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Articles |
Reports and Studies
This page contains a collection of links and
summaries of publications regarding electronic products and the management
of discards.
Best
Management Practices for Electronic Waste.
(April 2003) This
report provides
practical guidance on implementing a local electronic waste recycling
program. Includes bibliography and results of California Integrated Waste
Management Board survey of cities and counties on cathode ray tube waste
management issues.
Selected
E-Waste Diversion in California: A Baseline Study.
The
CIWMB
published a new study in December 2001 to provide data about the current
electronic waste diversion infrastructure and how much of this material is
being stockpiled in the residential sector. This study specifically tracked
information regarding televisions, computer monitors, and central processing
units.
Waste
in the Wireless World: The Challenge of Cell Phones.
Published
by INFORM,
this study recommends ways to reduce the environmental and health impacts of
cell phone waste.
Computer Display Partnership.
This project
evaluated the life cycle environmental impacts, performance, and cost
of technologies that are used in desktop computer monitors, namely
cathode ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD).
PCWorld.Com
has a
charitable checklist to help you prepare your PC for donation.
CRT Glass to CRT Glass Recycling
(September 2001)
Published by Materials for the Future Foundation, this
document
(Adobe PDF, 133 KB) provides information on the components
of a CRT and current U.S. based glass-to-glass recyclers.
Closing the Circle News
(Spring 2001).
Published by the United States White House Task Force on Recycling,
this issue of
the newsletter (Adobe PDF, 175 KB) focuses on what the federal
government is doing about electronic waste. Hosted at the
Office of the Federal
Environmental Executive Web site.
Coming Clean: Who Will Pay for Costly Hardware Recycling?
(May 10,
2001).
A
CNET News.com article on the topic of e-waste recycling, disposal and
hazards. Links to video reports provided.
How Do You Junk Your Computer?
(February 12, 2001).
A
Time magazine article on the growing issue of discarded computers
and peripherals.
Visit the
RecyclingToday Web site for their most recent articles on recycling
electronics.
Stanford Resources Forecasts Steady CRT Monitor Growth Through 2006;
Flat Panel Monitors Remain A Looming Threat
(November 7, 2000).
Stanford Resources' Monitor Market Trends 2000, a publication covering
the global cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor market, predicts that CRT monitor
growth will remain strong through 2006.
Reports on Electronics Recycling
The following publication list and summaries were provided by the
National Safety Center.
Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling Baseline Report: Recycling
of Selected Electronic Products in the United States
Released in May 1999, this report documents the results of the first
large-scale survey and analysis of end-of-life electronic product recycling
and reuse in the United States. The research used data from 123 firms,
including recyclers, third-party organizations that accept equipment for
refurbishment and subsequent resale or donation, original equipment
manufacturers (OEM), and large corporate users of electronic equipment. More
information on the report is available from the
National
Safety Center.
The report costs $95 per copy (including shipping and handling).
Nonprofit organizations and government agencies may purchase the report at a
discounted rate of $45 per copy. Contact Ralph Freeman by e-mail at
freeman@nsc.org or by phone at (202)
293-2270, ext. 486.
Analysis of Five Community Consumer/Residential Collections:
End-of-Life Electronic and Electrical Equipment
Released in April 1999, this report brings together data from five
electronic product recovery and recycling programs. The report covers pilot
programs in San Jose, California; Somerville, Massachusetts; Binghamton, New
York; and Naperville/Wheaton, Illinois. It also covers ongoing programs in
Hennepin County, Minnesota, and Union County, New Jersey. The report
includes summaries of program costs, materials collected, and advantages of
different collection methods.
The report is available by contacting Fred Friedman, Director of the
Research Library for RCRA, EPA Region 1, by e-mail,
friedman.fred@epamail.epa.gov,
or by phone, (617) 565-3282.
Electronics Processing and Marketing Research Project
This March 1998 project discusses the scope, function, and potential of the
electronics demanufacturing and recycling industry in the Northeast. The
project was funded by the Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic
Development, and three related reports (described below).
Electronics Recycling Vendor Survey
This 1998 survey reports on 38 companies in the Northeast that accept
electronic equipment for recycling. The survey includes contact information,
description of services, and products handled. The report, Electronics
Recycling Vendor Survey: Technical Report #5, is distributed by the
Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic Development.
Potential Markets for CRTs and Plastics from Electronics
Demanufacturing: An Initial Scoping Report
This 1998 report provides an overview of potential applications and markets
for two problem materials arising from the electronics demanufacturing
process—cathode ray tubes (CRT) and plastic housings. The CRT market
overview summarizes several current recycling options, including closed- and
open-loop recycling, repair, refurbishment, and smelting. The plastics
research was limited to identification of potential end markets for material
generated by University of Massachusetts Amherst’s demanufacturing facility.
The report, Potential Markets for CRTs and Plastics from Electronics
Demanufacturing: An Initial Scoping Report: Technical Report #6, is
distributed by the Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic Development.
Scrap Electronics Processing
The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Office of Waste Management
conducted this two-month survey to assess and quantify the processing and
consumption capacity of scrap electronics processors and end-users in the
Northeast. This study includes processing rates, labor rates, and market
values of the products processed in the university’s demanufacturing
facility. The report, Scrap Electronics Processing: Technical Report #7,
is distributed by the Chelsea Center for Recycling and Economic Development.
End-of-Life Computer and Electronics Recovery Options for the
Mid-Atlantic States
This July 1998 report provides a summary of major technology and
environmental policies regarding the recycling and reuse of obsolete
computers and other electronic devices. It was specifically prepared for
members of the Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development
Officials to provide assistance in long-term regional planning and policy
initiatives. The report is available online at
www.libertynet.org/m acredo/eprprj.htm.
Plug into Electronics Reuse
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance prepared this report in 1997. It
provides contact information on 150 reuse facilities, as well as in-depth
profiles of 13 computer reuse and donation organizations. The operation
profiles include tips for replication, financing mechanisms, and data on the
community benefits of electronics reuse. Ordering information is available
at
www.ilsr.org/pubs/pubbroch.html.
1998 EPR2tm Conference Summary Report
EHC held its second national EPR2tm Conference in April 1998. The
summary report from the conference is available in a PDF format. Download
the 50-page 1998 EPR2tm
Conference Summary Report, (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 927 KB)
Residential End-of-Life Electronics Collection Pilots in Binghamton
and Somerville
In 1996 and 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded two
collection pilots for residential household end-of-life electrical and
electronic equipment. A total of four collection days were held in
Binghamton, New York, and Somerville, Massachusetts, during fall 1996 and
spring 1997. The report, Residential Collection of Household End-of-Life
Electrical and Electronic Equipment: Pilot Collection Project, is
available by contacting Fred Friedman, Director of the Research Library for
RCRA, EPA Region 1, by e-mail,
friedman.fred@epamail.epa.gov,
or by phone, (617) 565-3282.
Disposition and End-of-Life Options for Personal Computers
Carnegie Mellon University’s 1997 study projects that approximately 325
million personal computers in the United States will have become obsolete
between 1985 and 2005. Of that number, says the study, some 55 million will
be landfilled and some 143 million will be recycled. (The study defines
"recycling" as returning the computer components, including glass, plastic,
and metal, to their original state to be used for other products.) The
remaining 127 million computers will either be reused or stored before they
reach their "ultimate" end of life. To obtain a copy of the study, please
visit their Web site at
http://gdi.ce.cmu.edu/comprec/.
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
This document is a survey of the contents of materials and hazardous
substances in electrical and electronic products. Single copies may be
obtained for a nominal fee by contacting Bernan Associates at (301) 459-7666
or by e-mail at query@bernan.com.
Additional Publications
Computer TakeBack Campaign Fourth Annual "Computer Report Card"
The Computer Report Card analyzes the information on the websites of
computer companies to compare and measure the environmental qualities of
electronic equipment and the environmental performance of companies.
Computers, E-Waste, and Product Stewardship: Is California Ready for
the Challenge? This report examines six policy options.
Desktop Computer Displays, A Life-Cycle Assessment (December 2001)
Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling
published by the U.S. EPA includes information on how to properly manage
electronics.
How to Properly Manage Your Old Electronic Equipment by the National
Recycling Coalition.
Minnesota's Demonstration Project (July 2001)
In 1999 and 2000, the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance (OEA)
managed a public/private effort to learn more about the costs and barriers
to recycling used electronic products.
North East Recycling
Council (NERC) Recycling Economic Information Study Discusses the role
of product stewardship in the electronics industry.
"Poison PCs and Toxic
TVs: The Biggest Threat to California's Environment You've Never Heard
of...Yet" is a report designed to raise awareness of the growing scope
of the electronic waste problem in California.
Selected E-Waste Diversion in California: A Baseline Study (November
2001)
Setting Up & Operating Electronics Recycling/Reuse Programs: A Manual for
Municipalities & Counties (October 2001)
If you are aware of resources we should make available to others,
please contact us using the e-mail link below.
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