Chapter 2 : Current Initiatives and Standards

Global Initiatives United Nations At the highest level of global governance is the United Nations. Seeing that e-waste is a international concern, it has stepped forward and implemented its Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) program.

StEP’s prime objectives are as follows: Optimizing the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment by improving supply chains Closing material loops Reducing contamination Increasing the utilization of resources and the reuse of equipment Exercising concern about disparities such as the digital divide between industrializing and industrialized countries Increasing public, scientific, and business knowledge Developing clear policy recommendations

StEP is based on five principles: Work is based on scientific assessments and incorporates a comprehensive view of the social, environmental, and economic aspects of e-waste. StEP conducts research on the entire life cycle of electronic and electrical equipment and their corresponding global supply, process, and material flows. StEP’s research and pilot projects are meant to contribute to the solution of e-waste problems. StEP condemns all illegal activities related to e-waste, including illegal shipments and reuse and recycling practices that are harmful to the environment and human health. StEP seeks to foster safe, ecological, and energy-efficient reuse and recycling practices around the globe in a socially responsible manner.

Task Forces

Policy and Legislation: The Policy and Legislation task force reports and analyzes the status of existing techniques and policies for managing e-waste. Based on its research and study, the Policy and Legislation task force makes recommendations for future e-waste management solutions. ReDesign : The ReDesign task force supports a sustainable solution to the e-waste problem by focusing on the notion of concept and electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) design. The group’s main objective is to optimize the life cycle characteristics of EEE and their adaptation to specific end-of-life conditions.

ReUse: The goal of the ReUse task force is to define globally consistent reuse practices, principles, and standards for EEE products from business-to-business (B2B) and business-to consumer (B2C) users that are economically, socially, and environmentally. ReCycle: The goal of the ReCycle task force is to enhance global recycling infrastructures, systems, and technologies while realizing sustainable e-waste-recycling systems. Capacity Building: The Capacity Building task force focuses on building infrastructures for sustainable, efficient, effective, and target group–oriented capacity building, covering relevant aspects of the entire life cycle of EEE in order to sustainably solve the ever-growing e-waste problem.

Basel Action Network Though the nonprofit Basel Action Network (BAN) is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, it operates globally. It is a worldwide organization, focused on working with the human rights and environmental impacts of e-waste. It also works to ban waste trade and promote green, toxin-free design of consumer products.

BAN is active on a number of campaigns, including the following: E-Waste Stewardship Project A program to ensure that exports of hazardous electronic waste to developing countries are eliminated and replaced with producer responsibility via green design programs and legislation. Green Shipbreaking A program that ensures hazardous materials have been removed from U.S. government ships prior to export. Zero Mercury Campaign A program working toward an internationally binding treaty on mercury pollution to eliminate its extraction, use, trade, and recycling. To promote permanent storage and alternative uses, BAN is working particularly to eliminate surplus mercury trade to developing countries. Basel Ban Ratification BAN promotes the Basel Ban Amendment Ratifications globally and works to prevent the weakening of this amendment.

Basel Convention The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal—less verbosely known as the Basel Convention—is an international treaty designed to reduce the transportation of hazardous waste between nations, especially from developed to less developed countries. Further, the convention deals with minimizing the amount and toxicity of generated wastes.

North America North America is home to two countries that seem to be struggling with implementing e-waste programs. EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool: EPEAT was developed by the Green Electronics Council in Portland, Oregon to help institutional purchasers evaluate, compare, and select desktop computers, notebook computers, and monitors based on their environmental attributes.

National Computer Recycling Act • Direct the EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) to develop a grant program to encourage municipalities, individuals, and organizations to start e-waste recycling programs. • Assess a fee of up to $10 on new computers in order to fund the grant program. • Require a comprehensive e-waste study to be conducted by the EPA, which would make the ongoing recommendations for addressing the problem. • Require the administrator of the EPA to be in full consultation with manufacturers, retailers, recycling agencies, waste management professionals, and environmental and consumer groups.

Individual States According to state waste and recycling data, California generated approximately 140,000 tons of covered electrical devices (CEDs) in 2005, with more than 60 million pounds of this electronic waste taken back for recycling through the program. In 2006, this number rose to more than 120 million tons recycled, as shown next. • In 2006, the recycling rate for covered electronics was 29 percent, up almost twice as much as 2005. • The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) paid out approximately $61 million in reimbursements to recyclers in 2006.

Electronic Waste Recycling Act On January 1, 2005, California enacted legislation (formally known as SB 20) to implement an electronic waste recovery and recycling program. The Electronic Waste Recycling Act is modeled after the European Economic Union’s Product Stewardship Initiative. The act’s intent is to provide cost-free recycling opportunities to consumers. The goal of it is to prevent the illegal dumping of electronic waste and to discourage e-waste “stockpiling.” The larger goal of the act is to decrease the amount of hazardous materials entering the municipal solid waste stream. Cell Phone Takeback and Recycling Rechargeable Battery Takeback and Recycling

Canada Canada is managing e-waste in a way similar to the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The goal is to reduce the amount of electronic waste going into the general household waste stream. Environment Canada (the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. EPA) has noted that more than 140,000 tons of used electronics go into Canadian landfills each year.

