Hi-Tech: Highly toxic

A Chinese child sits amongst a pile of wires and e-waste. Children

can often be found dismantling e-waste containing many
hazardous chemicals known to be potentially very damaging to
children's health.

The world is consuming more and more electronic products every

year. This has caused a dangerous explosion in electronic scrap
(e-waste) containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals that cannot
be disposed of or recycled safely. But this problem can be
avoided. We are pressing leading electronic companies to change;
to turn back the toxic tide of e-waste.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile

phones are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters. Thousands
more are exported, often illegally, from the Europe, US, Japan
and other industrialised countries, to Asia. There, workers at
scrap yards, some of whom are children, are exposed to a cocktail
of toxic chemicals and poisons.

The rate at which these mountains of obsolete electronic

products are growing will reach crisis proportions unless
electronics corporations that profit from making and selling
these devices face up to their responsibilities. It is possible to
make clean, durable products that can be upgraded, recycled, or
disposed of safely and don't end up as hazardous waste in
someone's backyard.
WHAT’S IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Electronic devices are a complex mixture of several hundred

materials. A mobile phone, for example, contains 500 to 1000
components. Many of these contain toxic heavy metals such as
lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium and hazardous chemicals,
such as brominated flame retardants. Polluting PVC plastic is also
frequently used.

These dangerous substances cause serious pollution and put

workers at risk of exposure when the products are produced or
disposed of. Of particular concern is the exposure of children
and pregnant women to lead and mercury. These metals are highly
toxic and can harm children and developing foetuses even at low
levels of exposure.

Electronic waste is a growing concern in India and all over the

World. New products rapidly make existing components obsolete.
Consumers phase out old models for better equipment. E-waste is
growing rapidly and it is overwhelming local waste management
programs and resources.

Electronic Waste contains a variety of toxic substances. Lead,

cadmium, barium, and mercury are among the most harmful for
Public Health and the Environment. Lead was ranked as the
number one most hazardous substance. Lead accumulates in the
environment and has acute and chronic toxic effects on plants,
animals, and micro-organisms. Harmful health effects of lead
include: decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, and
brain damage. It is primarily stored in the bones. It is
particularly toxic to the reproductive system, the nervous
system, the blood, and the kidneys. Children’s brains and nervous
systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
More on the health hazards of chemicals in electronics.

Some brominated flame retardants, used in circuit boards and

plastic casings, do not break down easily and build up in the
environment. Long-term exposure can lead to impaired learning
and memory functions. They can also interfere with thyroid and
oestrogen hormone systems and exposure in the womb has been
linked to behavioural problems.

· As much as 1000 tonnes of a brominated flame retardant called

TBBPA was used to manufacture 674 million mobile phones in
2004. This chemical has been linked to neurotoxicity.

· The cathode ray tubes (CTR) in monitors sold worldwide in 2002

contain approximately 10,000 tonnes of lead. Exposure to lead can
cause intellectual impairment in children and can damage the
nervous, blood and reproductive systems in adults.

· Cadmium, used in rechargeable computer batteries, contacts and

switches and in older CRTs, can bioaccumulate in the environment
and is highly toxic, primarily affecting the kidneys and bones.

· Mercury, used in lighting devices for flat screen displays can

damage the brain and central nervous system, particularly during
early development.

· Compounds of hexavalent chromium, used in the production of

metal housings, are highly toxic and human carcinogens.

· Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a chlorinated plastic used in some

electronics products and for insulation on wires and cables.
Chlorinated dioxins and furans are released when PVC is produced
or disposed of by incineration (or simply burning). These
chemicals are highly persistent in the environment and many are
toxic even in very low concentrations.

E-TOXICS IN COMPUTERS AND E-WASTE

"Printed Circuit Boards contain heavy metals such as

Antimony, Silver, Chromium, Zinc, Lead, Tin and Copper.
According to some estimates there is hardly any other
product for which the sum of the environmental impacts of
raw material, extraction, industrial, refining and production,
use and disposal is so extensive as for printed circuit
boards. "

- CARE conference, Vienna, 1994

"In short, the product developers of electronic products

are introducing chemicals on a scale which is totally
incompatible with the scant knowledge of their
environmental or biological characteristics."

- Mans Lonnroth, Swedish Secretary of State , 1997

Risks related to some e-toxics found in computers

Lead

Lead can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous

systems, blood system and kidneys in humans. Effects on the
endocrine system have also been observed and its serious
negative effects on children’s brain development have been well
documented. Lead accumulates in the environment and has high
acute and chronic toxic effects on plants, animals and
microorganisms.

Consumer electronics constitute 40% of lead found in landfills.

The main concern in regard to the presence of lead in landfills is
the potential for the lead to leach and contaminate drinking
water supplies.

The main applications of lead in computers are:

(1) Soldering of printed circuit boards and other electronic

components

(2) Glass panels in computer monitors (cathode ray tubes)

Between 1997 and 2004, over 315 million computers had become
obsolete in the USA. This added up to about 1.2 billion pounds of
lead!

Cadmium

Cadmium compounds are classified as toxic with a possible risk of

irreversible effects on human health. Cadmium and cadmium
compounds accumulate in the human body, in particular in kidneys.
Cadmium is adsorbed through respiration but is also taken up with
food. Due to the long half-life (30 years), cadmium can easily be
accumulated in amounts that cause symptoms of poisoning.

Cadmium shows a danger of cumulative effects in the environment

due to its acute and chronic toxicity. In electrical and electronic
equipment, cadmium occurs in certain components such as SMD
chip resistors, infrared detectors and semiconductors. Older
types of cathode ray tubes contain cadmium. Furthermore,
cadmium is used as a plastic stabilizer.

Between 1997 AND 2004 over 315 million computers had become
obsolete and this represented almost 2 million pounds of cadmium
content.

Mercury

When inorganic mercury spreads out in the water, it is

transformed to methylated mercury in the bottom sediments.
Methylated mercury easily accumulates in living organisms and
concentrates through the food chain particularly via fish.
Methylated mercury causes chronic damage to the brain.
It is estimated that 22 % of the yearly world consumption of
mercury is used in electrical and electronic equipment. It is
basically used in thermostats, (position) sensors, relays and
switches (e.g. on printed circuit boards and in measuring
equipment) and discharge lamps. Furthermore, it is used in
medical equipment, data transmission, telecommunications, and
mobile phones.

Mercury is also used in batteries, switches/housing, and printed

wiring boards. Although this amount is small for any single
component, 315 million obsolete computers by the year 2004
represented more than 400,000 pounds of mercury in total.

Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium VI)

Some manufacturers still apply this substance as corrosion

protection of untreated and galvanized steel plates and as a
decorative and hardener for steel housing.
Chromium VI can easily pass through membranes of cells and is
easily absorbed producing various toxic effects within the cells.
It causes strong allergic reactions even in small concentrations.
Asthmatic bronchitis is another allergic reaction linked to
chromium VI. Chromium VI may also cause DNA damage.
In addition, hexavalent chromium compounds are toxic for the
environment. It is well documented that contaminated wastes can
leach from landfills. Incineration results in the generation of fly
ash from which chromium is leachable, and there is widespread
agreement among scientists that wastes containing chromium
should not be incinerated.

Of the more than 315 million computers which became obsolete

between 1997 and 2004, about 1.2 million pounds of hexavalent
chromium was present.

Plastics

Based on the calculation that more than 315 million computers

had become obsolete between 1997 and 2004 and that plastics
make up 13.8 pounds per computer on average, there was more
than 4 billion pounds of plastic present in this computer waste. An
analysis commissioned by the Microelectronics and Computer
Technology Corporation (MCC) estimated that the total
electronics plastic scrap amounted to more than 1 billion pounds
per year (580,000 tons per year). This same study estimated that
the largest volume of plastics used in electronics manufacturing
(at 26%) was polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which creates more
environmental and health hazards than most other type of plastic
(see below). While many computer companies have recently
reduced or phased out the use of PVC, there is still a huge volume
of PVC contained in the computer scrap that continues to grow –
potentially up to 250 million pounds per year.
PVC

The use of PVC in computers has been mainly used in cabling and
computer housings, although most computer moldings are now
being made of ABS plastic. PVC cabling is used for its fire
retardant properties, but there are concerns that once alight,
fumes from PVC cabling can be a major contributor to fatalities
and hence there are pressures to switch to alternatives for
safety reasons. Such alternatives are low-density polyethylene
and thermoplastic olefins.

PVC is a difficult plastic to recycle and it contaminates other

plastics in the recycling process. Of more importance, however,
the production and burning of PVC products generates dioxins and
furans. This plastic commonly used in packaging and household
products is a major cause of dioxin formation in open burning and
garbage incinerators. Hospitals are now beginning to phase out
the use of PVC products such as disposal gloves and IV bags
because of the dangers of incinerating these products.

Many local authorities in Europe have PVC-free policies for

municipal buildings, pipes, wallpaper, flooring, windows and
packaging. Recent concerns about the use of softeners in PVC
plastic toys leaching out into children’s mouths have lead to
further restrictions on PVC.

Brominated Flame Retardants

Brominated flame-retardants are a class of brominated chemicals

commonly used in electronic products as a means for reducing
flammability. In computers, they are used mainly in four
applications: in printed circuit boards, in components such as
connectors, in plastic covers and in cables. They are also used in
plastic covers of TV sets and in domestic kitchen appliances.
Various scientific observations indicate that Polybrominated
Diphenylethers (PBDE) might act as endocrine disrupters.
Research has revealed that levels of PBDEs in human breast milk
are doubling every five years and this has prompted concern
because of the effect of these chemicals in young animals.
A recent study found that newborn mice fed PBDEs show
abnormal behavior when placed in new surroundings. Normal mice
become very active when first transferred to a new environment
but gradually slow down as they complete their explorations.
However, treated mice were less active at first but became more
active after being in new surroundings for an hour. Researchers
concluded that exposure to the chemicals in early life could
induce neurotoxic effects similar to those caused by other toxic
substances such as PCBs and some pesticides.

Other studies have shown that PBDE, like many halogenated

organics, reduces the levels of the hormone thyroxin in exposed
animals and have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier in
the developing fetus. Thyroid is an essential hormone needed to
regulate the normal development of all animal species, including
humans.

Researchers in the US found exposure to Polybrominated

Biphenyls (PBBs) may cause an increased risk of cancer of the
digestive and lymph systems. The study looked at cancer
incidence in individuals exposed to PBBs after a 1973 food
contamination incident in Michigan. About a ton of PBB fire
retardant was added to cattle feed in error and contamination
spread through the animal and human food chain. Some nine
million people were affected. A study published in 1998 found
that the group with the highest exposure was 23 times more
likely to develop digestive cancers, including stomach, pancreas
and liver cancers. Preliminary results also found a 49-fold
increase in lymph cancers.

The presence of PBBs in Arctic seal samples indicates a wide

geographical distribution. The principal known routes of PBBs
from point sources into the aquatic environment are PBBs plant
areas and waste dumps. PBBs are almost insoluble in water and are
primarily found in sediments of polluted lakes and rivers. PBBs
have been found to be 200 times more soluble in a landfill
leachate than in distilled water, which may result in a wider
distribution in the environment. Once they have been released
into the environment, they can reach the food chain, where they
are concentrated. PBBs have been detected in fish from several
regions. Ingestion of fish is a source of PBB transfer to mammals
and birds. Neither uptake nor degradation of PBBs by plants has
been recorded. In contrast, PBBs are easily absorbed by animals.

What Are The Most Hazardous Wastes?

CRT:

CRT monitors and TVs contain and average of 4 pounds of lead

each. Excessive lead and other toxins pose a problem in landfills
because they can leach into groundwater or, in the case of a lined
landfill, force expensive leachate treatment. In combustors, the
lead winds up on the ash residue, which in turn disposed of in
landfills. Lead exposure ahs been linked with learning disabilities,
behavioral problems and at very high levels, seizures, coma and
even death.
Batteries:

Lead-Acid/Automotive Batteries:

Lead batteries are principal source of power for automobiles,

trucks, motorcycles, boats, forklifts, golf cats, lawn and garden
tractors, and wheelchairs. These heavy, rectangular batteries
contain sulfuric acid, which can burn skin on contact.

Alkaline Batteries:

Alkaline batteries are standard household batteries. They are

used in product from walkmans and clocks, to smoke detectors
and remote controls. Since -1994, most types contain no added
mercury or only contain trace amounts. These batteries are
marketed as “no added mercury” or may by marketed with a green
tree logo.

