Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) Initiative – StEP Regional Activities and US E-Waste Situation Jason Linnell National Center for Electronics Recycling ITU Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change May 2012 Montreal

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM2 Overview  Background on StEP  Objectives  Core Principles  Overview of Task Forces  Regional and Other StEP Activities  NCER and MIT Study on Used Exports  Green Paper on Electronics Recycling Standards  ADDRESS  Overview of US E-Waste Situation  State Laws  Policy Results and Federal Landscape

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM3 (1)Functions as a network of actors who share experiences and best practices (2)Carries out research and development projects (3)Disseminates experiences, best practices and recommendations StEP Objectives Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative was created to…  Initiate and facilitate environmentally, economically & socially sound approaches to reduce e-waste flows and handle them in a sustainable way around the globe

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM4 StEP Core Principles 1.StEP's work is founded on scientific assessments including social, environmental and economic aspects 2.StEP conducts research on the entire life-cycle of electronic and electrical equipment 3.StEP's research and pilot projects are meant to contribute to the solution of e-waste problems 4.StEP condemns all illegal activities related to e-waste including illegal shipments 5.StEP seeks to foster safe and eco/energy-efficient reuse and recycling practices around the globe in a socially responsible manner

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM5  TF1 Policy: Analyzes the status of existing policy approaches on e-waste, and elaborates policy recommendations for future development  TF2 ReDesign: dedicated to product design aspects to reduce negative impacts of the entire life cycle of electronics  TF3 ReUse: defines globally consistent “re-use” practices, principles, and standards to enhance re-use opportunities, change consumer behaviour & reduce „sham re-use“  TF4 Recycle: overall aim is to enhance global recycling infrastructures and technologies to realise a sustainable e-waste recycling  TF5 Capacity Building: aims at increasing public, scientific and business awareness and disseminating the results of TFs 1 - 4… Task Forces StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM5

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM6  Green Paper on End-of-Life Standards  ADDRESS  US Transboundary Flows of Used Electronics Selected Current Task Force Projects StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM6

 Size of the problem remains largely unclear!  How much e-waste is generated?  How much thereof gets properly collected and treated?  How much goes to developing countries?  What is the scope of ‘e-waste’?  What are the developments over time?  StEP initiated Annual Dynamic Digital Reporting on the global E-waSte Status (ADDRESS)  To inform e-waste related researchers with up-to- date and solid data on e-waste globally  To enable policy-makers to make better informed decisions E-Waste How do we ADDRESS the problem?7 Annual Dynamic Digital Reporting on the global E-waSte Status (ADDRESS)

Characterizing Transboundary Flows of Used Electronics Materials Systems Laboratory Project funded byusing a grant from

Project Plan Collaboration is Key 1 Organize multistakeholder workshop: June 21st, 2011 in DC 2 Describe existing efforts to characterize exports 3 Final Report assessing existing work on qualitative and quantitative characterization 4 Examine official customs product and commodities definitions and potential modifications 5 Develop streamlined process and requirements for ongoing assessment of export flows 6 Demonstrate a methodology through the tracking of a defined subset of electronic products Progress

MIT-NCER Second Phase Activities  Creating stock-flow model, gathering data to input and incorporate results  Developed and sent survey to recyclers  Unique method asks questions and predictions of how others would answer  Asks questions about markets, types of companies doing export, destinations for export  Different goals/questions from USITC

States With E-Scrap Laws States highlighted in orange have some type of electronics recycling law

 Only one state with Canada-like fee at sale  We don’t cover all WEEE – very limited, but growing subset; policy and in programs  No federal policy on recycling programs, limited regulations on disposal and export  No coordinated data collection mechanism nationally, incomplete state data  States have moved policy forward, but differently  Established voluntary programs along with mandates Key Differences with US

25 State Electronics Recycling Laws  2003: California  2004: Maine  2005: Maryland  2006: Washington  2007: Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, North Carolina  2008*: New Jersey, Oklahoma, Virginia, W. Virginia, Missouri, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Illinois, Michigan  2009: Indiana, Wisconsin  2010: Vermont, South Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania  2011: Utah % Covered% Not Covered

Policy Results  True patchwork of producer responsibility: goals (geographic and volume), requirements vary  Very few “compliance schemes”  Collection by many actors – some states with very few municipal collection entities  16 states with landfill bans, 3 not in “25”  Lot of competition for recyclers to get manufacturer contracts  Up to 300 total unique OEMs, but only with significant obligations

Thank You! Jason Linnell, NCER Phone: 1 (304) Visit us on the web: and

StEP – SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM16 StEP Secretariat UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) Operating Unit SCYCLE Bonn / Germany / CONTACT