1. Recycling Electronic Waste Catherine Ugo (MPH) Walden University PUBH 6165 – 5 Instructor: Dr. Robert Marino Winter Qtr, 2013
Hi everyone, my name is Catherine Anuli Ugo, an MPH student at the Walden University. The title of my presentation is Recycling Electronic Waste. The purpose of this presentation is to give a snapshot of recycling electronic waste and is intended for Hospitals, for their enormous use of various electronics; Counties, for their involvement in the management of the environmental resources; Electronic Industries, for being a major stakeholder in the subject as well as their involvement in production; and Consumers, to create awareness of proper disposal and effects of improper disposal.

2. By the end of The Presentation, you will be able to:
Understand what Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Means
Identify Hazards of Improper E-Waste Disposal
Know the avenues for Disposing E-Waste
Identify Benefits of Recycling E-Waste
Implement Proper E-Waste Disposal
By the end of the presentation, it is expected that an understanding of electronic waste will be gained as well as avenues for recycling, identification of potential hazards due to improper disposal, benefits of recycling E-waste and implementation of proper electronic waste disposal.

3. E-Waste: What is it?
Any used or obsolete electric device found in offices or homes.
As the name implies, E-waste is a form of solid waste which is generated from used or obsolete electronic devices.
Source: Contra costa County, (n.d)
Contra costa County California. (n.d). E-waste Image. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from

4. Why so much ado about E-Waste?
29.9 million desktop computers and 12 million laptops were discarded in 2007 according to the Environmental Protection Agency
Of this figure, the United States generated some 3.01 million tons of e-waste that year, and only 410,000 tons(13.6%) of this amount were recycled
(Cannavina, 2010).
Cannavina, A. (2010). Pollutions and Poisons and Hazards, Oh My! Disposing of old Technology. GP Solo. (27)8:32-33

5. Why so much ado about E-Waste?
In 2009:
438 million new consumer electronics were sold;
5 million tons of electronics were in storage;
2.37 million tons of electronics were ready for end-of-life management; and
25% of these tons were collected for recycling
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012).
The rate at which e-waste grows is alarming. Landfills are rapidly being depleted, heavy metal by-products from e-waste is increasing and pollutes the air and water through open burning and aging incinerators.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Statistics on the Management of Used and End-of-Life Electronics. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from

6. E-Waste in the Office and Home
Hospital PC
Monitors
ECG Device
Microscope
Incubator e.t.c
Government PC
CPU
Fax Machine
Xerox Machine
Scanner e.t.c
Private Sectors (e.g. Manufacturers, Restaurants) PC
Boiler
Mixer
Signal Generator e.t.c
As we become more dependent on electronic products, the stockpiles of used, obsolete products such as personal computer, monitors, television, microwave and cell phone to mention but a few are growing. The problem is not buying but ensuring proper disposal since most of these electronics contain heavy metal components and other constituents that can be deleterious to humans. In the next slide, some of these constituents and their potential hazards to humans would be identified.
Home: Microwave, Television, Radio, Fan, Cell Phones e.t.c

7. Some Hazardous Components of E-Waste and Effects on Humans
Name
Use
Location
Effects on Humans
Lead
Metal joining, Spray Painting, Foundry work, Battery component e.t.c
Cathode ray tubes (CRT), Batteries, PVC Cables, Paints
Renal Toxicity, Anemia, Colic, Insomnia, Seizures & coma in children
Mercury
Lightening components for flat screen display units; Switches and relays; Battery Components
Batteries, Housing & Medical Equipment
Renal Toxicity, Muscle tumors, Mental retardation, Cerebral palsy
Arsenic
Doping Agents
Transistors
Cancer of skin, lungs, liver
In the table, examples of some hazardous components of electronic waste as well as their potential effects on human has been identified. Most of these components are toxic and carcinogenic to humans. With this in mind, efforts should be made to ensure proper disposal of electronic waste so to avoid exposure of these components to humans.

