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E-Waste in Transition - From Pollution to Resource
Abstract and Figures
E-waste management is a serious challenge across developed, transition, and developing countries because of the consumer society and the globalization process. E-waste is a fast-growing waste stream which needs more attention of international organizations, governments, and local authorities in order to improve the current waste management practices. The book reveals the pollution side of this waste stream with critical implications on the environment and public health, and also it points out the resource side which must be further developed under the circular economy framework with respect to safety regulations. In this context, complicated patterns at the global scale emerge under legal and illegal e-waste trades. The linkages between developed and developing countries and key issues of e-waste management sector are further examined in the book.
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... Waste treatment of electrical and electronic equipment Countries, regions and cities face real challenges in managing the increasing amounts of WEEE due to the consumer society and the globalization process (12). This incremental demand for electronics consumption combined with the tendency to replace unrecycled devices has created a new threat to humanity and the environment (13). ...
... Globally, 41.8 million metric tons of WEEE was generated in 2014. It is a fast-growing waste stream that needs special treatment and management due to the potential toxicity of public health and the environment (12). In this sense, it is worrying how the amount of WEEE is increasing and something more alarming is that these figures could be higher. ...
In this age of technology, where the use of this is excessive and its exponential growth has given rise to a series of challenges and opportunities caused by the accumulation of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Mexico City. For its treatment, more practical approaches have been necessary, taking into account proper management and long-term well-being as a main element of sustainability. The objective of this work is to propose sustainable initiatives based on social, economic and environmental dimensions, based on the challenges faced by waste management of electrical and electronic equipment as one of the fields that contribute to the transition towards a sustainable society. Data from each dimension were analyzed to extract the most relevant challenges by reviewing the literature and identifying sources that relate them to the life cycle of electrical and electronic waste. As a result, a governance model for waste electronic and electronic devices was obtained to support environmental sustainability that identifies lines of action for the effective treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment highlighting awareness, education, knowledge and regulations as well as processes environmental. From this it is concluded that the governance of waste electrical and electronic equipment is mandatory for the integration of economic, social and environmental factors to efficiently leverage efforts on environmental care.
... Resource recovery from the use of secondary raw materials makes the conservation of primary ores possible, significantly reducing the carbon and ecological footprints. Much of the literature has focused on the LC of daily products like mobile phones, notebooks, desktops, televisions (TVs), and refrigerators/washing machines [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. In the USA, 9% of all aluminum, 21% of beryllium, 19% of copper, 40% of gold, and 26% of silver were used in the EEE manufacturing industry in 2019 [22]. ...
The lack of proper waste management in developing countries results in environmental pollution and human illness. This review presents the available data on the electronic and electrical waste generated and/or transported in Africa. Particular attention is given to waste treatment and the recycling sector, as well as methods for recovering metals from e-waste. The roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and institutions involved in Africa are discussed. Design for Environment guidelines and Sustainable Product Design Concepts are illustrated to find proper strategies for managing e-waste in general, and for Africa in particular. Raising awareness among national and international institutions is necessary to improve e-scraps management in Africa. Measures should be taken to facilitate the transition of e-waste management from the informal to the formal sector, which will create decent jobs and corresponding incomes.
... Eddy current separator is used to separate copper and aluminum from non-metallic materials. Fig. 3 illustrates the flowchart for physical separation of metals from the recycling of Escrap [13]. ...
... Mismanagement of e-waste poses serious environmental and public health issues around the world, particularly in low and middle-income countries, through open burning, illegal dumping, or their disposal in mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills (Mihai and Gnoni, 2016;Gangwar et al., 2019). Rudimentary e-waste dismantling activities are performed in Asian and African countries with serious related health issues (Bimir, 2020). ...
The chapter examines the problem of e-waste movements among countries around the world, particularly from high-income economies with advanced waste management systems towards low and middle-income countries with serious public health and environmental repercussions. Despite the fact that the Basel Convention forbids certain hazardous waste streams to be exported into countries with poor waste management facilities, the environmental pollution associated with e-waste flow reaches alarming levels due to illegally or legally importing large amounts of waste continuing unbated. The chapter investigates the gaps in the e-waste management system which led to the transboundary movements of e-waste items supported by academic literature review. The chapter highlights the main challenges of e-waste exportation and importation issues in some major geographical areas such as Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and North America and how unsound waste management practices feed a new “colonization” form in the twenty-first century. Best policies and practices are revealed to mitigate the illegal traffic of the e-waste flow or “ second hand” electronic goods towards poorer countries. The expansion of urban mining practices and the circular economy paradigm should reduce the global traffic of e-waste flows combined with the improvement of the Basel Convention content and the ratification process
... As such, most of these wastes end up in municipal landfills or are stored in warehouses of primitive recycling operations (Herat and Agamuthu, 2012;J. Li et al., 2013;Mihai and Gnoni, 2016). ...
Challenges in managing electronic waste (E-waste) arise from a lack of technical skills, poor infrastructure, inadequate financial support, and inactive community engagement. This study provides a systematic review of efforts to overcome these challenges in the context of inappropriate recycling protocols and the toxic effects of E-waste on human health and the environment. An inventory of end-of-life electronic products, which can be established through the creation of an environmentally friendly regulatory regime for recycling, is essential to controlling E-waste. An approach has been articulated to effective management of E-waste in both developed and developing countries. Enforcement of systematic management measures for E-waste in developing countries coupled with best practices would minimize adverse impacts while helping maintain a sustainable and resilient environment.
... The consistently expanding quantum of e-waste is booming at an extremely high pace which is around 20-25 Mt for every year (Mihai, 2016). As indicated by the GEWM report (2020), the absolute e-waste generated in 2019 is assessed to be 53.6 million metric tons over the globe which was configured to 7.3 kg per capita generation. ...
... The consistently expanding quantum of e-waste is booming at an extremely high pace which is around 20-25 Mt for every year (Mihai, 2016). As indicated by the GEWM report (2020), the absolute e-waste 43 Deepak Pant and Varun Dhiman (2020) In: Advances in Environmental Pollution Management generated in 2019 is assessed to be 53.6 million metric tons over the globe which was configured to 7.3 kg per capita generation. ...
The present book entitled "Advances in Environmental Pollution Management: Wastewater Impacts and Treatment Technologies" has been designed to bind prime knowledge of wastewater pollution-induced impacts on various aspects of our environment. The book also contains novel methods and tools for the monitoring and treatment of produced wastewater. The book compilation included 14 selective chapters from nearly 33 authors. Each chapter contains detailed information on the proposed titles along with possible explanations using relevant tables and illustrations. The book chapters also present novel and eco-friendly approaches to wastewater treatment along with the generation of valuable resources like bioenergy, low-cost materials, etc.
... Open burning of e-waste release harmful pollutants in the air threatening the public health, particularly in transition and developing countries with a less developed waste management infrastructure (Mihai and Gnoni, 2016). In Romania, this bad practice sporadically occurs in rural areas without access to proper waste collection schemes. ...
This entry aims to show benefits related to partnerships with JEs, in general, and strategic collaborations towards sustainability, focusing on the electric and electronic waste management. In order to provide all resources to relate partnerships potential with JEs, this entry begins discussing partnerships and the Junior Enterprise Movement (JEM) context in general. Given the relevance of JEM, the opportunity window to promote SDG in innovative ways in Higher Education Institutes (HEI) will be presented as an efficient solution to move towards SDG (International Sustainable Campus Network et al. 2018).
In this study, two practical examples will be evaluated and analysed: the creation of Solve –
Soluções em Engenharia that is a Junior Enterprise with its core business based on SDG at the
University of Coimbra, Portugal, and its first project, the E-Waste at the University of Coimbra
(EWUC). It is based on a bibliographic review of e-waste management and sustainability to
understand Solve’s strategic position and EWUC’s alignments and partnership networks.
The partnership’s analysis and interconnections are presented optimizing sustainable e-waste
management at the same university. After that, the SDG localization and other Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD) analysis will point JEM as a potential tool for SDG in each
case separately.
It will focus on one sustainable entrepreneurial initiative to optimize e-waste management in HEI. It intends to show the transforming partnerships that will stimulate not only the HEI but also the entire society to apply SDG. In addition, it will discuss collaborative advantage concerning the relationship between the JEs and Higher Education Institutes (HEI) and how these partnerships can promote sustainable development.
A Junior Enterprise (JE) is a nonprofit organization run by university students that provide services in their fields of study. The JE provides to the junior entrepreneurs a learn by doing experience, complementing and enhancing higher education. When the student’s efforts are aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), there is an enormous potential to reinforce education for sustainability (Junior Enterprises Global 2020).
Localizing SDG is an action related to its targets and framework, which refers to its incorporation, implementation, and monitoring strategies in the local development towards SDG. By showing the relevance of partnerships to gather all resources to foster sustainable development, this work will reinforce the Education for Sustainable Development (EDS) role in the healthy development of partnerships for SDG (Wahyuni 2019).
