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=What is e-waste?= E-waste is short for ‘electronic waste’. They are electronics that are no longer of use or can no longer function. E-waste contains hazardous substances (e.g lead, cadmium and arsenic) that pose many serious health risks if it is not handled properly. Valuable materials can also be found in e-waste, which can be recycled and be sold as secondary raw material. Some materials found in e-waste are sent to landfills or illegally dumped in developing countries like China. This website was developed to bring awareness into the issues of e-waste. There will be discussions on the problem, cause, and actions that are taking place to help with the issues involved in e-waste.

=Issues of E-waste= There are 3 major issues involved with e-waste. 1. Toxic Substances 2. Health Risks 3. Illegal Dumping

1. Toxic Substances
E-waste can be hazardous if it is burned or disassembled due to the emissions that are released. It poses health risks, and could contaminate air, water and soil if the parts are not handled properly. Recycling with proper handling is the best solution to avoid any problems that may rise when dealing with e-waste.

This is a list of the many toxic substances that can be found in metals and halogenated compounds:

• Arsenic • Barium • Beryllium • Brominated flame retardants • Cadmium • Chlorofluorocarbons • Chromium • Dioxins • Lead • Mercury • Polychlorinated biphenyls • Polyvinyl chloride • Selenium

There are 3 methods that should be avoided when handling e-waste:

Incineration
It is a controlled burning process that can emit several harmful substances such as polybrominated dioxins and furans.

Open burning
It is the burning of e-waste at low temperatures, which is more harmful than incineration since it releases much more toxic emissions like carbon monoxide. Inhaling emissions from an open fire can lead to many health problems such as asthma attacks, respiratory infections, wheezing, and chest pain. Over exposures to these hazardous emissions can lead to serious health risks such as emphysema and cancer.

Landfilling
Waste disposal that is often a method that are used by many. It poses problems due to the uncontrolled fires that may occur, and leakages that contain hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury.

2. Health Risks
These are a list of the many serious health problems cause by over exposure of toxins:

• Lung cancer • Chronic Beryllium disease • Kidney Damage • Pulmonary emphysema • Bone disease (osteomalacia and osteoporosis) • DNA damage • Brain disorders • Neurological abnormalities

3. Illegal Dumping
About 50%-80% of e-waste in the U.S are exported to Asia. Even though China has banned imports of e-waste, U.S still continues to export their e-waste since thereis no law against the exportation of e-waste in the U.S. Countries like the U.S export to developing countries because of: • Low labor fees • Lenient environmental and occupational regulations • Legal to export e-waste

=Cause=

E-waste is increasing each year and at a fast rate. In 1999, Canada accumulated 36, 000 tonnes of e-waste, which increased up to140, 000 tonnes of computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos, and small home appliances in 2005. In 2005 more than 100 million cell phones were discarded in North America. It is predicted that there will be a great increase of TVs that will be discarded due to the high definition TVs that have recently hit the market. What is causing e-waste to reach such high numbers?

Planned Obsolescence
It when manufacturers purposely produce products that will have a short life span. It started in the 1930s to stimulate the economy that was in depression. Planned obsolescence made improvements in the economy through its increase in employment and sales. It also helped cut down costs in materials and price of their product.

Psychological Obsolescence
Is also known as ‘Style Obsolescence’, which is when a product changes its style to create a new version of a product in order to increase profits. Apple’s iPods are an example of psychological obsolescence. This strategy dates back in the early 1900s, and was at its peak during the post-Second World War and in the 1960s. Companies who employed this strategy gave appeal to their products through ‘added value’, which they developed by researching for ‘symbols’ that would encourage consumers to buy. During the late 1920s that symbol would be found in the technological aspects of their daily lives such as speed and modernity. Products that were not functionally necessary for everyday living began to rise in the market. The aesthetic values encouraged many to buy, which leads to over consumption.

Warranties and Repairs
Several companies not only use this strategy, but also provide shorter warranties. In the past Dell provided a 3-year warranty on their computers, but have now shortened it to one. If consumers don’t have a valid warranty, they could resort to repairing it, but repairs can be very expensive. But lately some consumers who may want to pay for repairs may not even have that option anymore.

=Recycling and Disposal=

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Currently Canada has developed a program called the ‘Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)’ that some companies have invested in to make sure that the e-waste are properly disposed and recycled. It brings awareness in e-waste, helps demote product obsolescence and the use of toxic materials, and promotes recycling.

Electronic Product Stewardship Canada (EPS)
It is a not-for-profit organization that is implementing the EPR program, which will differ for each province. The technology Association of Canada, Electro-Federation Canada, and 16 major multi-national corporate funding partners are involved with EPS. The program is currently being developed and established, but is underway.

Take-Back Programs
It is a program that some companies employ where consumers can send their e-waste to them and they’ll handle the disposal of it. This is implemented well in Europe and is expanding into the U.S. and Canada. Some companies that employ this program are: include Apple, Toshiba and HP.

=Recycling in Switzerland=

Switzerland’s recycling system is well known for it’s efficient and environmentally friendly system for managing their e-waste. Switzerland utilizes 2 take-back systems that is financed by an advance recycling fee, which is paid by all consumers when they purchase a new electronic. The first system handles household equipments, which is managed by Stiftung Entsorgung Schweiz (SENS). The second system handles devices such as office electronic and IT equipment and communication devices, which is managed by Swiss Association for the Information, Communication and Organizational Technologies (SWICO)

In Switzerland, manufacturers are held responsible for post-consumer products that become e-waste. They operate a return and recycling system with their association. As for the consumers they can send their e-waste to authorized collection points where it’ll be sent to licensed sorting and dismantling companies, and then to a refiner and conditioner, or a controlled final disposer

Switzerland’s Methods Used in Recycling
There are 3 methods involved when handling their e-waste

Manual Dismantling
It is the traditional process of separating hazardous materials from recyclable materials.

Mechanical dismantling
It is the modern process of organizing hazardous materials from recyclable materials that involved crushing units, shredders, magnetic separators, air separators, waste gas purification plants and dust filters.

Refining and Conditioning
It involves mechanical, chemical and thermal processes. It will either be send to a final disposal or will sold as secondary raw material.

=China Recycling system=

China’s recycling system is very unorganized. Instead of consumers paying for recycling fees, consumers receive money for their e-waste. It is collected door to door by individuals or by a small number of state run collection systems. The Beijing Jin Huan Industry Waste Treatment Service is the only recycling system that is registered for the management of e-waste in Beijing.

E-waste is manually disassembled and sorted and it is then sent to Southeast China. It is where the refining and metal recovery process occurs and is sorted into secondary raw materials or for final disposal. The final disposal occurs in municipal, or illegal landfill sites, which are uncontrolled. Although open burning is a not environmentally friendly, and can be hazardous for ones health, this process is still used. Workers involved in the recycling system are both youths and adults.

=What Society can do?=

• Help encourage sellers and companies to subscribe to a take-back and recycling program • When possible upgrade or repair their electronics • Donate electronics that are not of use you to friend or charity • Learn about your municipality’s reuse, recycling and disposable options for your electronics

**References**
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