Button Batteries:

These batteries are named for being small round and silver-
colored. They are most commonly found in watches and hearing
aids. Many button batteries contain mercury of silver oxide, both
metals that are toxic to humans when inhaled or ingested.

Nickel-CadmiumRechargeableBatteries:

These batteries are marked “Rechargeable” and are found in

many products including: cell phones, cordless phones, laptops,
power tools, camcorders and remote controlled toys. NiCads
contain cadmium, a metal that is toxic to humans when inhaled or
ingested.
Lithium Batteries:

These batteries are mainly used in computer, camcorders, laptop

and cameras; lithium ignites when in contact with water and has
been notorious for causing serious fires.

Printers:

Most printer cartridges are easily recycled, refilled or re-built.

But printer vendors sell the printer cheap, and make their real
money selling supplies. The “right” environmental solution is to sell
new cartridges with a postage paid mailer for returning the old
one. Some advanced companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, have
been known to do this especially for laser printers.

Old Refrigerators, HeatPumps&AirConditioners:

Mostly, old refrigeration equipment contains Freon, a chemical

known as a Chlorinated Fluorocarbon or “CFC.” Each molecule of a
CFC can destroy over 100,000 molecules of the earth’s protective
ozone coating, leading increased risk of sunburn, cataracts and
skin cancer for the entire population of the planet (human &
animal)

MotorOil:

Used motor oil contains heavy metals and other toxic substances,
and is considered hazardous waste. One quart of oil can kill fish in
thousands of gallous of water. Motor oil containers should
mention the danger of used oil to humans and the environment.
Paper:

Most types of paper can be recycled. Newspapers have been

recycled profitably for decades, and recycling of other papers is
rising. Virgin paper pulp prices have soared in recent years
prompting construction of more plants capable of using waste
paper. They key to recycling is collecting large quantitiesofclean,
well sorted, uncontaminatedanddrypaper.

Glass, Steel Aluminum Cans and Foil:

Glass, steel and aluminum are easy to recognize and recycle. Glass
bottles must not be mixed with other types of glass such as
windows, light bulbs, mirrors, glass tableware, Pyrex or auto glass.
Ceramics contaminate glass and are difficult to sort out. Clear
glass is the most valuable. Mixed color glass in near worthless,
and broken glass is hard to sort out.

Plastic:

With a little bit of care, plastic can be recycled. The awareness

of recycling plastic is increasing rapidly. However, there is one
drawback. Different types of plastics must not be mixed
together while recycling. This can ruin the entire process of
recycle.

THE E-WASTE PROBLEM

The amount of electronic products discarded globally has

skyrocketed recently, with 20-50 million tonnes generated every
year. If such a huge figure is hard to imagine, think of it like this
- if the estimated amount of e-waste generated every year would
be put into containers on a train it would go once around the
world!

Electronic waste (e-waste) now makes up five percent of all

municipal solid waste worldwide, nearly the same amount as all
plastic packaging, but it is much more hazardous. Not only
developed countries generate e-waste; Asia discards an
estimated 12 million tonnes each year.

E-waste is now the fastest growing component of the municipal

solid waste stream because people are upgrading their mobile
phones, computers, televisions, audio equipment and printers more
frequently than ever before. Mobile phones and computers are
causing the biggest problem because they are replaced most
often. In Europe e-waste is increasing at three to five percent a
year, almost three times faster than the total waste stream.
Developing countries are also expected to triple their e-waste
production over the next five years.

Did you know?

The average lifespan of computers in developed countries has

dropped from six years in 1997 to just two years in 2005.

Mobile phones have a lifecycle of less than two years in developed

countries.

183 million computers were sold worldwide in 2004 - 11.6 percent

more than in 2003.

674 million mobile phones were sold worldwide in 2004 - 30

percent more than in 2003.
By 2010, there will be 716 million new computers in use. There will
be 178 million new computer users in China, 80 million new users in
India.

WHERE DOES E-WASTE END UP

Many old electronic goods gather dust in storage waiting to be

reused, recycled or thrown away. The US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that as much as three
quarters of the computers sold in the US are stockpiled in
garages and closets. When thrown away, they end up in landfills
or incinerators or, more recently, are exported to Asia.

