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Oct 29, 2018, 09:40am EDT
Recycling Is Not The Answer To
The E-Waste Crisis
Vianney Vaute Contributor
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HORIZONS
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Time to go beyond recycling. PHOTO BY PAWEŁ CZERWIŃSKI ON UNSPLASH
People feel good about recycling, maybe even more so when it comes to
electronics. Remembering to take your computer or smartphone and
dropping it off to be recycled feels like an accomplishment in itself.
But while electronics recycling isn’t bad — making it a panacea for the ewaste problem we currently have certainly is. Unfortunately, that’s how we
tend to frame recycling — and companies are eager to jump on that
bandwagon to appear more “green”.
Case in point: Apple. In 2016 there was a lot of fanfare around the unveiling
of Liam, a robot capable of dismantling an iPhone in just 11 seconds; an
ultra-efficient way to recycle 1.2 million units a year. That sounds
impressive until you take into account the fact that Apple had actually sold
231 million new iPhones the year before.
Proudly presented as a symbol of Apple’s commitment to the environment
(and since upgraded to Daisy, a slightly more efficient robot that was
introduced on Earth Day 2018), Liam is, in fact, the perfect symbol for
recycling in the field of high-tech: a drop of green water in an ocean of
pollution — noble, but mostly ineffective.
Whether it’s intentional or not, the hype around recycling in the electronics
industry is incredibly misleading. The reality is that, as a solution, recycling
barely scratches the surface of the growing e-waste crisis. We are currently
losing ground in the battle to reduce the environmental impact of our
electronic equipment.
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The Story In Numbers
According to a recent UN report, the US produces about 6.3 million tons or
14% of the world’s electronic waste. Worldwide, almost 45 million tons of
electronics were tossed out in 2016. Out of that staggering amount of
electronic waste, only 20% has been recycled in some shape or form. The
remaining 80% made its way to a more environmentally damaging end at
the landfill.
In the US, the rate of recycling is closer to 25%. What most don’t realize is
that many “recyclers” actually just ship most of the e-waste abroad where,
instead of being recycled, usable parts are repurposed and minerals are
extracted. That doesn’t sound terrible, except that it comes at an enormous
cost to local populations. Methods used are almost always improper — in
some places, for example, gold is recovered by bathing circuit boards in
nitric and hydrochloric acid, poisoning waterways, and after, whatever is
not used is dumped in the ground improperly anyway. The current rate of
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responsible e-waste recycling is at an abysmal 15.5% worldwide.
Mass Consumerism and Planned Obsolescence Outpace
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Recycling Efforts
Of course, we can say it’s time to double down on recycling efforts.
However, the sheer volumes of e-waste (that continue to grow at a rate of
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4% each year!) are impossible to cope with. The UN report points out that
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while there is an increased focus on recycling today compared to the past,
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the efforts to sustainably reclaim used devices simply can’t keep pace with
the massive consumption rates for new devices.
The issue is compounded by the short life cycles of new devices, with
manufacturers rushing out new models to eager consumers at a breakneck
pace. The report notes that the average smartphone is used for just two
years before it gets replaced.
The Heart Of The Issue: Overconsumption
Beyond the inherent limitations of collection and recovery processes, we
need to remember that recycling is first and foremost a removal from
circulation, and therefore an implicit incentive to produce and buy new. In
their environmental responsibility report, Apple concedes that 77% of the
carbon footprint of their electronics comes from their manufacture, versus
the 17% that comes from its actual use. The environmental impact of
replacing a device, even if it is recycled after, remains significant.
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Recycling should not be used as a balm for the conscience of a pollutant
model. While recycling is useful, there is an urgent need to recognize the
limits of electronics recycling and to look hard at the root of our growing ewaste problem in order to develop more effective approaches.
At the heart of the issue is a technology sector whose profits are driven by
planned obsolescence. Until the industry finds a way to thrive without
needlessly pumping out new electronics at the rate that it currently does —
all the eco-design processes, recycling programs, and Liam-like innovations
will remain symbolic at best, and sleight of hand, at worst.
Reduce And Reuse (They Come Before Recycle For A Reason)
스마트한 기업의
their maintenance, refurbishment, and reuse in one form or another,SMART
can
IDEAS
Only the extension of the life of the devices currently in circulation, through
have a meaningful effect on their environmental impact. Fighting for ease
of repair — led by organizations like repair.org, or developing innovations
such as the Fairphone are important pieces of the puzzle. Buying
refurbished electronics in lieu of new is another.
더알아보기
Our hopes must not lie on recycling. To have a truly sustainable impact on
the e-waste issue, we must produce less to pollute less — and to find a way
to do that without sacrificing our current quality of life. Increasing our
efforts to extend the lives of devices, keeping them out of landfills, and
giving them second and third lives, seems to be the most practical and
intelligent approach.
Vianney Vaute
I am a passionate advocate for redemption through circulation, particularly when it
comes to electronics. As co-founder to Back Market, the first marketplace exclusively…
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