When will be the first time you decide to buy a computer
based on the recycling policy of its manufacturer? It’s
a question that came about at least two decades ago, but
as individuals and society we failed to notice, or chose
to ignore it.
The problem: e-waste
E-waste is one dark face of technological progress, particularly
in computer technologies. Not many have anticipated the
pace of innovation in information technology and the degree
to which computers - and derived gizmos – will penetrate
the everyday lives of millions of people around the globe.
And even fewer anticipated e-waste: the piles upon piles
of discarded high-tech equipment. Everything from the bulky
monitors to the ever-tinier cell phones, all contain toxic
materials and are disposed of in a “not in my back
yard” manner.
Individual consumers don’t know what to do with a
computer or printer or cell phone they’ve replaced
(out of necessity of habit). A study cited in 1999 by the
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition found that 75% of all computers
ever bought in the US linger in attics and basements of consumers'
houses. Eventually they end up in local landfills - and so
do the toxic materials
they contain (lead, mercury,
cadmium, chromium), as well as the precious ones (copper,
silver, gold, aluminum, ferrous metals and others). As for
corporations, many chose to export e-waste to other countries,
mainly China, India or Eastern Europe, where supposedly it
would be dismantled, recycled or otherwise disposed of. The
cheap cost of labour, combined with lax or absent environmental
and customs legislation and enforcement made these jurisdictions
a heaven for “toxic trade”.
However, three factors made it ever harder to continue these
attitudes and policies: The sheer volume of e-waste, health
and environmental consequences that can no longer be swept
under the rug, and the outrage and action of segments of
the public and dedicated organizations.
The solution: it started with Basel
In 1989, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal came
into being. The convention has grown to 166 signatory parties
to date. China ratified in 1991 and India followed in
1992.
Canada ratified in 1992 but the US is just a signatory
party so far. During its first decade, the Convention
concentrated its efforts on defining the framework for
controlling the
movement of hazardous waste – e-waste included,
making it illegal to export it to countries that
have imposed
an import ban. Currently the emphasis is on Environmentally
Sound Management: How to lower demand for products and
services that results in toxic by-products, and how to
diminish the usage of those toxic chemicals in the production
process.
Global environmental organizations – notably Greenpeace
and the Basel Action Network – raise the issue of mandating
computer manufacturers to manage the entire life span of
their products. Disposal of e-waste must be considered when
the product is still in the design phase. There is action
at local levels too. In the US, organizations and lobby
groups concerned with e-waste have sprung up and a number
of states
now consider legislation for “cradle-to-grave care” for
electronics.
The same ideas resonate in Japan, where the number of electronic
goods dumped in rivers and road sides is estimated at 20
million a year. Japan now has legislation requiring producers
of house-hold appliances to make them 50-60% recyclable,
while consumers must pay in order to dispose of their old
appliances.
In the EU, the Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Regulations
came into effect in 2002. The emphasis is on reusing, recycling
and recovery. In the UK, similar legislation has become effective
in 2005: Manufacturers are responsible for financing
most of these activities, retailers must take back e-waste
and
report e-waste data to government, while consumers are still
not charged for returning an old appliance that is being
replaced.
The reality (for now)
Things are moving in the right direction, albeit too slowly.
Consumers still pile up their gizmos. The illegal movement
of e-waste still continues because the sheer volume of
trade and the extent of fraudulent practices make it difficult
to enforce legislation. People in China or India still
pay with their health when they make their living by recycling
e-waste in improper facilities. Toxic leaks caused by e-waste
still happen in North America, while we wonder why cancers
are so prevalent..
Yet there is hope. Legislation and awareness at
international and local levels is being developed. Companies
such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Canon and Dell are at the fore-front
of recycling in
electronic hardware - from design to disposal. Proper recycling
facilities are being built: The Matshushita Eco-Technology
Center in Japan and the Noranda Recycling facility in Brampton,
Ontario. E-bay has launched its Rethink initiative in an
effort to encourage reusing old electronics. But as individuals,
we can contribute immensely just by asking ourselves (and
the retailer!) this one question: If I buy this computer,
how will I dispose of it?
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