Landfill: According to the US EPA, more than 4.6 million tonnes

of e-waste ended up in US landfills in 2000. Toxic chemicals in
electronics products can leach into the land over time or are
released into the atmosphere, impacting nearby communities and
the environment. In many European countries, regulations have
been introduced to prevent electronic waste being dumped in
landfills due to its hazardous content. However, the practice still
continues in many countries. In Hong Kong for example, it is
estimated that 10-20 percent of discarded computers go to
landfill.

Incineration: This releases heavy metals such as lead, cadmium

and mercury into the air and ashes. Mercury released into the
atmosphere can bioaccumulate in the food chain, particularly in
fish - the major route of exposure for the general public. If the
products contain PVC plastic, highly toxic dioxins and furans are
also released. Brominated flame retardants generate brominated
dioxins and furans when e-waste is burned.
Reuse: A good way to increase a product's lifespan. Many old
products are exported to developing countries. Although the
benefits of reusing electronics in this way are clear, the practice
is causing serious problems because the old products are dumped
after a short period of use in areas that are unlikely to have
hazardous waste facilities.

Recycle: Although recycling can be a good way to reuse the raw

materials in a product, the hazardous chemicals in e-waste mean
that electronics can harm workers in the recycling yards, as well
as their neighbouring communities and environment.

In developed countries, electronics recycling takes place in

purpose-built recycling plants under controlled conditions. In
many EU states for example, plastics from e-waste are not
recycled to avoid brominated furans and dioxins being released
into the atmosphere. In developing countries however, there are
no such controls. Recycling is done by hand in scrap yards, often
by children.

Export: E-waste is routinely exported by developed countries to

developing ones, often in violation of the international law.
Inspections of 18 European seaports in 2005 found as much as 47
percent of waste destined for export, including e-waste, was
illegal. In the UK alone, at least 23,000 metric tonnes of
undeclared or 'grey' market electronic waste was illegally shipped
in 2003 to the Far East, India, Africa and China. In the US, it is
estimated that 50-80 percent of the waste collected for
recycling is being exported in this way. This practice is legal
because the US has not ratified the Basel Convention.
Mainland China tried to prevent this trade by banning the import
of e-waste in 2000. However, the laws are not working; e-waste is
still arriving in Guiya of Guangdong Province, the main centre of
e-waste scrapping in China.

It has been also found a growing e-waste trade problem in India.

25,000 workers are employed at scrap yards in Delhi alone, where
10-20000 tonnes of e-waste is handled each year, 25 percent of
this being computers. Other e-waste scrap yards have been found
in Meerut, Ferozabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.

© UNEP
How did the trade evolve?

In the 1990s, governments in the EU, Japan and some US states

set up e-waste 'recycling' systems. But many countries did not
have the capacity to deal with the sheer quantity of e-waste they
generated or with its hazardous nature.

Therefore, they began exporting the problem to developing

countries where laws to protect workers and the environment are
inadequate or not enforced. It is also cheaper to 'recycle' waste
in developing countries; the cost of glass-to-glass recycling of
computer monitors in the US is ten times more than in China.

Demand in Asia for electronic waste began to grow when scrap

yards found they could extract valuable substances such as
copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold, during the recycling process.
A mobile phone, for example, is 19 percent copper and eight
percent iron.

E- Waste Exports – an unknown, dangerous and secretive

activity

It is difficult to find data on the amount of computer scrap

leaving the US for countries such as Taiwan and China. This is
because of past bad publicity and the fact that producers will sell
scrap to recyclers and not bother finding out the final
destination and fate of their end of life product.

The export of scrap is profitable because the labor costs are

cheap and regulations are lax compared to US law. A pilot
program that collected electronic scrap in San Jose, CA
estimated that it was 10 times cheaper to ship CRT monitors
to China than it was to recycle them in the US.

The overwhelming majority of the world’s hazardous waste is

generated by industrialized market economies. Exporting this
waste to less developed countries has been one way in which the
industrialized world has avoided having to deal with the problem
of expensive disposal and close public scrutiny at home.

In 1989 the world community established the Basel Convention on

the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste for Final
Disposal to stop the industrialized nations of the OECD from
dumping their waste on less developed countries. The USA,
however, has declined to sign the Convention.

Electrical & electronic scrap, including computers, are considered

hazardous according to the Basel Convention Technical Working
Group (TWG) because they can contain many hazardous
components including PCB’s, mercury, lead & cadmium. Many of
these hazardous substances are contained within individual
components within the like circuit boards, batteries, switches and
capacitors. WEEE will remain regulated under these provisions
unless it can be proved it does not contain hazardous
constituents.

In 1994 parties to the Basel Convention, now over 60 countries,

agreed to an immediate ban on exports of hazardous waste
destined for final disposal in non-OECD countries. It was clear
however; that this was not enough to stop the transport of waste,
which countries claimed, was being exported for recycling
purposes.
Seventy-seven non-OECD countries, and China, pushed heavily for
a ban on the shipping of waste for recycling. As a result, the
Basel Ban was adopted, promising an end to the export of
hazardous waste from rich OECD countries to poor non-OECD
countries for recovery operations by December 31st 1997. The
USA had declined to participate.

The US had lobbied Governments in Asia to establish bilateral

trade agreements to continue dumping their hazardous waste
after the Basel Ban came into effect on January 1st 1998. The
amount of computer scrap exported from the USA continues to
grow as product obsolescence increases.

OVERVIEW OF THE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING INDUSTRY

Electronics recycling is an emerging industry that is at a critical

point in its development, in terms of growth and challenges. As
the production and use of electronics products continues to
increase dramatically throughout both the business and public
sectors, the challenges of disposal and recovery of materials are
becoming significant. The commercial sector has been recycling
electronics for more than 20 years and has been the driving
force in creating and growing the electronics recycling industry.
Up until recently, the major sources of electronics products for
recycling have been manufacturers and large users. Although
consumers also own vast quantities of electronics products, many
have been disposed of in landfills or left unused in storage. The
number of TVs and personal computers becoming obsolete or
replaced has been increasing significantly and is creating a need
for recycling consumer electronics.
The disposal of end-of-life electronics products has become a
topic of interest and concern worldwide as municipalities face the
potential of enormous volumes to handle in the future. In addition
to aggravating the cost and availability of landfills, electronics
products contain materials that should not be treated as common
waste. Most, if not all of the materials are recyclable and have
reuse value, such as metals and plastics. There are also relatively
small quantities of some specific materials that may be
potentially hazardous, particularly if they are not disposed of
properly, such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Electronics
recycling companies specialize in providing a service that assures
the proper handling and disposal of these materials with the
objective of optimizing recycling and reuse.

There are more than 400 companies in the USA that are
considered to be electronics recyclers. That is, companies
or organizations with operations in one or more of the
segments of the electronics recycling industry. Most
companies involved with electronics recycling are relatively
small and new businesses. However, there are a number of
major recyclers that collectively process a large portion of
the industry volume. In addition to recycling companies,
there are some manufacturers/OEMs and not-for-profit
organizations with electronics recycling operations. The key
economic drivers of the electronics recycling industry are
the need for a predictable stream of high volume sources
and the capital required for automated processes. The
future growth and success of the industry will depend on
developing an effective and efficient infrastructure for
electronics recycling serving all sectors.
Electronics recycling is also growing outside the USA. In
fact, Europe has established legislation requiring the take
back and proper disposal of electrical and electronics
equipment (i.e., the “WEEE Directives”) and is building the
infrastructure to support it. Manufacturers are
implementing product take back and recycling operations in
Japan. China has become a growing, but controversial
destination for recycling scrap electronics. Since most of
the major metal refiners of the world are outside the USA,
a substantial amount of processed materials are exported.
FLOW CHART OF THE E-WASTE RECYCLING PROCESS
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION – EXTENDED PRODUCER
RESPONSIBILITY AND TOXIC PHASE-OUTS.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) focuses on the

responsibility that producers assume for their products at the
end of their useful life (post-consumer stage). The model example
of EPR is product take-back where a producer takes back a
product at the end of its useful life (i.e., when discarded) either
directly or through a third party. Other terms used are 'take-
back', 'product liability' or 'life cycle product responsibility.'

What the European Union has proposed as a solution for E-

scrap:

 The draft WEEE Directive will phase-out the use of

mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and two classes of
brominated flame-retardants in electronic and electrical
goods by the year 2004.

 It puts full financial responsibility on producers to set up

collection, recycling and disposal systems.

 Between 70% to 90%, of all collected equipment by weight

must be recycled or re-used. In the case of computers and
monitors, 70% recycling must be met.

