and sell more new technology for more money
Everyone suffers: mentally, physically, financially….
Solution
What Can We Do?
Reuse electronic devices
Reduce electronic devices
Recycle electronic devices
Support companies that dispose responsibly
Reduce rate of purchase
Do your research!
Reusing Electronic Waste
Reuse equipment such as music players, cameras and computers
Passing on these materials to friends and family is a great way of limiting electronic waste
Also, look for opportunities to donate these appliances to schools or libraries
Recycling
This is the most important of all the steps
Recycling is the step where you ensure that your old device is safely being disposed of and does not harm the environment or people
One way of recycling is to bring the device to a store which collects used electronics
MAKE SURE the e-waste recycler you use is responsible and does not export the e-waste
Do your research
Recycling cont…Stores like Sony offer areas to drop off larger appliances like televisions, and smaller items can be returned at store locations
York Region (Ontario, Canada) has public drop-off depots to dispose of a number of electronic devices
Reducing Electronic Waste
Taking care of electronic equipment (not dropping it, not eating near it) will extend the life of the appliance
Try fixing the gadget by replacing one part of it instead of deciding to buy a new one
The newer model isn’t always better! Don’t buy new electronics simply because they are new.
Reduce Rate of Purchase
Studies have shown Americans purchase cell phones every 18 months, Europeans every 15 months and Japanese every 9 months!
Almost all of these replaced products go into the trash
By waiting a few months longer until purchasing a cell phone or any other device the amount of electronic waste can be reduced by a huge margin
Hazardous Waste Solution
Waste Management
Minimize Impact
Waste Prevention
Reduce waste and pollution
Reuse as many things as possible
Recycle and compost as much waste as possible
Chemically or biologically treat or incinerate
Bury what is left
National InitiativeBan illegal trade of e-waste to third world countries
Introducing laws in those countries about producing waste and of proper recycling of electronic items.
WEEE(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation prescribes) of Ontario which regulates recycling of e-waste and also prescribes that tax should be obtained from customers which goes into the recycling process.
International Initiative
Conduct research on the lifecycle of electronic devices for:
Longevity
Upgrade
Easy and cheap repair
Exclude the poisonous materials form electronics
Condemn illegal activities of e-waste including
Shipments
Reuse/recycling harmful to environment and human health
Electronic manufacturers should to take back their products at the end of their life cycle, they would create less toxic and longer-lasting electronics that are easier to disassemble and recycle.
Example
The Basel Convention has initiated a four-year partnership with 12 mobile phone manufacturers including Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung, to develop recycling and re-use strategies.
Public InitiativeBefore buying, think twice about whether you really need a new device
People should collect all their e-waste and send it to a reputable recycling facility in their community.
Supporting companies that make clean products.
Spread the awareness in their respective community about the importance and the damaging effects of electronic waste.
Industrial Models
HP Recycling Procedures
Apple Design Practices
Dell Trade-ins
Apple Design Practices
Office Depot Cartridge Refills
Gateway Rebates
Support Companies That Dispose Responsibly
By supporting conscientious companies proper electronic waste disposal can be ensured
Robert Houghton, President and founder of Redemtech says, “vote with your dollar”, meaning to purchase products from these companies
By buying these products these companies will see increased business and will continue to function
Also, other companies will become pressured to convert themselves to be eco-friendly as well
Apple Design Practice
“Create products that…conserve energy and materials and prevent pollution throughout the product life cycle including design, manufacture, use, and end-of-life management.”
Ban or reduce lead, mercury, cadmium other toxic substances
Design: LCD, batteries, packaging, plastics
Recycling Policies and Procedures
Easy access and disassembly
Apple Design Practice
Use highly recyclable materials
Simplify or reduce materials types
Use materials with higher secondary market value
Help dispose of e-waste responsibly by creating an easily disassembled product, with more plastics and less toxic metals and substances. By identifying their recylcing procedures, Apple makes it clear how their products can be recycled
Canada and E-Waste
BC’s main company is Teck and they safely dismantle all e-waste they collect. They even smelt some of the metals. All the Vancouver Olympic Medals were
made out of the metals extracted from e-waste.
General FactsCanadians toss out more than 140,000 tonnes of e-waste per year
Environment Canada: "the weight of 28,000 adult African elephants, or enough uncrushed electronic waste to fill up the Toronto Rogers Centre every 15 years.”
Provinces such as Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and BC have banned e-waste entering the landfills, thus causing the price of consumer products to rise in order to accommodate the cost of recycling.
Canadian Statistics about E-Waste
An estimated 140,000 tonnes of e-waste are discarded annually in Canadian landfills, and this number continues to increase.
August 31, 2011 as that is the date when Canada will switch all television signals from analog to digital.
There were 14 companies in Ontario that recycled information technology equipment in 2004
Canadian Statistics cont…
The average Canadian has consumed the same amount of resources as the average person in the developing world consumes in a lifetime.
50 percent of the e-waste generated in the U.S. and Canada is being sent to India, China and Africa.
Year-Total Weight Collected
2006 26 tonnes
2007- 37.4 tonnes
2008- 88 tonnes
Total (since 2006)151.4 tonnes
Canadian Statistics cont….
Composition of a Desktop Personal Computer - Based on a typical desktop computer,
weighing ~27 kgContent (% of total weight)
Content (% of total weight)
Weight of material in computer (kg)
Use Location
Plastics 22.9907 6.26 Insulation Cable, Housing
Lead 6.2988 1.72 Metal joining Funnel glass in CRTs, PWB
Aluminium 14.1723 3.86 Structural, Conductivity
Housing, CRT, PWB, connectors
Iron 20.4712 5.58 Structural, Magnetivity
Housing,CRTs, PWBs
Silver 0.0189 < 0.1 Conductivity Conductivity/PWB, connectors
Copper 6.9287 1.91 Conductivity CRTs, PWBs, connectors
Gold 0.0016 < 0.1 Connectivity, Conductivity
Connectivity, conductivity/PWB, connectors
Problems with the System...
In Canada, exporting e-waste to developing countries is illegal however many companies still do it due to the lack of enforcement and the fact that companies are allowed to ship to the US which from there they can ship overseas since there are no rules in the US
It is much cheaper to dump the e-waste in the landfills of developing countries where they could potentially even make money out of it with the extraction of valuable materials unlike recycling it here
Valuable materials include platinum and gold, which are selling at more than $1000/tonne in the open market
Estimated that the total cell-phone waste accounts for more than 10 ounces of gold and 5 ounces of platinum
Despite all the private agencies around the world that “aim” to recycle e-waste, around 80% of them end up exporting it to developing countries
Ontario in Particular...The main e-waste collector in Ontario is the Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) however it is not as successful as it should be
Agency that oversees OES is Waste Diversion Ontario
First year (2009) was a failure as it only collected a third of the 42, 000 tonnes it was supposed to collect
Why it Failed...How it supposed to work:
o The companies/non-profit organizations that are the “collectors” of e-waste are supposed to pick up the electronic waste thrown out by homeowners. The OES pays these companies up to $235/tonne. The money is from the “eco-fees” ($2-26) that are on each gadget. Once the OES gets all the waste, they divide it among 8 recyclers which extract useable/useful materials and safely dispose of the rest.
o The reason why this system is not working as well as OES wants it to is because companies are exporting it to developing worlds which pays up to 5 times as much as OES
Problem: Recyclers overseas extract useful materials unsafely and illegally dump the rest either in North America or in developing countries
To get it past authorities, they label is something other than e-waste
One company “under” the OES said “If we joined the program, we’d be out of business by now”
Why the Government must fix this Problem...
As with any waste, e-waste in particular has many environmental and health risks if left untreated in landfills:
Toxic metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium get into the groundwater, making drinking water dangerous
Estimated 4, 750 tonnes of lead are contained in the e-waste/year
Toxins are related to cancer, respiratory disease, and stunt-development.
What the Ontario Government is Trying to
do...
Ontario is trying to get under the new Water Diversion Act which will force the manufactures of the products to be responsible of the safe disposal of e-waste.
For example, to dispose of HP products in Canada, the following costs will apply to users:
18-inch screen or smaller = $15
19-29 inch screen = $20
30-45 inch screen = $30
46-inch or more screen = $45
Computer Monitors = $12
Desktop Computers = $10
Printers = $8
Laptop = $5
Canadian Provincial Recycling Regulations for
Ontario Provinces are expected to have recycling surcharges that have to
be paid on designated electronic goods shipped or sold into the province.
Some impacted electronics in Ontario are:
PCs
Notebooks
Monitors
Printers
Televisions
Canadian Provincial Electronics Recycling Regulations cont…
Example of recycling fees:
Computer Equipment
Computer monitors $12
Desktop computers $10
Printers/printer combinations
$8
Laptop/Notebook $5
Televisions
18-inch screen and smaller
$15
19-inch to 29-inch screen
$20
30-inch screen to 45-inch screen
$30
46-inch and larger screen
$45
Major Players in the Lessening of E-Waste
What is BAN? It stands for the Basel Action Network
It is a Seattle based company
An organization focused on decreasing the amount of toxic e-waste produced and helping the environment
Prevent the dumping of world’s toxic waste in poor, third world countries
Increase amount of sustainable and green solutions to the problem of e-waste
BAN is a HUGE player in the world effort to properly dispose of, limit and regulate e-waste
The Toxics Link organization
Their website: http://www.toxicslink.org/
Organization is based in Delhi
Works mostly in South India to facilitate safe disposal of e-waste and medical waste
Are an environmental Non-Governmental Company (NGO) in the United States
Educate the public on toxic related information both globally and locally
Works with other organizations like BAN to gain a better picture of what is happening and to regulate how electronic waste should be disposed
Waste Reduction and Technology Transfer
FoundationThey focus on pollution prevention in schools - electronic waste
Works mainly in the state of Alabama, USA
Make sure that the proper disposal of electronics and medical waste is followed within the walls of schools
Educates staff and students of the implications of improper toxic waste disposal on the earth and fellow inhabitants of this planet
Recycling for Charities
Help to preserve the environment for future generations
Non-profit organization
One of the first legitimate wireless recycling programs in the US
Allows citizens to properly recycle cellular phones, PDA’s, Palm Pilots, digital cameras, and iPods for a fee, from which, a portion is then used to help a charity of their choice.
they not only help raise funds for various charities but also protect the environment
Repair Launch’s new initiative
Started a repair campaign to educate the public on how to limit the amount of e-waste produced by cell phones and other handheld electronic devices.
Created advertisements encouraging the public to replace electronic devices’ batteries rather than replacing the entire device
Electronic devices all contain hazardous materials with batteries and other accessories and parts.
HP’s Electronic Waste Regulations
in CanadaBecoming increasingly interested in the proper recycling of end-of-life electronics.
Recycling prevents waste from landfills and can result in these materials being recycled for new products.
They dispose of electronics for a recycling fee
Example of recycling fees by category is as follows on the next slide
Another Way to Dispose - Exporting
Exporting e-waste has become a common practice for many developed countries, including the UK, US and Canada
The Basel Action Network (BAN) estimates that 80% of North American e-waste is exported to countries such as India, Sri Lanka, China, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan who buy it from the United States on trading websites
Within these countries, the e-waste is manually dismantled and searched for valued metals like copper, exposing the workers, usually poor citizens and many children, to toxic chemicals and dangerous metals
Video See the attached video:
E-waste in Ghana
Where is E-Waste Exported to?
