Electronic waste, known as e-waste, or even as “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment” (”WEEE”) to some, is a big, big problem. Generally consisting of any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic appliance — computers and peripherals, TVs, cell phones and the like are the most widely known — it is worrisome because many components of such equipment are toxic to the planet and any humans that come in contact with it. Before we can solve the problem, though, we have to define it.
WEEE: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment; is also a set of directives on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. See also WEEE Man [www.weeeman.org] (pictured above).
RoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances; which restricts the use of six hazardous materials — lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) — in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment and together with WEEE, sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods. Both RoHS and WEEE are only enforced in the EU.
PBBs: polybrominated biphenels and PBDEs: polybrominated diphenyl ether: flame retardants used in some plastics found in common electronics.
EWRA: Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003; law passed by California that prohibits the sale of electronic devices after January 1, 2007, that are prohibited from being sold under the EU RoHS directive, but across a much narrower scope that includes LCDs, CRTs, and the like and only covers the four heavy metals restricted by RoHS. EWRA also has a restricted material disclosure requirement. Other US states and cities are debating whether to adopt similar laws, and there are several states that have mercury and PBDE bans already. Unfortunately, federal RoHS-like regulation in the US is unlikely in the near to medium term.
Given this collection of acronyms, what does it really mean? While there is no generally accepted definition of electronic waste, in most cases electronic waste consists of electronic products that were used for data processing, telecommunications, or entertainment in individual homes and businesses that are now considered obsolete, broken, or irreparable. Despite its common classification as a waste, disposed electronics have considerable potential as a resource, due to their suitability for direct, immediate reuse — for example, many fully functional computers and components are discarded during upgrades — or refurbishing and material recycling of its raw materials. As such, reconceptualization of electronic waste as a resource thus has potential to preempt its potentially hazardous qualities, when done responsibly and correctly. Stay tuned for the rest of the week learn more about how proper e-waste recycling makes a difference.