 "Recycling" does not include incineration, so companies won’t

be able to meet recycling goals by burning the waste.
 For disposal, incineration with energy recovery is allowed
for the 10% to 30% of waste remaining. However,
components containing the following substances must be
removed from any end of life equipment which is destined
for landfill, incineration or recovery:

Lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, PCBs,

halogenated flame-retardants, radioactive substances,
asbestos and beryllium.

 Member states shall encourage producers to integrate an

increasing quantity of recycled material in new products.
Originally the EU stipulated that by 2004 new equipment
must contain at least five percent of recycled plastic
content but this provision was recently dropped because of
intense industry lobbying. This is a major weakening of the
directive, since on the one hand it encourages recycling but
then does not stipulate recycled content in new products.
Instead the revised Directive ‘encourages’ member states
to set recycled content in their procurement policies.

 Producers must design equipment that includes labels for

recyclers that identify plastic types and location of all
dangerous substances.

 Member states must collect information from producers on

a yearly basis about quantities of equipment put on the
market, both by numbers of units and by weight, as well as
on the market saturation in the respective product sectors.
 This information will be transmitted to the EU Commission
by 2004 and every three years after that date.

Producers can undertake the treatment operation in another

country, but this should not lead to shipments of WEEE to non-
EU countries where no or lower treatment standards than in the
EU exist. Accordingly, producers shall deliver WEEE only to those
establishments, which comply with the treatment, and recycling
requirements set out in the proposal and producers shall verify
compliance through adequate certifications

SOME TIPS FOR REDUCING ELECTRONIC WASTES:

 TIPS FOR BUSINESSES FOR REDUCING ELECTRONC

WASTES

Diverting electronics from disposal helps businesses protect the

environment, helps ensure environmental compliance, and may save
money.

Preventing and Reducing Electronic Wastes

 Buy and Use for the Long Term - Purchasing high quality,
long-life equipment may cost a little more up front, but
lengthens the time between purchases and helps avoid or
forestall disposal problems and costs. Upgrades may be
possible for some equipment, and maintenance contracts or
agreements may help extend product life. Repairing
equipment extends its useful life.
  Keep the Stuff that Works – If the monitor still works but
the CPU needs to be upgraded, consider only replacing the
CPU and keeping the current monitor. In addition to
preventing waste, this strategy may save your business
considerable money.

 Vendor Take-Back - Consider adding vendor take-back of

old equipment as a condition of buying new equipment.
Insert such conditions in long-term vendor contracts, or
simply ask if that service can be provided.

 Lease Equipment - Leasing is a specific way to avoid the

difficulties and expense of managing old products. Instead
it becomes the product vendor’s responsibility and thereby
encourages product stewardship. A study produced by
INFORM Inc. describes the beneficial environmental
effects of leasing.

Donation

 Good functional equipment may be useful to nonprofit

groups, schools or other charitable groups. These
organizations don’t want junk, but useful items are usually
welcome and may earn tax deductions for donating
businesses. Check to make sure what equipment is accepted
before taking products to them.
  Functioning equipment may be useful to community groups or
schools.

 Functioning TVs, VCRs, stereos and CD players may also be

useful to local nonprofits, churches or schools. Again, check
to make sure they can use what you have.

 TIPS FOR HOUSEHOLDS FOR REDUCING ELECTRONIC

WASTES

Buy and Use Electronics for the Long Term

Waste results when we discard items that have exceeded their
usefulness. Ways to prevent this fate for household electronics
include:

 Buying electronic products that will last your family a long

time. Buying the cheapest can sometimes mean buying the
most disposable. Look for products with lengthy warranties
as an indication of long-term quality.

 Repair broken units rather than discard them. Computers,

televisions, VCRs and other electronic devices can often be
repaired if malfunctioning. Look in the local yellow pages for
repair services. Consider purchasing an extended warranty
to cover future repair costs.

 Upgrade computers rather than buy a new one. Adding RAM,

changing software or conducting other upgrades can make
your current computer last longer.
Donation
Many electronics can still offer valuable service when a household
decides to discard them. It is very important to give only usable
products to nonprofits or charities – you don’t want to leave them
with an expensive disposal problem! Check to make sure what
equipment is accepted before taking products to the charity,
school or nonprofit of your choice.