The Global Impact of E-Waste – Addressing the challenge Pavan Baichoo Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) ILO Geneva

Background The global growth in electrical and electronic equipment production and consumption is exponential. Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing waste stream today. Due to the high financial investment needed for environmentally sound waste management, there is currently a high level of transboundary, often illegal, movement of e-waste into developing countries for recycling and the worldwide market for e-waste is growing by almost 9% per year. Between 50% and 80% of e-waste collected for recycling in developed countries each year is being exported.

E-waste Composition The composition of e-waste is very diverse and differs in products across different categories. It contains more than a 1000 different substances, which fall under ‘hazardous’ and ‘non-hazardous’ categories. Iron and steel constitutes about 50%, followed by plastics (21%), non ferrous metals (13%) and other constituents. It often contain several persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances including heavy metals such as lead, nickel, chromium, mercury and persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants.

Issues Posed High volumes - high demand and rapid obsolescence Toxic design Poor design and complexity – need sophisticated technology Financial incentives – currently e-waste does not have enough value in developed countries (however, this is changing mainly due to extended-producer-responsibility (EPR) policies and increasing value of precious metals) Lack of regulation – ‘loopholes’ or lack of regulation altogether

The e-waste trade There is a lack of information regarding how much e- waste is generated, from where and to where it is moving. E-waste recycling hotspots have been identified in Asia- Pacific countries such as China, India, Pakistan and in some African countries such as Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. Other countries including Mexico, Morocco, Colombia, Peru, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Uganda, Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand are additional growing destinations for e-waste.

The flow of electronic waste

It is estimated that China receives the highest proportion, about 70% of all the e-waste, followed by India. E-waste recycling provides employment to thousands of poor people. The financial crisis has exacerbated this trend; more and more workers are ending up with jobs in businesses fuelled by poverty. It is a booming, often illegal business that frequently attracts migrant workers. The recovery of valuable materials takes place in small workshops using simple recycling methods such as manual disassembly, open burning, heating printed circuit boards and acid extraction.

Risks to Workers and the Environment Different chemicals pose different hazards and without information, safe handling cannot be assured The main hazards arise from the presence of heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, flame retardants and other potentially hazardous substances. Main concerns: -Mercury in relays, switches, and gas discharge lamps; -Batteries containing mercury, cadmium, lead and lithium. -Printed circuit boards contain a number of substances of concern such as lead, antimony, beryllium and cadmium. -Plastics containing brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride in wire insulation – releases of dioxins and furans when burnt. -Cathode ray tubes contain a great amount of all substances concerned such as 2-3kg of lead in each device. -Liquid crystal display (LCD) screens contain a mixture of substances

The workers and local residents in areas of e-recycling in developing countries are exposed to the chemicals through inhalation, dust ingestion, dermal exposure and dietary intake. Workers are exposed to other hazards leading to physical injuries and chronic ailments such as asthma, skin diseases, eye irritations etc. For the most part, workers are not aware of environmental and health risks, do not know better practices or have no access to investment capital to finance safety measures. It is a global environmental and health emergency, beyond occupational exposure involving vulnerable groups and future generations.

Solutions E-waste is a cross-cutting issue with global significance and therefore requires cross-sectoral implementation. Needed on all levels: community, local, regional and global initiatives. E-waste recycling in the informal sector provides jobs to thousands of people and has the potential to support formal waste management agencies through central collection sites etc. A two-way flow between developed and developing countries. Integration of the informal sector with the formal could result in reduced pollution, better resource management and create numerous jobs in the recycling sector. Cheap, safe and simple processing methods for informal sector recycling

Cont. There is a need for different interventions, international cooperation and goal-oriented actions on e-waste, including: - Enforcement of a global ban (Basel Convention Enforcement) of the transboundary movement of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries. - Take a precautionary approach: reduce and eliminate hazardous substances. - Education and Information including eco-labelling of products; increase public, scientific and business knowledge. - Technology transfer and capacity building. - The establishment of a global information database. -Producer take-back programmes and Extended Producer Responsibility. -Optimizing the life cycle - design for recycling and for long-life products, improve supply chains, energy efficiency and close material loops. - Exercising concern about disparities such as the digital divide between developing and developed countries.

ILO + tools Ratification and implementation of the ILO Chemicals Convention, 1990 (No. 170) and MEA’s Implementation of the GHS ILO Labour standards and the Green jobs Programme Promotion of cooperatives Awareness raising, enforcement of legislation (both environmental and labour).

Future Challenges and Opportunities Growth in electronic products use in developing countries will put higher demand on life-cycle management, prolonged lifespan and EPR. E-waste recycling in the informal sector provides jobs to thousands of people and has the potential to support formal waste management agencies. Integrating the informal sector with the formal could result in reduced pollution, better resource management and create numerous green jobs in the recycling sector. The collection, segregation and primary dismantling of non-hazardous fractions of e-waste could be focused in the informal sector while the other higher order recycling processes may be concentrated in the formal sector

Thank you For further information: Pavan Baichoo Technical Officer, Occupational Safety Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) International Labour Office (ILO) 4 rte. Des Morillons, CH-1211 Geneva Web: