E LECTRONIC W ASTE D ISPOSAL AT THE U NIVERSITY OF C ALIFORNIA, I RVINE Victoria Liu May 31, 2008

S CHOOL CAMPUSES AND TECHNOLOGY There are over 2,400 four-year colleges and university campuses in the U.S. UCI : 25,000 students enrolled over 16,000 faculty and staff employed Popular technology Computers & laptops Cell phones MP3 players

EPA K EY F INDINGS FROM 2005 Americans own nearly 3 billion electronic products Estimated 130,000 computers discarded per DAY Around 304 million electronics abandoned in /3 of those electronics were still operable according to the Consumer Electronics Association

E PA KEY FINDINGS FROM 2005 Used/unwanted electronics: 1.9 – 2.2 million tons Landfills: 1.5 – 1.9 million tons discarded to landfills Recycled: 345,000 – 379,000 tons recycled

B ASEL C ONVENTION AND E - WASTE EXPORT The Basel Convention: the international treaty that regulates disposal and export of e-waste E-WASTEDEVELOPING DEVELOPED COUNTRYCOUNTRY U.S. is the only developed country that has not ratified the Basel Convention and Of the e-waste exported, 90% goes to China. Workers in foreign countries dismantle waste without protective clothing and employing practices hazardous to their health.

A DVERSE EFFECTS FROM E - WASTE DISPOSAL CHEMICAL TOXINS Americans have been shown to have the highest levels of these compounds in their blood of any people yet tested. Emitted in air and groundwater Embedded in tissue Leached into food products throughout U.S.

A DVERSE EFFECTS FROM E - WASTE DISPOSAL LEAD MERCURY CADMIUM PVC HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM Nervous and reproductive systems Kidneys, thyroid, bones Mental development of children and fetuses Neurodevelopmental problems

RESEARCH Current research addresses large-scale directives in different countries: European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive (WEEE) Japan’s Designated Household Appliance Recycling Law (DHARL) Current practices on university campuses UC Berkeley: GreenCitizen: drop-off locations, community programs, marketing incentives UC Irvine: Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S): drop-off bins, online pick-up, e-waste collection events and specified dates

K EY Q UESTIONS : How are UCI students currently disposing of their unwanted electronics (namely computers/laptops, cell phones, MP3 players)? Why have they chosen that method of disposal? What alternative forms of disposal do students know about? What adverse effects of electronic waste do students know about? What incentives would encourage students to recycle their electronic waste?

R ESEARCH D ESIGN Sample: Survey taken to classes and the ARC 164 subjects studying different majors: Public Planning & Design Criminology, Law & Society Economics History Biology Engineering

R ESEARCH D ESIGN Sample questions: 1) How do you usually dispose of your old computers/laptops? [Check all that apply] Keep, reuse parts Donate Trash Recycling centers Other:___________________ Why? [Check all that apply] Convenience Common practice Good for the environment Maximize use of product Don’t know Other: ______________________ What are some alternative forms of disposal you know about? [Check all that apply] Electronics stores Recycling centers Donation Other: ______________________ 4) What adverse effects of improper electronic waste disposal do you know about? [Free response]

R ESULTS METHODS OF DISPOSAL Results very similar across the board 8 – 15% Trashed * Many have not had to dispose of MP3 players yet *

R ESULTS 18.8% 0% 16% 25% 12.5% 30.8% Students Who Keep/Donate Recycle vs. Students Who Throw in Trash

R ESULTS WHY For computers/laptops, cell phones, and MP3 players students chose their method of disposal for reasons of CONVENIENCE Also a popular consideration: MAXIMAL USE OF PRODUCT Keep DonateReuse ConvenientMaximal Use

R ESULTS In general, students know about RECYCLING CENTERS and DONATION as alternative forms of e-waste disposal They also know that e-waste contains DANGEROUS CHEMICALS causes ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE BUT only in the most general sense or not at all Demographics: Public Health and Social Ecology Majors had the best ratios of students who knew about the adverse effects of electronic waste

“ Very little. I just know it shouldn’t be thrown in regular garbage. ” “ Batteries are bad for the earth? ” “ Toxins but don’t know exactly what. ” “ We ship it off to developing countries to be disassembled dangerously…hurting their population and environment. ” “ Increase in landfills; mercury and lead in electronics; potential urban runoff. ”

R ESULTS

In conclusion: Not much trash Students know about alternatives Most students know about adverse effects Students know what they should be doing but not enough about how or why Donations and storage have their own share of problems CAPITALIZE ON CONVENIENCE Further education and publicity about adverse effects + bad practices MP3 players will be growing problem – should be addressed and planned for

F URTHER R ESEARCH Professor Ogunseitan Researching how to eliminate the toxins used in cell phone parts and replace with non-toxic and reusable components Extend to computers and MP3 players Expansion through UC System 2007: UC system adopted “Policy on Sustainable Practices” Energy Global Warming Waste Eco-friendly purchasing

A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS Professor Valerie Jenness Professor Joseph DiMento Professor Oladele Ogunseitan Professor Stanley Grant Professor Lisa Grant Professor Eli Simon Professor Stephen Barker Professor Scott Samuelsen Students of UCI Students of Social Ecology Honors Program Contact: