E-waste & Ecycling:
The Environment, the International
Community, Domestic Laws and How
YOU can help
Amy Shaw,
Amanda
Regan,
Allison Kvien,
Josh Garcia
E-Waste:
A Brief Introduction1
What Is E-Waste?
Electronic devices such as Cell Phones, Monitors, Terminals, as well
as other parts of a computer system (such as circuit boards,
keyboards, mice, printers) that can be hazardous due to lead,
mercury or cadmium content, which varies from product to product
Why Is E-Waste Such a Problem
for the Future?2
Where is E-Waste a
Problem and Who is
Creating This
Problem?3
(Greenpeace.org)
Hazardous Chemicals in Your
Computer and Why it Costs Money
to Recycle4
• There are toxic
ingredients that must be
broken down
• Computer monitors and
televisions are the most
expensive
items to dispose of
properly
• 1,000 different chemicals
in computers
Click here to find out more about
hazardous chemicals in
electronic products and why they
are dangerous.
Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act5
• This act gives the EPA total
control over the
production,
transportation, treatment,
storage, and disposal of
hazardous waste.
• An amendment was
passed in 2006, which
updated the requirements
for recycling Cathode Ray
Tubes. 1
End- of- Life (EOL) Management6
• “When a product is no longer used, stored, or
reused, it has reached its end-of-life. The
management options for a product at end-oflife include recycling or disposal.”
E Waste Laws7
• Many of the advancements in laws
regarding e waste have taken place at the
state level.
• Three states with the most comprehensive
laws are:
– California
– Maine
– Minnesota
At a glance: US E-waste Laws
California8
• The Electronic Waste Recycling Act was passed in 2003.
• The two main objectives of this piece of legislation are:
1.
To limit the amount of toxins in certain electronic products
sold in CA.
-
2.
California’s Restrictions on the use of Hazardous Substances stipulate
the levels of mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromiumallowed in the
materials that make up electronic devices.
Manufacturers are required to provide information to customers
including: what they do to reduce the levels of toxins in their
products, how they plan on increasing the use of recyclable
materials in their products, and their ideas for outreach programs for
consumers.
To create a system that pays for the collection and recycling
of certain electronic devices.
-
Consumers are charged an additional fee when certain electronic
devices are purchased.
Maine9
• Maine’s E- Waste Law was passed
in 2004.
• This law requires Maine’s
Environmental Protection Agency
to provide testimony about the
recycling of electronic waste to the
Natural Resources Committee
every two years beginning in
2008- 2014.
• The law requires that television
and computer monitor
manufacturers take the initiative to
provide a way for their products to
be recycled at the end of their time
of use.
Minnesota10
• Minnesota’s Electronic Recycling Act was
passed in 2007.
• This law set the standards for which
televisions, computer monitors, and laptop
computers would be collected and recycled.
• The Act also requires manufacturers of video
display devices to register annually as well as
pay a fee to the state.
– Manufacturers are also responsible for the
collection and recycling of their products.
– Manufacturers must file a report which details
the results of their collection efforts.
Maryland’s E-Waste Laws11
• Maryland’s e-waste law covers desktop
computers, laptops, computer monitors, &
TV’s.
• Under Maryland’s law manufacturers are
required to register with the state and pay
a $5,000 fee annually.
• If manufacturers start a take-back program,
the fee is reduced to $500 after the first
year.
• http://wasteage.com/E-Waste/stateelectronic-diversion-laws200905/index2.html
Other State Programs
• State-by-state summary of laws:
• http://www.computertakeback.com/legisl
ation/States_Summary_2010.pdf
• Where to donate electronics:
• http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/
materials/ecycling/donate.htm
• States that have producer responsibility
laws vs. consumer fee laws & US e-waste
map:
• http://www.computertakeback.com/legisl
ation/state_legislation.htm
Companies that have Electronics Take
Back & Recycling Programs12
• MPC Computers
Apple
• Nextel
AT&T
Best Buy
• Nokia
Cannon
• Samsung
Epson
Electronics
IBM
• Sony
Intel
• Sony Ericsson
Lexmark
• Sprint
LG Electronics
• T-mobile
LLC
• Toshiba
Motorola
• Verizon
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserv
e/materials/ecycling/donate.htm
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Apple: Weight Recycled as % of
Past Sales13
Apple is offering discounts for e-waste recycling; if you bring in your
old iPod to an Apple store to recycle, you can get 10% off a new iPod.
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/agreenerapple/
Cell Phone Service Providers14
• Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all offer to
collect old cell phones and equipment if you
bring it in to their stores
• T-Mobile, Nokia, and
Motorola all offer prepaid mailing labels for
you to ship in your old
cell phones to be
recycled.
E-Waste15
• The International Data Group reported
Americans threw away 3 million tons of
electronics in 2003. 130 million cell
phones were disposed of in 2005 alone.
Something everyone can do:
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
• Donate your old cell phones!!
• You can get a free mailing label to
send it to Keep America Beautiful,
and they will recycle it for you
• http://www.kab.org/site/MessageVie
wer?dlv_id=5381&em_id=1381.0
• You can also donate to Keep America
Beautiful at:
https://secure2.convio.net/kab/site/
Donation2?df_id=1020&1020.donati
on=landing
The End!
Still Interested?
Sources for More Information:
• Regional Computer Recycling & Recovery:
– http://www.ewaste.com
• The Institute for Local Self-Reliance:
– http://www.ilsr.org/pubs/pubswtow.html
• United States Environmental Protection Agency:
– http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewis
e/index.htm
• Electronic Product Management Directory:
– http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics/Collection/RecyclerSe
arch.aspx
• California’s Website About E-Waste:
– http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/EWaste/
Sources:
1
Greenpeace, “What is E-Waste?” http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/toxics/hi-tech-highly-toxic/e-waste.
2 U.S Environmental Protection Agency, “Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: Facts and Figures 2007,”
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw07-rpt.pdf.
3 Greenpeace, “Where does E-Waste End Up?” http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/wheredoes-e-waste-end-up.
4 jkfkgalk
5
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Summary of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 1976. Environmental Protection
Agency, http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/rcra.html.
6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fact Sheet: Management of Electronic Waste in the United States. Environmental
Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/docs/fact7-08.pdf.
7 California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Electronic Waste Recycling Act. California Department of Toxic Substances,
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/EWaste/MoreInfo.cfm.
8
Jkk
9
Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Recycling of Electronic Waste from Households in Maine. Bureau of
Remediation and Waste Management, http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/ewaste/pdf/2008ewastereport.pdf.
10 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Minnesota’s Electronics Recycling Act, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/stewardship/electronics-law.cfm.
11 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Minnesota’s Electronics Recycling Act, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/stewardship/electronics-law.cfm.
12 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Compute and Other Electronic Products?,”
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm
13 Apple, Inc. , “A Greener Apple,” http://www.apple.com/hotnews/agreenerapple/.
14 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronic Products?,”
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm.
15 Mike Elgan, DirectoryM, “E-Waste Mistakes in Maryland,” http://articles.directorym.com/E_Waste_Mistakes_Marylandr1132238-Maryland.html.