E-Waste Management in Developing Countries – with a focus on Africa Dr. Mathias Schluep (Empa) E-Waste Management Forum, “Green Business Opportunities” (E-waste 2010), November 2010, Marrakech, Morocco

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Empa Since 20 years Empa assists e-waste management systems in Switzerland and abroad (e-Waste Team 8 / 800): Audits and R&D for Swiss system operators SENS, SWICO, (SLRS & INOBAT) represents Switzerland in the European WEEE Forum founding member StEP-Initiative Managing e-waste projects in e.g. China, India, South Africa, Peru, Colombia, Morocco, West- East Africa etc. Current e-waste research topics flame retardants in plastics no-emission recycling for LCD-displays modelling of long term stocks and flows (crt-glass etc.) recycling business models for informal sector compare eco efficiency in recycling strategies...

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Kenya: e-Waste Management in Africa Assessment Study Funding Agency: HP Project Partner: DSF, KICTANeT Time Frame: South Africa: Swiss e-Waste Programme Facilitating the development of a national e-waste management strategy Funding Agency: SECO Project Partner: ITA, EWASA Time Frame: 2003 – 2009 e-Waste Management in Africa Launching an e-waste recycling unit in Cape Town Funding Agency: HP Project Partner: DSF, Recover-e-Alliance, Envirosense Time Frame: Uganda & Tanzania: Refurbishment Centre Initiative Assessment Study Funding Agency: Unido, Microsoft Project Partner: UCPC, CPCT Time Frame: Senegal e-Waste Management in Africa Assessment Study Funding Agency: DSF Project Partner: SENECLIC Time Frame: Morocco e-Waste Management in Africa Assessment Study Feasibility Study Funding Agency: HP, GTZ Project Partner: DSF, CMPP Time Frame: ? Empa’s recent and current activities in Africa SECO Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria: The Basel Convention e-Waste Africa Project Assessment Study Training Pilot Funding Agency: SBC, EU Project Partner: African BCRCs, IMPEL, Öko-Institut Time Frame:

Content What is the quantitative relevance of e-waste in Africa? Do we need the informal sector? What is a profitable e-waste recycling business? © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November

5 PC penetration in Africa compared to the world In 2005 Africa generated approx. 2% of the worlds PC waste RegionMio PieceskTonnes North America36,7807 Latin America & Caribbean5,9137 Europe24,8549 Middle East2,045 Africa1,639 Central Asia0,922 East Asia25,7595 Total97,72194 Presented at R’09: Mueller E., Schluep M. et al.(2009). Assessment of e-waste flows: a probabilistic approach to quantify e-waste based on world ICT and development indicators. R’09 Twin World Congress, Davos/ Switzerland and Nagoya/ Japan, September.

DRAFT RESULTS Future massflow trends for Tanzania until 2015 © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November tonnes of computer waste 3000 tonnes of computer waste

DRAFT RESULTS Simplified massbalance Ghana all of (W)EEE (cat. 1-4) © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Recycling Burning

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Informality vs. formality Without proper measures in African countries it is likely that informal activities will increase To be avoided

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November 2010 «Best» practices seen in Europe, Asia and Africa Collection System SwitzerlandIndiaSouth Africa Recycling Technology SwitzerlandChina / IndiaSouth Africa 9

Recycling chain Total efficiency determined by weakest step in the chain Consider entire chain & its interdependences Mass flows  flows of precious metals interface optimisation, economies of scale, specialisation © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Recycle metals Example: 50% x 90% x 80% x 95% = 34% Collection Pre- processing Dis- mantling Materials recovery Separated components & fractions final waste reuse Batteries, circuit boards, …

Gold recycling efficiency “Here” and “There” © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November In the bottom line „the West“ is often not doing better! 80 % x 50 % x 50 % = 20 % Collection dismantling/pre-processing metals recovery „Here“ 50 % x 25 % x 95 % = 12 % „There“

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November Estimation of dioxin emissions from cable burning in the greater Accra region Ref: Quass et al. 2004: The European dioxin air emission inventory project – final results. Chemosphere 54, 1319–1327. ~1000 tonnes / year burnt cables in Greater Accra Region Thereof is ~38% plastic = 400 tonnes / year Thereof is ~62% copper = 600 tonnes / year Preliminary estimation of total dioxin (PCDD/F) emissions to air from open cable burning in the Greater Accra Region: Source Strength = ~5 g / year Compared with the European dioxin air emission inventory for 2005 (EU15 + Norway + Switzerland, Quass et al. 2004) this equals to: 0.25 – 0.5 % of total dioxin emissions 2.5 – 5 % of dioxin emissions from municipal waste incineration 15 – 25 % of dioxin emissions from industrial waste incineration

© Empa/Switzerland, 24 November More than technology is needed Having found the right e-waste recycling technologies doesn’t necessarily mean that an operation can be paid by the sales of recycling output fractions or materials. A self-sufficient (profitable) recycling business can have two income sources: Intrinsic value of the recycling output fractions or materials; The “polluter” who pays for the proper recycling and disposal of his waste. Sustainable recycling of e-waste will always demand for a proper managed framework and a financing scheme.

On what depends a WEEE recycling system? © Empa/Switzerland, 24 Nov Recycling system Collection PR Monitoring Pre- Processing End- Processing Administration Salaries Commodity prices WEEE scope Collection strategy Appliance design Consumer awareness Legal framework Refining efficiency Transport distance and many factors more… Commodity prices WEEE scope

15 Commodity Prices * * Commoditiy set for model: Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, Fe, Al Break-even © Empa/Switzerland, 24 Nov. 2010

16 WEEE Scope All 4 Appliances PCs & Printer TVs Mobile Phones Break-even © Empa/Switzerland, 24 Nov. 2010

Conclusion E-Waste volumes in African countries seem to be still low, however are relevant regarding environmental and socio- economic impacts and are increasing steadily. The informal sector can be highly efficient in the initial stages of the recycling chain, but looses valuable resources and are associated with adverse environmental and socio-economic impacts in the final stages. When including the informal sector, the formalization processes needs to be the main objective. A profitable (self-sufficient, sustainable, …) recycling business demands for a a proper managed framework and a financing scheme, which enables to solve the problem comprehensively (e.g. all e-waste categories) and react on changing conditions (e.g. cost factors) © Empa/Switzerland, 24 November

Thank you Dr. Mathias Schluep Empa Lerchenfeldstrasse St.Gallen SWITZERLAND Technology & Society Lab: Swiss e-Wast Programme: Swiss e-Waste Competence © Empa/Switzerland, 3 November