RECYCLING ELECTRONICSBramara Godasi

Aspects of Environmental HealthWalden University

Introduction

• Electronic Waste in Unites States

• Recycling Electronic Waste

• Options available for Seaford Residents

Electronic Waste

• Electronic waste includes televisions, computers, fax machines, keyboards, cell phones etc.

• In 2011 electronic waste constituted 3.41 million tons.

Frequent Questions | eCycling | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm#howmuch

Electronics In Our Houses

Electronics Sale

• Electronics Sales increased from 169.8 billion dollars to 202.8 billion dollars between 2009 to 2013

• Majority of e-waste can be recycled to recover parts.

Industry Sales Data - CEA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2014, from https://www.ce.org/Research/Products-Services/Industry-Sales- Data.aspxFrequent Questions | eCycling | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm#howmuch

Electronic Waste

• Currently e-waste compromise only 2 percent of municipal waste.

• In the year 2010 40% of computers, 10 % of keyboards, 17% of television and 11% of mobile devices are collected for recycling.

Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/docs/summarybaselinereport2011.pdf

Harmful Chemicals in Gadgets

• Electronics contain heavy metals like Nickle, Cadimium, mercury etc.

• So far there is no evidence that electronics dumped in landfill are injurious to human health

Frequent Questions | eCycling | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm#howmuch

Putative Health Risks

• Possible changes in thyroid function

• Decrease lung function

• Possible increase in spontaneous abortions, stillbirths and premature births

Grant et al, K. (2013). Health consequences of exposure to e-waste: a systematic review. The Lancet Global Health, 1(6), 350-361

Why Recycling is Important?

• Reduce greenhouse emissions, recover precious metals and save energy

• Recycling a million laptops saves electricity to power 3,657 homes/year.

• One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the US

Frequent Questions | eCycling | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm#howmuch

.

• Cathode ray tube TVs constitute 50% of the e-wsate.

• Mobile phones constitute less than 1% of electronic waste

Retrieved April 11, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/docs/summarybaselinereport2011.pdf

What Can We do!

• Donating electronics Donate to schools, low income families and

non profit organizations

• Tax incentives

Computer Donation - Tax Deduction - Donate Laptop. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.computerswithcauses.org/computer- donation-irstaxrules.htmeCycling Basic Information | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/basic.htm

Donating Computers!

• National Christina Foundation

• World Computer Exchange – Giving to developing countries

About the Cristina Foundation - National Cristina Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2014, from http://www.cristina.org/aboutus.htmlWorld Computer Exchange | Technnology + Education = Potential. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2014, from http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org/

Recycle When You Can’t Donate

• If not possible to donate then recycle

• Jones Crossroads Landfill in Georgetown

• Milford Transfer Station in Milford

E-cycling Central: Results. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2014, from http://www.ecyclingcentral.com/recycler/index.php?state=DE

Steps of Recycling

• Demanufacturing

• Shredding

LeBlanc, R. (n.d.). E-Waste and Electronics Recycling Hierarchy. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://recycling.about.com/od/e- scrap/tp/The-Electronics-Recycling-Hierarchy.htm

Things to Remember!

• Protect your data

• Find out if the recycler can do it!!

• Call ahead

Go Green!!!

• Electronics made with recycled material, less toxic or consume less energy

• EPEAT – To identify eco friendly devices

Participants - EPEAT. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epeat.net/participants/

Corporate Help

• Hp accepts all products

• Apple trade ins

• Retailer like Best Buy and Target

Manufacturer Takeback Programs in the U.S. – Electronics TakeBack Coalition. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.electronicstakeback.com/how-to-recycle-electronics/manufacturer-takeback-programs/

Recycling Laws

• 25 states passed recycling laws

• Require manufacturers to provide recycling

• Banning certain electronic waste in municipal waste

NCER. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.electronicsrecycling.org/public/ContentPage.aspx?pageid=14

Recycling Statisitcs

• 850,000 tons of e waste in 2011

• 25 % of the electronic waste was recycled.

• The recycling is highest for computers and lowest for keyboards.

Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://www.electronicstakeback.com/wp- content/uploads/Facts_and_Figures_on_EWaste_and_Recycling.pdf

E-waste Dumping

• Most ends up in developing countries

• Elevated blood lead levels, chromium levels in Guiyu, China

• Elevated hair mercury levelsHuo, X., Peng, L., Xu, X., Zheng, L., Qiu, B., Qi, Z., . . . Piao, Z. (2007). Elevated Blood Lead Levels of Children in Guiyu, an Electronic Waste Recycling Town in China. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(7), 1113-117. doi:10.1289/ehp.9697Ni, W. (2014). Hair mercury concentrations and associated factors in an electronic waste recycling area, Guiyu, China. Environmental Research, 128, 84-91. Xu , X. etal, (2013). Chromium exposure among children from an electronic waste recycling town of China. Environmental Science and Pollution research journal

RERA

• Responsible Electronics Recycling Act

• Introduced in 2011

• Basel Action Network

Responsible Electronics Recycling Act | Turtle Wings. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2014, from http://turtlewings.com/blog/responsible-electronics-recycling-act-2Basel Action Network (BAN) : About. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://www.ban.org/about/

Conclusion

• E-waste is on raise

• Recyling e-waste reduces green house emissions

• Donate or recycle or buy green products

References• Frequent Questions | eCycling | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/faq.htm#howmuch

• Industry Sales Data - CEA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2014, from https://www.ce.org/Research/Products- Services/Industry-Sales- Data.aspx

• Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/docs/summarybaselinereport2011.pdf

• Grant et al, K. (2013). Health consequences of exposure to e-waste: a systematic review. The Lancet Global Health, 1(6), 350-361

• eCycling Basic Information | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/basic.htm

• LeBlanc, R. (n.d.). E-Waste and Electronics Recycling Hierarchy. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://recycling.about.com/od/e-scrap/tp/The-Electronics-Recycling-Hierarchy.htm

References• Participants - EPEAT. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.epeat.net/participants/

• Manufacturer Takeback Programs in the U.S. – Electronics TakeBack Coalition. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2014, from http://www.electronicstakeback.com/how-to-recycle- electronics/manufacturer- takeback-programs/

• NCER. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.electronicsrecycling.org/public/ContentPage.aspx?pageid=14

• Responsible Electronics Recycling Act | Turtle Wings. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2014, from http://turtlewings.com/blog/responsible-electronics-recycling-act-2

• Basel Action Network (BAN) : About. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://www.ban.org/about/

Further Reading

• http://recycling.about.com/od/e-scrap/tp/The-Electronics-Recycling-Hierarchy.htm

• http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm

• http://www.ecyclingcentral.com/

• http://www.ban.org/