E-waste

E-waste contains lead, mercury, cadmium, flame-retardant plastics and other materials, and its disposal can pose a threat to human health and the environment. Out of the 10 million computers that are discarded every year in the USA, only 10% are recycled [6]. According to the European Union, the producers must either take back used equipment or phase out hazardous materials from electronics. In the decade 1997-2007, 500 million computers became outdated with plastics waste reaching 70-80%. Among the collected plastics E-waste, between 50-80% is recycled by the USA the remainder is exported to Asia, and 90% of that is destined for developing countries [7]. Asia accumulates the greatest amount of E-waste in the world [8]. 

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The whole problem is best dealt with by not making the waste in the first place, i.e., waste minimization. If waste can be minimized at the source, this brings the dual benefit of reducing waste treatment costs and reducing raw materials costs. 

It must be clear that the best method for dealing with effluent problems is to solve the problem at source, i.e., waste minimization. 

Environmental Factors These inchrde (I) eqrripment location, (2) available space, (3) ambient conditions, (4) availabuity of adeqrrate rrtilities (i.e., power, water, etc.) and ancillary-system facilities (i.e., waste treatment and disposal, etc.), (5) maximrrm aUowable emission (air polhrtion codes), (6) aesthetic considerations (i.e., visible steam or water-vapor phrme, etc.), (7) contribrrtions of the air-poUrrtion-control system to wastewater and land poUrrtion, and (8) contribrrtion of the air-poUrrtion-control system to plant noise levels. 

Ai e wastes from this process mingled with any other wastes ... 

The EPA defines corrosivity in terms of pH (i.e., wastes with pH <2 or >2.5) or in terms of ability to corrode steel (SAE 20) at a rate of >6.35 mm (0.250 in.) per year at a temperature of 55 C (13°F). This discussion will address corrosivity as it applies to acids and caustics. Acids are compounds that yield H ions (actually HjO ions) when dissolved in water. Common industrial acids include acetic, nitric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric acids. The terms concentrated and dilute refer to the concentrations in solution. Mixing a concentrated acid with enough water will produce a dilute acid. For example, a bottle of concentrated HCl direct from the manufacturer is approximately 12 N in HCl, while a solution of HCl used in a titration may be only 0.5 N. The latter is a dilute acid solution. 

I mentioned that new computer codes - RAFSCATT 1 and RAF-SCATT 2 have been very recently formulated by Dr. Gary Jacobs and Mr. William Anderson of Rockwell Hanford s Basalt Waste Isolation Project. These codes relate required engineered barrier (i.e., waste packages and seals performance to draft NRC and EPA criteria). A key part of these codes is that they partition... 

As indicated, the plant treated MPW on a regular basis. However, successful tests have been done with electrical and electronic (E E) waste as well. In the test, some 50 tons of E E waste were mixed with some 250 tons of DSD waste (a. 12). 

Source From AFS, Alternative Utilization of Foundry Waste Sand, final report (Phase I) for Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, American Foundrymen s Society, Des Plaines, IL, July 1991. Javed, S. and Lovell, C.W., Use of Foundry Sand in Highway Construction, Joint Highway Research Project No. C-36-50 N, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, July 1994. Javed, S., Lovell, C. W., and Wood, L.E., Waste Foundry Sand in Asphalt Concrete, in Transportation Research Record, No 1437, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 1994. 

Javed, S., Lovell, C. W., and Wood, L.E., Waste foundry sand in asphalt concrete, in Transportation Research Record, No 1437, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 1994. 

Wastes must be an RCRA hazardous waste in order to be subject to the LDR program. In other words, unless a waste meets the definition of a solid and hazardous waste, its disposal is not regulated under the LDR program. Once a generator identifies its waste as hazardous (either listed, characteristic, or both), the waste is assigned a waste code. When U.S. EPA establishes a treatment standard for the waste code, the waste will then become restricted (i.e., subject to the LDR requirements). RCRA requires that U.S. EPA establish treatment standards for hazardous wastes within six months of promulgating a new listing or characteristic. Until U.S. EPA establishes a treatment standard for a waste, this newly identified or newly listed waste (i.e., waste for which U.S. EPA is yet to establish a treatment... 