E-waste is commonly exported to developing countries
Guiyu, China has become the hotspot for e-waste disposal in China, despite e-waste imports being illegal since 2000
China, India and Ghana are three countries hugely involved in the important of e-waste from developed countries
Dr. Kevin Bridgen from Greenpeace states, “"Many of the chemicals released are highly toxic, some may affect children's developing reproductive systems, while others can affect brain development and the nervous system. In Ghana, China and India, workers, many of them children, may be substantially exposed to these hazardous chemicals."
Guiyu, ChinaGuiyu is one of the most popular places for e-waste recycling in China.
Guiyu is made up of four villages and now dismantles the huge amounts of e-waste, as opposed to its previous rice-growing community status.
The drinking water in Guiyu has become so polluted that it is black and must be trucked in from the neighbouring town of Ninjing, that costs ten times as much.
A health study done by the Shantou University Medical College states that of165 children, 82% had blood/lead levels of more than100. Anything above that figure is considered unsafe by international health experts. The average reading for the group was 149.
Guiyu, China cont…
Hazardous recycling practices include:
Toner Sweeping – toner cartridges are dismantled with the workers’ bare hands and then the toner is poured into a bucket, creating clouds of black toner that were inhaled and stained on the clothing of the workers
Open Burning – burning of e-waste materials releasing toxic chemcials. This is always done at night, suggesting it has been frowned upon by authorities
However, despite the heavy pollution and health concerns, the community still uses the fish pond contaminated by ash as a food source and the water for showering and cooking
Pregnant women in Guiyu are six times more likely to miscarry
The streams had a pH of a strong acid, that could disintegrate a penny within a number of hours. (Greenpeace scientist)
The open burning of e-waste materialsin Guiyu.
A child playing in his “backyard” filled with destroyed computers and toxic sludge
IndiaIn 2002 – 2003, India imported $800 million (USD) worth of hazardous e-waste materials
Recycling workers are paid approximately 50 rupees a day ($1.15 CAD), especially looking for copper
For each pound of circuit board process, about half a pound of sludge, containing copper, is found. It is then sold for 100 rupees a pound for a weekly profit of 2 800 to 4 300 rupees going to the trader who imported the e-waste
Watch a video on e-waste in India
Computer / E-Waste Component
Process Witnessed in Guiyu, China
Potential Occupational Hazard
Potential Environmental Hazard
Cathode ray tubes (CRTs)
Breaking, removal of copper yoke, and dumping
- Silicosis - Cuts from CRT glass in case of implosion - Inhalation or contact with phosphor containing cadmium or other metals
Lead, barium and other heavy metals leaching into groundwater, release of toxic phosphor
Printed circuit boards
De-soldering and removing computer chips
- Tin and lead inhalation - Possible brominated dioxin, beryllium,
cadmium, mercury inhalation
Air emission of same substances
Dismantled printed circuit board processing
Open burning of waste boards that have had chips removed to remove final metals
- Toxicity to workers and nearby residents from tin, lead, brominated dioxin, beryllium, cadmium, and mercury inhalation
- Respiratory irritation
- Tin and lead contamination of immediate environment including surface and groundwater. - Brominated dioxins, beryllium, cadmium, and mercury emissions
Chips and other gold plated components
Chemical stripping using nitric and hydrochloric acid along riverbanks
- Acid contact with eyes, skin may result in permanent injury - Inhalation of mists and fumes of acids, chlorine and sulphur dioxide gases can cause respiratory irritation to severe effects including pulmonary edema, circulatory failure, and death.
- Hydrocarbons, heavy metals, brominated substances, etc. discharged directly into river and banks. - Acidifies the river destroying fish and flora
Plastics from computer and peripherals, e.g. printers, keyboards, etc.
Shredding and low temperature melting to be reutilized in poor grade plastics
Probable hydrocarbon, brominated dioxin, and heavy metal exposures
Emissions of brominated dioxins and heavy metals and hydrocarbons
Computer wires Open burning to recover copper Brominated and chlorinated dioxin, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (carcinogenic) exposure to workers living in the burning works area.
