The Effects Of Electronic Waste Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Electronic waste known as E-waste is one of the growing and emerging problem in this world. E-waste consists of many components as toxic substances which have adverse affects on human health and environment if not properly handled. Developing countries have several dumping of e-waste that assumes the importance of management. This concise paper provides EPR legislation to reduce the hazards of E-waste, managing the concerning problems, recycling operations and NGOs participation to combat it. It also focuses on the emerging issues and their strategic solutions.

Introduction

Waste of electrical and electronic material was considered as cost factor in past. Easiest and cheapest way of disposal was selected to put at the nearest distance. At national level the practices of disposal are not allowed in many courtiers. Waste of the municipal solid consists in electronic and electrical equipments. Waste management has been developed for the all institutions involved in the end of life management of electronic management. Waste of electronics and electrical equipments increases the mass of the toxic inputs into local waste streams. If the volume of the E-waste exceeds to that of processed in manufacturing of products from the mining operations, then no matter it will be an ore located on the globe. On the one hands this E-waste is used as raw material to shape new products while on the other hand it has very harmful potential impacts on the ecosystem. An analyst looks the end of life processes as well as the chain values that are sorting, logistics and collection strategies. Many strategies were taken in hands for the treatments of this E-waste like incineration and landfill. Previously the reuse, recycling and remanufacturing of the E-waste is strongly recommended to reduce the volume of these E-waste. Recycling is also emphasized that is linked with the improper disposal of materials. The loop of the industrial waste can be closed by recycling of these waste materials as to sustain the economy of that particular industry. In industrialized countries recycling has become a common practice in the end of life processes. Recycling strategies also differ in yielding the standard quality products. Several features are taken into account to recycle the E-waste for useful purposes. An important feature of recycling process is to handle the situations arising during processes as handling of hazards materials, safety and health care of workers, rates of recycling and levels of recycled material. It is observed that a long scale progress of recycling of E-waste is achieved in industrialized countries like U.S, Asia and Europe. Extended producer responsibility is a main policy to tackle this kind of issue. EPR plays main role for the producers to incorporate the end of life facets to design new products. It is important to provide the necessary incentives to all those involved in making the regulatory policies. This can be supported by the study of two Norwegian scientists those who revealed the crucial role of regulatory policies. They put the facts of their survey and survey participants answered that main green technological changes occur from the environmental regulations in EU.

Fig 1: Showing the main driving forces for green technology changes

EPR feasibility has been shown in Asia and Europe. At earlier stages of infancy in last decade E-waste started in Switzerland in 1992 and it became widespread in other countries due to pressure of environmental authorities.

Environmental Effects of E-waste

E-waste has many toxic substances which are dangerous at high level if not handled properly. Why are these risks and dangers produced? These are the concerning issues and need the attention of analysts and industrialists to minimize the dangers. On the industrialist end the equipments and feasible machinery is not provided to workers at workplace. There are concerns of workers that their analysts do not guide them in proper way to recycle the E-waste and complete the disposal processes. Serious repercussions arise due to proximity to those places where E-waste materials are recycled or burnt. Grey goods have very toxic chemicals as compared to white and brown goods. For example a computer has very toxic chemicals like mercury, beryllium, cadmium, PVC and Phosphorous compounds. Central nervous system, Reproductive system and Urinary system are badly affected by the lead absorption in human body. Mercury also affects the CNS, Reproductive system and Urinary system of humans. If it is mixed in water used for living animals and on transportation of the water into water living animals can become the cause of death of those animals. Cadmium and Poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons affect the human body organs specially kidneys, lungs, skin and bladder respectively. E-waste has caused serious consequences to environment and human health. For example location near to recycling and burnt places of e-waste has many components of e-waste which directly affect the living of that area. When recycling plants are installed near rivers, it is found that river water is contaminated by the e-waste components and water livings are badly harmed by these e-waste materials.

Extended Producer Responsibility EPR is a new tool of market and focuses on the background and responsibility of the producer. WEEE recycling regulation after the necessary analysis and evaluation of EPR with new approaches is provided. Question arise that why we need the regulatory action. E-waste is a big challenge in 21st century. Initial study of industrial ecology reveals that cycle economy is the big source to make contribution to sustainable development of economy. The growth in new electronic products needs new large resources and E-waste is increasing the inputs into local stream flows. We address the two basic needs of the closing the material loops and treatment of the hazards materials. These features are addressed by applying the regulatory actions.

An analysis of existing economic or market incentives is required in order to come to a conclusion where regulations necessary and where market forces already achieve favorable results (Costanza et al. 1997).

As the growth rate of the new products increase we require to recycle the E-waste with the same extent as shown in the figure.

Volume of E-waste

New Product

Fig 2: Showing the proportionality between Volume of E-waste and New E products

To answer the issues concerning the new product growth and recycling of E-waste EPR is new technology with better results in marketplace.

“An environmental protection strategy to reach an environmental objective of a decreased total environmental impact from a product, by making the manufacturer of the product responsible for the entire life-cycle of the product and especially for the take-back, recycling and final disposal of the product.” (Lindquist et al. 1990).

EPR is considered as an approach to take the E-waste to industries for the purpose of re-engineering of the material to improve the mechanism of processes and products.

Goals of the EPR: Major contribution of EPR is in environment and industrial zone.

Hazardous materials are treated appropriately to reflect sound E-waste hazardous components to be disposed to provide the safety and health standards to workers.

Closing of material loops is possible by recycling of E-waste which is base on the rate of recycling and material reapplication levels.

The environment must meet the reward design including the avoidance of hazardous material and materials to be cycled optimized in general design.

In economic goals it is ensured that fair allocation of burdens for the stakeholders and producers must count all the economic areas.

Always keep in mind to avoid financial burdens which are not supporting the environmental cause.

The EPR must be clear, transparent and feasible in controlling the monitoring of the systems.

The EPR policies must be implemented in order to amend the incentives to create the favorable consequences for the system. We have studied the EPR importance to achieve the specified goals. Now we have to evaluate and make analysis of EPR policies. The evaluation process of EPR policies for the achievement of goals is dependent on both qualitative and quantitative analysis. It is observed that environmental effectiveness through the implementation of the regulatory policies does not yield required results until it is not controlled in a viable way. It is estimated that incentives to collect the E-waste and recycling is totally according to the EPR or take the alternative approaches to complete the process like collection and recycling. There are many practical problems which are related to EPR. For example it becomes difficult to allocate actual cost of recovery after a decade. Many products are so comprehensive for their disposal that increases the global market. The product is changed in many hands and it becomes difficult to decide that when and where the end of life stage is reached. It is not clear that who is responsible for the collection and recovery of the product when product is exported in other countries.

What stands out most is that, even when practical problems are solved, doubts remain about the effectiveness of EPR in its current form because it mainly leads to global low-quality solutions. Alternatively, the application of high-level recovery in many cases reduces the eco-footprint through substitution. (Hischler, 2005).

EPR in current form has many impacts on the E-waste flows and it has promoted many low level recycling processes. Therefore high rate of recovery for which a local industry is optimal is set to achieve in less budget. Industries following theses approaches may benefit their owners and countries where they are installed. Governments are the responsible to provide the legal and financial incentives to promote the business.

It is now required to present the estimates of the production, recycled and import export.

Region/country

Production in million tons per year

Land filling storage in million tons

Recycling in million tons

Export in million tons per/year

Import in million tons per/year

EU-25

7

1.5

3.43

1.9

—–

USA

6.6

5.1

0.12

1.4

——

China

3.2

3.7

1.5

—-

2.10

Japan

3.1

0.5

1.84

0.63

—-

West Africa

0.06

0.44

0.18

—

054

India

0.35

0.84

0.35

—-

0.85

Total

20.31

12.08

5.85

3.76

3.49

Table 1: Global E-waste production, disposal, recycling and import/export estimates in 2005

This data in table tell us about the emerging powers of the world in industrial zone. Many other countries like Canada and South America continent are not included in it. In Europe alone the production is 7 million tons per year. China has made rapid progress in production as it equals its production to Japan. China is the second country in land filling after the USA and E-waste recycling is in largest volume in EU followed by Japan.