Australia As of this writing, Australia does not have any formalized, government-mandated rules for the management of e-waste. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a program in place to help manage end-of-life electronic equipment. In fact, there is a program that just might serve as a template for the entire nation.

Europe The European Union leads the world with its e-waste management WEEE and its RoHs directives. These laws manage not only the resultant recycling and handling of e-waste, but also its creation. RoHS(Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) Whereas the WEEE Directive is designed to help manage e-waste, the European Union also took steps to reduce how much waste is actually produced. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of certain types of electronic equipment: • Lead • Mercury • Cadmium • Hexavalent chromium • Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) • Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)

Asia Asia is a large dumping ground for the world’s e-waste, and several countries are trying to minimize the impact on their environments. This section takes a closer look at what’s going on in Asia to protect their environment. Japan While the bulk of e-waste is shipped to countries in Asia and Africa for recycling, and while the West is getting its e-waste house in order, the Japanese have made great strides in managing their own e-waste problem.

Waste Management Japan’s version of the WEEE Directive came in 1998 with the Japanese Home Electronics Recycling Law. In it, manufacturers were warned to prepare for collection and recycling by 2001. Many manufacturers decided to pool their resources with the Japanese government to open a pilot recycling project while the WEEE legislation was still being tweaked.

China Although China takes its lumps for being a destination of much of the world’s e-waste, the nation is working to get e-waste legislation in place. The Chinese regulation is normally referred to as China RoHS. Though it is similar to the European Union’s RoHS, it does take a different approach. The EU’s RoHS lists specific categories of products. Specific products are automatically included in those categories unless specifically excluded. China RoHS, however, contains a list of included products. That list is called the Catalog.

Products There is, naturally, overlap between the two directives. But many product types that are not within the scope of EU RoHS are within the scope of China RoHS. China RoHS includes the following: • Automotive electronics • Radar equipment • Medical devices • Semiconductor and other manufacturing equipment, components, and some raw materials • Some packaging materials

Materials Products that contain hazardous substances must be marked with the EIP logo and include an Environmental Protection Use Period (EPUP) value listed in years. Like the EU RoHS Directive, China RoHS bans the following: • Lead • Mercury • Cadmium • Hexavalent chromium • Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) • Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)

In April 2007, Korea adopted its Act for Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Automobiles, also known as Korea RoHS. The act includes four main requirements: • Restrictions on hazardous materials • Design for efficient recycling • Collection and recycling of WEEE • Recycling of vehicles at end-of-life

Components of E-Waste Iron & Steel -50% Plastics -21% Non-ferrous metal -13% (Mercury, Arsenic, Lead etc. )

E-Waste Generation in India Projection by International Association of Electronic Recycler (IAER). -3 billion electronic and electrical appliances became WEEE in 2010. -Globally about to 20 – 50 million tones of E-Waste are disposed of each year. -Which accounts for 5% of all Municipal Solid Waste.

-There are 10 states that contribute to 70% of the total E-Waste generated in the country. -65 cities generate more than 60% of the total E-Waste in India. -Among the top ten cities generating E-Waste, Mumbai ranks first followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat & Nagpur. -Main source of electronic waste in India are the government, public and private (Industrial) sectors – 70% -Contribution of individual house hold – 15% -Rest being contributed by manufacturers.

Out of total E-Waste volume in India Television -68% Desktop, Server -27% Imports -2% Mobile -1% Despite 23 units currently registered with Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment and Forest / Central Pollution Control Board, as E-Waste recyclers / preprocessors the entire recycling process more or less still exists in the unorganized sector.

How much waste is in 500 million computers Plastic -6.32 Billion Pounds Lead -1.58 Billion Pounds Cadmium -3 Million Pounds Chromium -1.9 Million Pounds Mercury -0.632 Million Pounds India is one of the largest waste importing countries in the world. It generates about 350000 tonnes of electronic waste every year and imports another 50000 tonnes.

E-Waste Rules, 2011 Collection of E Waste Generated during manufacturing Generated from the end of life products Such E Wastes are channelized to a registered refurbisher or dismantler or recycler Individual identification code for product tracking Provide contact details of dealers and authorized collection centers to consumers Finance and organise the system Ensure safe transportation, storage Submit annual return

Criticism of new rule It ignores the unorganized and small and medium sector, where 90% of the E-Waste is generated Does not provide any plan to rehabilitate those involved in informal recycling Collection, and dismantling of E-Waste is not hazardous and can be carried out by informal sector Extraction of precious metals is the hazardous process, which should be left to the organized sector Business model to develop for collection of E-Waste from consumers Producers need to set up collection centers