Hydrocarbon ashes including PAH's discharged to air, water, and soil
Miscellaneous computer parts encased in rubber or plastic, e.g. steel rollers
Open burning to recover steel and other metals
Hydrocarbon including PAHs and potential dioxin exposure
Hydrocarbon ashes including PAH's discharged to air, water, and soil
Toner cartridges Use of paintbrushes to recover toner without any protection
- Respiratory tract irritation - Carbon black possible human carcinogen - Cyan, yellow, and magenta toners unknown toxicity
Cyan, yellow, and magenta toners unknown toxicity
Secondary steel or copper and precious metal smelting
Furnace recovers steel or copper from waste including organics
Exposure to dioxins and heavy metals Emissions of dioxins and heavy metals
Canada and Exporting E-Waste
Exporting e-waste is illegal in Canada
However, due to a lack of enforcement Canada still ships huge amounts of e-waste to developing countries
There is a serious link between organised crime and exporting e-waste because of how profitable it is
Canada signed the Basel Convention** in 1989 yet still exported approximately 412 000 metric tons of hazardous e-waste material and recyclable material in 2007
In a recent CBC documentary containers filled with e-waste were seen leaving Vancouver for Hong Kong
Jim Puckett, coordinator of BAN showed e-waste collected in Guiyu, an Air Canada sticker from a printer at the Vancouver office and a tag from the Department of National Defence were found
The United States and E-Waste
The United States is the only developed country in the world to have no e-waste legislation
The United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that the US generated 2.04 million tons of e-waste in 2007
According to the 60 Minutes documentary, about 130,000 computers are thrown out per day in the US
Over 100 million cell phones are discarded annually.
A switch to digital broadcasting in February 2009 is expected to result in a flood of discarded TVs into the waste stream
E-waste is recycled “legally” by calling it recycling, but it is then exported to China, India and Ghana
The US and E-waste
BAN has accused the US of promoting environmental injustice and refusing to regulate the disposal of e-waste
The US has not joined the Basel Convention
Electronics manufacturers are not held responsible by the government to create a process for disassembly and to eliminate hazardous materials before disposal
They are also not held accountable for their end of life management policies
The US has become a port for Canada’s illegal e-waste imports
United States Laws Concerning E-Waste
Examples to follow?
The European Union has the strictest laws on regulating the disposal of e-waste as well as allowed e-waste recyclers
Strict programs for accountability of electronics manufacturers
Stringent research on e-waste recyclers
Japan is also creating comprehensive e-waste legislation
However 60% of e-waste in the EU is still being exported, despite this being lower than North America it is still a huge number
E-waste is a problem throughout the world, not only for North Americans
Environmental Impacts of
Exporting E-waste The environmental impacts of e-waste have already been mentioned, however, in developing countries the irresponsible disposal of e-waste can have significant effects
Groundwater can be severely polluted, damaging the aquatic ecosystem as well as limiting drinking water available
Toxins are released into the air through methods like open burning and toner sweeping
Landfills of e-waste or huge piles stagnant for long periods of time can cause chemicals to soak into the soil
Ethical Considerations for Exporting E-waste
Chemicals that are too toxic for developed countries to dismantle are being shipped to developing nations
Putting others in danger
An idea of the superiority of developed nations
Taking advantage of cheap labour, without regard for the safety and health of the workers
Contributing to environmental injustice
If we are not dismantling the e-waste, why is it okay that others in less fortunate situations dismantle e-waste?
If the ethics were considered, e-waste should NOT be exported
Important Players in the Fight Against Exporting
BAN: Basel Action Network and Greenpeace
Through resolutions such as the Basel Convention, a pledge to properly dispose of e-waste through environmentally sound initiatives and to stop the exporting of e-waste
Petitions
Political pressure
Government support
Awareness