All of above discussion finds the lack of the awareness of our citizens about E-waste and EPR. The E-waste management depends upon the active role of local or city governments and attitudes of the citizens. Producers, stakeholders and consumers also play role to shape the development. It will be very disappointing to keep the citizens away from the management deeds to take benefits of EPR policy. It hardly required involving the common people in process of recycling of electronic goods. Consumers must be informed about the goods by labeling the consumer’s requirements for those items. Consumers are educated to use only those products which utilize the modern emerging technologies. For example halogen free, lead free and from the authenticated retailers or manufacturers. Different training programs for the training of the citizen must be arranged to make them aware of the impacts of the E-waste and on their health and possible ways to minimize its hazardous affects.

Due to these training programs our consumers are able to purchase the environmental friendly products and maintain the environmental operational processes of the products via careful disposal. On the hand suppliers provide only those items to manufacturers which are containing the friendly components in materials. Manufacturers can reduce the impacts of their products by making a compatible design products, raw material choices and manufacturing and delivery processes. To get rd of free riders check and balance of system must be ensured.

Economic Viability: The EPR policy has given us knowledge to boost up the economy of that particular manufacture ring company by recycling process of E-waste. It can be achieved by direct reuse of the E-waste. The processes of the parts cannibalization and remanufacturing do a lot for the owner of the company. Main advantage of these processes is shown as it recovers more value than just materials. The value of the discarded products is used when the equipments and parts are left mostly in their original forms. The price of the product includes the administrative labor and logistic charges. In this way 90% of the total original cost is recuperated. New labor is cheaper to the costs of the collecting, disassembling cleaning, repainting and controlling of E-waste material. However this remanufacturing process takes less work and yields high level recovery as compared to start new product from scratch.

Remanufacturing can be as efficient as virgin production and assembly, if not better. Practice proves that even cheap (€15/piece) and somewhat complicated electrical motors can be refurbished and adapted for 50% of the new price (Comperen, 2006).

Parts manufacturing with less work and high value, this condition is more advantageous. If other cost of disassembling is kept low then reuse is very profitable for many companies.

Ecological Viability: The high level closed loop recovery is also environmental friendly as we have studied in our discussion.

There is clear evidence from the studies mentioned that high-level closed-loop recovery is also more environmentally-friendly then most present practices as energy efficiency improves compared to virgin production (Krikke & Zuidwijk, 2008; Hischler 2005).

It is seen that process of remanufacturing reduces the much resource consumption. The main advantage of this process is that much of energy is saved that cut the amount of CO2 emissions. It is also observed that remanufacturing of goods requires only 15% energy as compare to manufacture new product from scratch. There are many environmental indicators as water use, land filling and CO2 emissions. As the number of the indicators increases it becomes difficult to handle the data and it creates serious concerns of closed loop supply chain for management and others.

In this paper we have discussed the E-waste materials and its hazardous effects on human. The impacts of the regulatory policies on economic and environmental are significant. These both aspects combine together to allow the resultant analysis of the regulatory policies and their developments. This EPR tests the already existing economic incentives in a system. These regulations must amend the structures in a way that favors the main player of that system to achieve the set goals. The recycling process must be in control according to the regulatory policies. Drafting of the regulations ask all the participants to shape it in a style to get maximum benefits from the reuse and avoid the hazardous affects of the toxic materials. It is essential for the EPR that it is defined in a way to establish an effective management framework in that particular region. In this paper we have focused on the possible consequences that may arise due to E-waste materials. What amount of electronic products is produced in many developed countries of the world? It has provided us to find the facts behind the E-waste material. The recycling and reuse of the E-waste is briefly discussed in this paper. EPR makes its lot of contribution in our whole studies. It has given the answers of our basic questions concerning to its impacts on economy and environments. Environmental regulations are the driving force in Europe as estimated in survey conducted to bring the green technology changes.