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Electronics Recycling Workshop
Presented in partnership by the
New Mexico Recycling Association
and the National Recycling Coalition
Sponsored by Intel Corporation
June 7, 2002
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
Forecast of U.S. PC CPU
Shipments, 1997-2005
60
Millions of Units
55
50
45
40
35
30
'97
'98
'99
'00
'01
'02
Year
Source: Stanford Resources, 1999
'03
'04
'05
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
Average Product Lifespan (in years)
Product
First Life
Total Lifespan
Desktop PC - 386
4
4-6
Desktop PC 486
3-4
4-6
Desktop PC – Pentium I
3
4-5
Desktop PC – Pentium II
2-3
3-4
Mainframe computer
7
7
Workstation computer
4-5
4-5
CRT Computer Monitor
4
6-7
CRT TV
5
6-7
2-3
4
3
5
Notebook PC
Computer peripherals
Source: Stanford Resources, 1999
# of Years
Lifespan of PCs
1992-2007
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
' 92
'94
'96
'98
'00
'02
Source: Stanford Resources, 1999
'04
'06
Obsolete PCs in the U.S., 1997-2007
Average
Lifespan
Year
Units
Shipped
[M]
1997
31
3.4
40%
60%
0%
18
1998
37
3.2
20%
80%
0%
21
1999
43
3.1
10%
90%
0%
24
2000
49
2.8
0%
80%
20%
32
2001
50
2.6
0%
60%
40%
42
2002
52
2.4
0%
40%
60%
55
2003
53
2.2
0%
20%
80%
63
2004
55
2.1
0%
10%
90%
61
2005
56
2.0
0%
0%
100%
63
2006
2.0
0%
0%
100%
60
2007
2.0
0%
0%
100%
61
Total
Number of
Obsolete
Share of PCs Lasting
[M]
4 years 3 years 2 years
500
Forecast of U.S. PC CPU Shipments,
Obsolescence and Recycling
1997-2005
70
Millions of Units
60
50
Shipped
Recycled
Obsolete
40
30
20
10
0
'97
'98
'99
'00
'01
'02
'03
Year
Source: Stanford Resources, 1999
'04
'05
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Toxic material constituents
Potentially Toxic Materials in PCs
Material
Use/Location
Health Effects
Lead
Metal joining, radiation/CRT,
PWB (printed wiring board)
Damage to nervous and circulatory
system, and kidneys; serious adverse
effects on brain development
Mercury
Batteries, switches/housing,
PWB
Chronic brain, kidney, lung and fetal
damage; effects on brain function and
memory; a possible human carcinogen
Cadmium
Battery, blue-green phosphor
emitter/housing, PWB, CRT
Pulmonary damage, kidney disease,
bone fragility; likely human
carcinogen
Arsenic
Doping agent in
transistors/PWB
Allergic reactions, nausea, vomiting,
decreased red and white blood cell
production
Beryllium
Thermal conductivity, PWB,
connectors
Lung damage, allergic reactions,
chronic beryllium disease; likely
human carcinogen
Information compiled from multiple
sources.
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Toxic material constituents
+
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Toxic material constituents
+
No cogent strategy for end-of-life management
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Toxic material constituents
+
No cogent strategy for end-of-life management
=
Why is e-waste the #1
Recycling Problem?
Proliferation of e-products
+
Increasingly short life-spans
+
Toxic material constituents
+
No cogent strategy for end-of-life management
=
Big Problem
Response to the Problem
• Local governments mobilizing to prevent
wholesale disposal of e-waste
• State governments beginning to regulate and
mandate potential solutions
• Federal government proposing to declassify CRTs
as hazardous waste
• OEM’s and retailers implementing patchwork of
programs to take back e-waste
• Stakeholders convening under National
Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative
• Electronic recycling enterprises and donation
centers ramping up
Current Status of Electronics
Recycling Infrastructure
• Electronic recycling industry taking shape;
most operations are independent, smallscale, labor intensive and regional
Distribution of Electronic Recyclers Sampled,
Percent of Total by Region
Mid-Atlantic
14%
West
21%
Southeast
6%
South
Central
6%
Midwest
28%
New
England
25%
Stanford Resources, 1999
Distribution of Recyclers Sampled,
by Number of Employees
200+
5%
100-199
6%
50-100
9%
<10
44%
10-50
36%
Stanford Resources, 1999
Current Status of Electronics
Recycling Infrastructure
• Independent electronic recyclers industry
taking shape; most operations are smallscale, labor intensive and regional
Current Status of Electronics
Recycling Infrastructure
• Independent electronic recyclers industry
taking shape; most operations are smallscale, labor intensive and regional
• Generators’ access to recycling varies by
size, quality of used product stream, ability
to pay, and geography
Recovery Options by
Generator Type
Generator:
• Large Corporations/Organizations/Agencies
Options:
• Asset management/leasing opportunities with
OEMs or equipment vendors
• Contracts with recyclers for material pick-up,
processing and indemnification against future
liability
Recovery Options by
Generator Type
Generator:
• Small Businesses/Organizations
Options:
• Limited asset management/leasing opportunity
• Limited municipal recovery
• Onus on generator to identify recycler and arrange
for material pick-up/delivery
Recovery Options by
Generator Type
Generator:
• Residential
Options:
• Collection programs increasingly available
• Local reuse options
• Potential for product return to retailers and/or OEMs
Key Unresolved Issues
• Who should bear/share program costs?
• How do we differentiate between
“legitimate” and “illegitimate” recycling,
particularly overseas?