Ewaste: How Can Recycling be Bad

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E-waste How Can Recycling be Bad?

• Jimmy Lei

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What is E-waste?

• Can be thought of as electronic equipment near
  the end of its life cycle

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Hazardous Materials

• Electronic equipment includes many compounds
  dangerous to human health

Chemicals Found in a Typical PC
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Recycling E-waste

• So, instead of throwing our old VCR, just take it
  to a recycling center, right?
• It was estimated that half of the e-waste
  collected for recycling had been shipped to
  developing countries
• Then, cant they reuse the old electronics? Sure,
  but that isnt what usually happens

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• This is what usually happens

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Guiyu, China
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The Problem

• Imported e-waste often finds its way to poorer
  areas, where electronics do not serve their
  intended purposes
• Thus, useful raw materials would be extracted and
  sold to a broker
• Often times, the processes by which these
  materials are extracted can be quite hazardous

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Wires for Copper

• Wires would be heaped into piles, sometimes near
  residential quarters

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Wires for Copper

• Then the piles would be burned, releasing toxic
  dioxins into the environment

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CPUs for Gold

• Acid baths would be used to separate gold from
  the other elements in a computer chip

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CPUs for Gold

• Unfortunately, the only place for the remaining
  sludge to go is the local river

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CRT Monitors
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Now what?

• EPA still considers exportation legal, but for
  CRT monitors the country needs to be forewarned
• Legislation in China declares importation illegal
  now, enforced more strongly
• Ashland University, 2006 chemist found
  disturbing amount of lead in Chinese-made
  jewelry, trace amounts of copper and tin point to
  circuit boards
• Recent number of recalled Chinese-made products
  raises suspicion

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For More Information

• Basel Action Network (BAN)
• Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC)