Strategies for an efficient and controled management of e-waste

Skopje, 23rd November 2011

David Rochat, SOFIES

david.rochat@sofiesonline.com

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Contents

■Why is e-waste a problem and why do / should we care?

■Where to start and how to go forward

Why is e-waste a problem and why do/should we care?

Why is e-waste an issue?

The problems related to e-waste

E-waste management poses problems of two kinds:

■Because of its toxic content, dumping e-waste into the environment will contaminate to soil and groundwater

indirect contamination of communities

■Because of improper recycling practices, can affect the workers, their communities and the environment

Wild dumping of e-waste

Wild dumping of e-waste

The problems related to e-waste

E-waste management poses problems of two kinds:

■Because of its toxic content, dumping e-waste into the environment will contaminate to soil and groundwater

indirect contamination of communities

■Because of improper recycling practices, can affect the workers, their communities and the environment

Improper recycling practices

Improper recycling practices

Improper recycling practices

Keller, 2005

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Low efficiency (data from the informal sector in India)

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Low efficiency : not any better in the formal sector!

How can a maximal value be recovered?

Electronics industry: a big consumer of resources

The (lost?) opportunities related to e-waste

E-waste management can present fabulous opportunities:

■Because of its valuable content, e-waste recycling can create added value to the recycling sector

■The recovery of metals and other valuable materials gives privileged access to expensive resources

■Some materials contained in e-waste are very rare controlling such materials provides strategic advantages to national economies (e.g. Indium, predicted first natural element we will run out of)

Improper recycling practices lead to a loss of value!

So, where do we start ?

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Conduct a nation-wide e-waste assessment: know what’s going on

■ the description and assessment of e-waste management practices in the formal and the informal sector

■ assessment of mass flows

■ potential impact to human health and the environment

■ an assessment of needs to ensure environmentally sound management, and a detailed description of the legal and regulatory infrastructures in place

■ Recommendations for the development of an environmentally sound management policies for e-waste management

■ The results of the country assessments are shared with all stakeholders

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Result of national assessment (Example)

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End-of-life equipment from corporate consumer:- Often declared as „donation“ for cheap disposal

Material recovery in the informal sector:- Manual dismantling of hazardous component- Wires and cable burning- precious metal recovery in a hazardous manner (e.g. gold leaching)

Informal dumping and burning:- Emissions from dumped residues- Emissions from informal burning sites

Consume Collect Recover DisposeFunction Material Energy

ImportersManufacturers

Retailer

Private Consumer

Informal Collector Informal

Sector

System Boundary

Imports(Donations)

CorporateConsumer

Scrap Dealers

Middlemen(Auctions)

LandfillRepair &

Refurbish InformalDumping &

Burning1

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3

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Develop a Framework for a National Strategy (Example)

Consume Collect Recover DisposeFunction Material Energy

ImportersManufacturers

Retailer

Private Consumer

Informal Collector

Large Recyclers

System Boundary

Imports(Donations)

CorporateConsumer

Authorized Dealers

Middlemen(Auctions)

LandfillRepair &

Refurbish Informal Dumping &

Burning

Smelter Refinery

Small recyclers

Policy & Legislation Business & Finance Technology & SkillsInterventionMechanisms:

• Licensing• Legislation

• Technical control and fixed contracts• New business models

• Knowledge and technology transfer• Formalizing the informal sector• Trainings

Marketing & Awareness

• Information Campaigns on all levels

Monitoring & Control

• Standards• Audits• Monitoring Massflows

Conclusion

■ e-waste presents a threat, as much as it presents an opportunity

■ there is no simple answer tackle the problem from its different aspects (education, legal, technical, economic, etc.)

■ A proper management strategy can significantly reduce threats and increase opportunities

Many nations have started to react

Join the global network!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

www.ewasteguide.info david.rochat@sofiesonline.com