8. Some Hazardous Components of E-Waste and Effects on Humans Contd.
Name
Use
Location
Effects on Humans
Toner
Printing
Printers
Respiratory tract irritation
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Insulating fluids, Flame retardant, Transformer oils
PVC & polymer, Paints, Printing inks, Electrical transformers & capacitors
Suppression of immune system; Damage to the liver, nervous and reproductive systems
The next slide indicates avenues for disposing E-waste.
(Shen, Huang, Wang, Qiao, Tang et al., 2008)
Shen, C., Huang, S., Wang, A., Qiao, M., Tang, X., Yu,C Chen, Y. (2008). Identification of ah receptor agonists in soil of E-waste recycling sites from Taizhou area in China. Environmental Science and Technology. (42)1:

9. Avenues for Disposing E-waste
Landfills Burying of waste in the ground and covering with soil
Landfills enable e-waste to be disposed of by burying. The problem with this method is the cost of operation and possible leaching of toxic chemicals from wastes into the land and possibly the atmosphere over time. The components from these waste as has already been enumerated in previous slide can pose a serious health hazard to humans and can affect our biota.
Source: FedCenter.gov, (2010)
FedCenter.gov. (2010). Asbestos Landfills. Retrieved January 14, 2013 from

10. Avenues for Disposing E-waste Contd.
Incineration Conversion of waste to carbon-dioxide, water vapor & ash via burning
Burning of e-waste reduces the bulk of the waste but has serious deleterious health effects on humans due to releases of heavy metals when combustion takes place. With Landfills and incineration as avenue for e-waste disposal assets that would have been useful and utilizable in other areas are lost.
Source: European Commission, (2012)
European Commission. (2012). The Waste Incineration Directive. Retrieved January 17, from

11. Avenues for Disposing E-waste Contd.
Recycling and Reuse “separation and collection of materials for processing and remanufacturing into new products, and the use of the products to complete the cycle” (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 2009).
This is the best method of disposing e-waste because not only that assets are recovered, jobs are created in the course of recycling and reusing these waste.
Mendham.org , (2009).
Mendham.org. (2009). Department of Public Works Electronics (E-waste). Retrieved January 18, 2013 from
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (2009). Recycling Works! Retrieved January 18, 2013 from

12. Benefits of Recycling E-waste
Asset Recovery
Reduction of need for Landfills
Reduction of Junks and Clutters
Resale and Reuse
Creation of Jobs
(K. Novicky, personal communication, January 14, 2013)
In a personal communication with K. Novicky, (2013) enormous benefits were identified as benefits from E-waste recycling. These benefits include assets recovery of non ferrous commodities like copper, aluminum, gold & silver; ferrous metals & steel; glass & plastics. Jobs can also be created via remanufacturing, shredding and resource recovery of the precious commodities as well as resale and reuse. Recycling E-waste will also reduce the need for landfills and this will not only save space but toxins would equally be kept out of landfills. Clutters and Junk will ultimately be reduced from homes, offices and the environment at large.

13. Implement Proper E-waste Disposal
“One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure” (Anon.)
As the saying goes, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. Implementation of proper e-waste disposal by recycling and reusing not only reduces waste, health hazard is reduced, jobs are created and smiles put on the faces of those who would not have been able to afford a brand new item.
Google images, (2013)
Google. Com. (2013). Google images. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from

14. Thank You for your time! ! !
Thank you for your audience. Questions are very welcomed.

15. References
Cannavina, A. (2010). Pollutions and Poisons and Hazards, Oh My! Disposing of old Technology. GP Solo. (27)8:32-33
Contra costa County California. (n.d). E-waste Image. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from
European Commission. (2012). The Waste Incineration Directive. Retrieved January 17, from
FedCenter.gov. (2010). Asbestos Landfills. Retrieved January 14, 2013 from
Google. Com. (2013). Google images. Retrieved January 18, 2013 from
Mendham.org. (2009). Department of Public Works Electronics (E-waste). Retrieved January 18, from

16. References Contd.
Shen, C., Huang, S., Wang, A., Qiao, M., Tang, X., Yu,C Chen, Y. (2008). Identification of ah receptor agonists in soil of E-waste recycling sites from Taizhou area in China. Environmental Science and Technology. (42)1: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (2009). Recycling Works! Retrieved January 18, 2013 from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Statistics on the Management of Used and End-of-Life Electronics. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from

17. For Further Readings
Chandler, J. (1997). Municipal solid waste incinerator residues. 466, Elsevier, Amsterdam, NL. Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives/Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (no date). Retrieved from Hattemer-Frey, H. (1991). Health Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration. CRC Press. Danvers, MA. Jeng-Chung, C., Wei-Hsin, C., Ni-Bin, C., Eric, D., & Cheng-Hsien, , T. (2005). Interactive analysis of waste recycling and energy recovery program in a small-scale incinerator. Journal of The Air & Waste Management Association, 55(9), National Research Council. (2000). "Regulation Related to Waste Incineration." Waste Incineration and Public Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

18. For Further Readings Contd
U.S Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Wastes - Resource Conservation - Common Wastes & Materials – eCycling. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from