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Source: Environmental Protection Agency, “Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009”
Computers and the Environment
•Problematic aspects of the production and disposal of computing electronics
•How corporations and consumers are making better choices to stem the problem
•Problems with the current solution
Two-sided problem: Production
Differences between computer industry and others
Required materials Disposal
Rapid obsolescence Disposal of materials from the manufacturing
process Need for recycling
What Makes the Computer Industry Special
Higher grade chemicals 99.995-99.9999% purity Other industries: 90-99%
Chemicals used: Benzene Xylene Methyl Cloroform Tetrachloroethane Ethylene glycol Methyl Collosolve
Rapid Obsolescence
Computers: Average life-span of 3 years Too small second-hand market Out of sight, out of mind Older materials found to be unsafe: BFR plastics Need for recycling
Management of E-waste: Environmental Protection Agency
• Increases e-waste awareness•Facilitates source reduction or waste prevention,
including reuse of products. • Increases availability of recycling resources
Source: Environmental Protection Agency, “Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009”
Government Solutions
Source: Environmental Protection Agency, “Laws on disposal and recycling of electronics”
Source: Environmental Protection Agency, “Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009”
Problems with the solution
• Internal structure of the PC is complex, making recycling difficult
•Much of the products are exported abroad instead of recycled
China
India
Kenya
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
2010 E-waste generation in China, India, and Kenya
ComputersTelevisionsRefridgerator
Thousands of Tons
Predictions for 2020Type of e-waste China India South Africa
Old computers 2 – 4 times 5 times 2 – 4 times
Mobile phones 7 times 18 times -
Televisions 1.5 – 2 times 1.5 – 2 times -
Refrigerators 2 – 3 times 2 – 3 times -
*In comparison with amounts in 2007
Problems with E-waste in China
• Imported from other countries, a dumping ground• Illegal and improper recycling methods