Background. It is estimated that 20–50 million tons of electric and electronic waste (e-waste) is generated per year of which 75–80% is shipped to countries in Asia and Africa for recycling and disposal. In these countries recycling of e-waste is performed with limited and often no environmental or worker health precautions. Activities at these sites often pose harmful threats in the form of soil pollution leading to contaminated water and food as well as air contaminants affecting the health of the workers and children at these sites.
Objectives. In an effort to better understand the multitude of chemical releases at these sites, an assessment was conducted at a large e-waste recycling and disposal site located in the vicinity of Agbogbloshie Market in Accra, Ghana.
Methods. Environmental (ambient) air samples and worker breathing zone samples were taken for selected metals. In addition, surface soil samples were collected throughout the site and analyzed for lead (Pb).
Results. Personal air samples collected from workers and the environment revealed elevated levels for aluminum, copper, iron, lead and zinc. Of the 100 soil samples taken, more than half were above the US Environmental Protection Agency standard for lead in soil.
Conclusions. The Agbogbloshie e-waste recycling/disposal site in Accra, Ghana revealed an area with extensive lead contamination in both ambient air and topsoil. Given the urban nature of this site e as well as the large adjacent food distribution market, the potential for human health impact is substantial both to workers and local residents.
Even as the world has been unsuccessfully trying to dispose off the rising quantities of its municipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardous waste (HW) in a clean manner, it has been confronted with an even more complex problem - of e-waste. Only a few countries in the developed world are able to scientifically recycle or dispose the e-waste they generate. In other developed countries only a fraction of the e-waste is properly recycled, the rest is either incinerated or sent to landfills - which are solutions that cause serious secondary problems. Worse still, a sizeable portion of the e-waste generated in the developed world is exported to developing countries where it is recycled or dumped without any concern for the gross pollution that is being caused. It can be said that if the situation vis-à-vis e-waste is posing a challenge in most developed counties, it is alarmingly bad in the developing world. In an attempt to contain the e-waste problem most of the developed world and several countries in the developing world have enacted legislation to curb illegal trafficking and unlicensed recycling of e-waste. These legislations invoke the extended producer responsibility concept based on life-cycle considerations in the hope that it will provide prevention as well as cure. Innumerable non-governmental organizations and citizen's groups have also been trying to help out. So far, all these measures together have achieved only a modicum of success - that, too, only in a few regions of the developed world - but if viewed on the global scale ever bigger streams of e-waste are threatening to join the rising tides of MSW and HW in engulfing the world. The present paper assesses the state-of-the-art, bringing out how and why the e-waste problem has been defying all attempts to contain it. The paper also brings out that - much the same way as has happened with MSW and HW - the size and the complexity of the e-waste problem is increasing at much faster rate than the efficacy of our strategies to contain it. This trend is not likely to reverse soon and the only viable means to solve the problem is to drastically reduce generation of waste.
This study aims to identify processes, current situations, and issues of recycling systems for four home appliances, namely, air conditioners, television receivers, refrigerators, and washing machines, among e-wastes in China and Japan for understanding and comparison of their characteristics. In accordance with results of a literature search, review of information disclosed online, and questionnaire survey conducted, conclusions of the study boil down to: (1)The results show that in Japan most of the home appliances mentioned above have been collected through home appliance recycling tickets, resulting in an issue of "requiring some effort" in treatment and recycling stages, and most plants have contracted out their e-waste recycling. (2)It is found out that advantages of the recycling system in Japan include easiness to monitor concrete data and thorough environmental friendliness ensured while its disadvantages include illegal dumping and export. It becomes apparent that advantages of the recycling system in China include a high reuse rate, low treatment cost, and fewer illegal dumping while its disadvantages include less safe reused products, environmental pollution caused by e-waste treatment, illegal import, and difficulty in obtaining data.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are toxic, resistant to degradation, bioaccumulative, and display wide spatial distribution. They accumulate in humans and wildlife, and have been linked to cancer, as well as reproductive and immunological disorders. In 2001 a global treaty on POPs was agreed, to minimise and ultimately eliminate the release of POPs into the environment. The Stockholm Convention lists 12 groups of chemicals, and as of late 2008, a further 12 chemicals are under consideration for inclusion. This book addresses all of these chemicals, but focuses particularly on currently listed POPs that are still of major concern (e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls - PCBs), as well as new and emerging POPs that have been the subject of an explosion of scientific interest in the last decade, i.e. brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). Other chapters address the challenges posed by the presence of POPs in the developing world; how the properties of chiral POPs can provide unique insights into their environmental sources, fate and behaviour; and issues arising from the presence of POPs in urban and indoor environments. Persistent Organic Pollutants provides a much-anticipated reference source for a wide audience including academics, industrial scientists and regulators.