In the early 1980s, the world witnessed the sale of the first personal computers. Its transition from the relatively bulky and slow first units to the sleek, speed demons has made the computer truly revolutionary. With each improvement in computers, however, comes the increasing problem of what to do with the ever increasing number of computer e-wastes. The U.S. EPA estimates that nearly 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years in the United States alone. Unfortunately, only approximately 10% of these old computers that are retired each year are being recycled. This presents a substantial concern because toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, mercury, barium, chromium, beryllium as well as flame retardant, and phosphor are contained in a typical computer and there would be potential harm if there was a release of these elements into the environment.1... 

Through the Town s recycling system, the residents are provided an environmentally and economically sound means of managing the e-wastes. This assures that the materials of concern within these e-wastes are effectively and appropriately managed. 

Solidification (Cementation) Technology for Hazardous E-Waste Disposal... 

UNEP (2005) E-waste, the hidden side of IT equipment s manufacturing and use. Environment Alert Bulletin, UNEP... 

The second possibility is the European waste legislation, which includes the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS). The RoHS Directive is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) which sets collection, recycling, and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of toxic e-waste. 

In the past, product-related standards in the European waste law were rare. This changed with the triumphal success of everyday electronic gadgets and the associated increase in e-scrap. The EC Directive 2002/96/EC - better known as the WEEE directive - aimed to combat the increasing amount of e-waste from electrical and electronic devices [8]. Goal is the avoidance, reduction, and environment-friendly disposal of increasing amounts of electronic waste through extended producer responsibility. This goal has been hindered by a number of pollutants that are included in the devices (RISKCYCLE). 

The expense of proper disposal leads to the shipment of large amounts of e-waste to China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and other developing countries. Shipment is often through middlemen, and under tariff classifications that make quantities difficult to assess. There, despite the intents of national regulations and hazardous waste laws, most e-waste is treated as general refuse, or crudely processed, perhaps by burning or acid baths, to recover only a few materials of value. Harm to the environment, workers, and area residents is inevitable, often from release of dioxins, furans, and heavy metals. 

The faster growth of e-waste in the developing than in the developed world presages continued expansion of an informal processing sector that, while on its own terms is inexpensive and efficient, remains hazard-ridden. 

Keywords E-waste, Extended producer responsibility, Informal waste processing, Recycling, Take-back... 

Comparing E-Waste Management in Developed and Developing Countries. 274... 

Electronic products become e-waste when they are deemed at the end of their useful life. Nonfunctioning or obsolescent TVs, computers, printers, photocopiers, cell phones, fax machines, home appliances, lighting equipment, games and such, when no longer wanted, come to constitute e-waste. These electronic products contain many materials requiring special end-of-life handling, most prominently lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, and plastics capable of releasing dioxins and furans. 

Worlds apart are the practices, yet the official policies and regulatory guidelines in developing countries show much influence from those of the developed world. While waste import bans are common in the developing world, the topography of recycling and disposal costs seems to assure a flow of e-waste out of the developed world down to the points of lowest-cost disposal. 

This chapter presents a characterization of the e-waste situation, particularly in terms of intervention attempts made in order to manage it safely. The more prominent agreements, policies, systems, and laws at the national and international level are surveyed. Samples are provided of the environmental and human consequences of large-scale movements of toxic e-waste to the developing world. Trends for the next several years are noted, too. 

The sense of crisis around e-waste arises from three considerations. The first is the sheer volume of units of obsolescent electronics - recently 400 million items per year in the USA alone, for example. Next is the fact of e-waste as a global phenomenon, present nearly everywhere there are people. Finally, there is the rate at which the e-waste volume is increasing, 5-10% yearly. China s e-waste will likely overtake the USA s by the year 2020 [3], India anticipates a growth from about 400,000 tons in 2011 to 500,000 in 2012 [4], Indeed, by the year 2030, the developing world is forecast to discard twice the number of personal computers annually as the developed world, some 600 million versus 300 million [5]. 

Initiatives in Developed Countries Affecting E-Waste 2.1 The Basel Convention... 

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