SWANA Colorado Chapter September 12, 2003 Anne Peters, Gracestone, Inc. for the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and the Environment Electronics Recycling: What it is & Impacts on Solid Waste Facilities

The Colorado CRT Recycling Pilot Project 2000 CO state legislature enacted legislation on CRT recycling: –To educate business and residents. –To help build the infrastructure for better recycling. Project of CO Dept. of Public Health & Environment’s Hazardous Materials & Waste Management Division

Why is it a problem? Computers double in speed and capacity every 18 months 4 million tons of scrap electronics discarded annually in the US Computers contain hazardous wastes that can pollute the environment.

Why are scrap electronics a problem in CO?

The environmental risk:

Other toxic chemicals from electronics: Mercury - damages brain, kidneys, fetus; travels easily in the food chain –PBT - persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic Cadmium - damages kidneys (PBT) Chromium VI - damages DNA Toners - carbon black - respiratory problems; may be carcinogenic source: Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition

CRTs & Pb Frit - low-temperature solder glass with high lead content. Seals funnel to front panel after color phosphor pattern is put in place inside the front panel. To shield user from radioactivity produced within CRT, lead is added to neck and funnel glass. Lead causes discoloration, so barium is usually added to panel glass.

CRT Pb TCLP Test Findings CRT tests show 18.5 mg/L Pb Exceeds regulated limit: 5 mg/L Pb found in glass, funnel, neck. More Pb in color monitors Monochrome CRTs are okay CPUs, televisions, cell phones all probably fail TCLP tests, too

Pb Risk in Context: EPA Landfill estimates (‘95) Pb Acid storage batteries64% CRTs (TVs & monitors)29% Other electronics 1% Glass & ceramics products 3% Plastics 1% Other products 1%

Central Processing Units (CPUs) Preliminary results indicate that many electronic devices with printed circuit boards possess a reasonable likelihood of exhibiting the toxicity characteristic for lead (and other metals). Results indicate that CPUs are likely to be hazardous waste, too. Townsend et. al. 2002

It’s the law! Businesses are prohibited from disposing of hazardous wastes in the trash. RCRA, CERCLA (Superfund) CERCLA reserves the right to assign liability later for disposal of materials.

Unless residential devices are kept segregated from non-residential devices, all co-mingled equipment must be managed as though it were from non-residential sources. Important if a business or institutions brings e-scrap to community collection event. Household Hazardous Waste exclusion - for recyclers & brokers

Business responsibility for e-scrap Electronics are hazardous waste if sent for disposal (HH exemption) It is illegal for business to dispose of hazardous waste in landfills If electronics are not disposed, they are not regulated as haz waste. Reduce, reuse, recycle is the solution

Product Waste Scrap electronics: assumed to be waste if stored in a manner inconsistent with it being a product or commodity with value.

Working or non-working? Put in trash: Regulated as hazardous waste. ILLEGAL Pay for or be paid by recycler or broker to take equipment to resell or refurbish. Not regulated as hazardous waste. Pieces and parts from refurbishing or repair are put in trash: Regulated as hazardous waste. ILLEGAL If working… Donate for reuse Not regulated as hazardous waste. If not working… Donate to nonprofit for refurbishing Not regulated as hazardous waste. Send for diagnosis and repair. Not regulated as hazardous waste. Is it waste or not? Unwanted electronics equipment owned by a business. potential CERCLA liability

What should you do? Tell landfill customers the law. Work to establish diversion options for e-scrap for business & residential streams. Ensure end-of-life computers are recycled or managed in compliance with hazardous waste laws, as a Universal Waste Green your jurisdiction’s electronics.

Building an Electronics Recycling Infrastructure Periodic collection vs. permanent service? Bundle with other hazardous waste diversion services? Add to scrap recycling infrastructure? Who supports development costs? Political action: influence policy, manufacturers?

Colorado Lessons Learned: Collection Events & More scores of collection events around state in past 3 years

but be careful what you ask for...

Denver collected 275 Tons of e-scrap in one day - 5/03

Careful planning pays off Publicity makes all the difference - brochures available Tremendous unmet demand Landfills are being used more and more for collection events

Lessons from Summit Recycling Project

Choosing a recycler What do they do to recycle? Can they help with logistics? Labor source? Regulatory compliance? Sound, ethical business practices? Need for legitimating credential… Involve local businesses, non-profits Then - set criteria that meets your goals.

Legitimate recyclers will: Tell how they manage e-scrap. Tell how they process e-scrap. Document where components or devices go for reuse, recycling, or disposal. Generally charge a fee for their services. Usually manage electronics as universal wastes.

Overseas issues Much media coverage in early Documentation of shocking “recycling” practices in Asia. Source: Basel Action Network 2001

More photos from Guiyi Province, China Source: Basel Action Network 2001 Learn more at

How to “green” electronics purchase? Change the bid language Change the purchase terms –lease vs. buy Drive manufacturer responsibility –require takeback of obsolete computers –ask for assurance of recycling of your old equipment –impact toxicity, ergonomics, energy use, packaging etc. to reduce waste

Where Europe is going European Union Directive 2002/95/EC 1/27/03 Waste electrical and electronic waste (WEEE). By 2005 authorities must: –Legislate free take back of waste goods –Ensure that OEMs finance the collection, treatment, recovery and disposal of all waste. Restriction on hazardous substances (RoHS) in manufactured equipment law: –OEMs must cease using Pb, Hg, cadmium,and hex-chromium, or the brominated flame retardants PBDE and PBB, in products after 7/1/06.

What’s happening elsewhere in the country - trends to watch for companies with national presence NEPSI pressure Market in flux while infrastructure develops & stakeholders position State laws vary - MA, FL Manufacturers shifting roles - Dell takeback campaign

Anne Peters Gracestone, Inc. for the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and the Environment voice fax For more information: