Transcript e-Waste IT Asset Disposals

Responsible Recycling:
e-Waste IT Asset Disposals
Presented by,
Rick Dillard, CPPM
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center
Bob Mahaney, CPPS
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center
What is e-Waste?
Discarded computers.
•Office electronic equipment.
•Mobile phones, pda’s,
pagers.
•Televisions, monitors.
•Keyboards, mice, cables.
•Servers, network switches,
batteries, etc.
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Common flow of disposal for end-oflife electronics
Why is it important to responsibly
recycle e-Waste?
One of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide
•The EPA estimates only 15-20% is recycled
•The rest ends up in landfills or incinerators
•The United States is the world leader in producing
electronic waste.
•In the U.S 30 million computers each year are discarded.
•In the U.S 80% of e-Waste ends up in landfills
•70% of the heavy metals found in U.S landfills come
from discarded electronics
•Over 50% of e-Waste is exported for processing by
recyclers
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Toxins found in e-Waste
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Brominated flame retardants
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Found in the plastic casing of computer monitors and towers, circuit
boards, cables and wires to prevent flammability.
-May cause thyroid damage and harm fetal development.
Chromium
-Found in computer towers’ metal housings and plates as hardening
and corrosion protection.
-Inhaling the hexavalent form of chromium can damage the liver,
kidneys, cause lung cancer and asthmatic bronchitis.
Mercury
-Found in flat panel LCD monitors, circuit boards and switches.
-Can cause brain and kidney damage and is also harmful to the
developing fetus because it can pass through breast milk.
Toxins found in e-Waste continued.
Beryllium
-Found in computer motherboards.
-Inhalation of beryllium dust, fume or
mist causes lung cancer.
-Workers can develop Chronic
Beryllium Disease (beryllicosis), a
disease that primarily affects the lungs.
The disease can develop many years
after the last exposure.
Cadmium
-Found in the phosphorescent coating on
the interior of the computer screen, in
cables and wires, chip resistors,
infrared detectors, semiconductor
chips, plastic stabilizers, CRTs, and
computer batteries.
-Causes cancer and can damage the
bones and kidneys, where it
accumulates.
Barium
-A metal used in the front panel of CRTs to
protect users from radiation.
-Exposure to barium causes brain
swelling, muscle weakness, and
damage to the heart, liver and spleen
Phosphor
-Found on the interior of CRT
faceplates.
-US Navy gives the following guidelines
for dealing with CRTs that contain
phosphor: “NEVER touch a CRT’s
phosphor coating: it is extremely toxic.
If you break a CRT, clean up the glass
fragments very carefully. If you touch
the phosphor seek medical attention
immediately,”
Lead (found in CRT’s)
A neurotoxin, causes damage to the central
and peripheral nervous systems, blood
systems, kidney and reproductive
system.
Mercury
-Found in flat panel LCD monitors, circuit
boards and switches.
-Can cause brain and kidney damage
and is also harmful to the developing
fetus because it can pass through
breast milk.
Who’s stuff is being exported?
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Do you know what happens to your eWaste after it leaves your property?
•
Do you care?
•
If you don’t know where it is going, it
could be going in a landfill or worse.
Could your e-Waste be here?
Or here?
Or here?
E-Waste processing
Woman about to smash a cathode
ray tube from a computer monitor in
order to remove the copper laden
yoke at the end of the funnel. The
glass is laden with lead but the
biggest hazard from this is the
inhalation of the highly toxic
phosphor dust coating inside.
Monitor glass is later dumped in
irrigation canals and along the river
where it leaches lead into the
groundwater. The groundwater in
Guiyu is completely contaminated to
the point where fresh water is
trucked in constantly for drinking
purposes. Guiyu, China. December
2001.
©2006 Basel Action Network (BAN)
What Recycler Certifications Mean to
You.
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HIPAA compliance
Certificate of confirmed data destruction
Comprehensive liability insurance
Access-controlled facility
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does
not certify electronics recyclers
No export / landfill policy
Best practices
If they claim to be certified, ask by whom, and
verify.
What certifications to look for
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R2
( R2solutions.org )
IAER
( International Association of Electronics Recyclers)
ISRI
(Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries)
http://www.certifiedelectronicsrecycler.com/certifi
ed_electronic_recyclers.html
Basel Action Network (E-Stewards)
ISO 14001
How can you make a difference?
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Educate upper management and your staff and
establish environmentally sound practices regarding
the final disposition of e-Waste.
Review your current agreements with your e-Waste
recycler
Partner with a certified electronics recycler.
Collaborate with other peer groups faced with the
same issue.
Participate in sustainability / recycling focus groups
Become a e-Waste recycling champion!!
TMC Sustainability Advisory Council
Sources
All photos used have been provided by:
•
Basel Action Network (BAS)
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National Geographic
Free eWaste Disposal
•
A dose of reality.
• Why is it free?
They take the good with the bad.
Disposal costs of bad offset by good revenue.
Free eWaste Disposal
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Second dose of reality.
• If all of your eWaste is good eWaste?
You may want a revenue stream.
Revenue stream may offer some cost recovery.
Free eWaste Disposal
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Final dose of reality.
• If most of your eWaste is bad eWaste?
Take full credit for arranging the free service.
Questions?