Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) Initiative

1
Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) Initiative
StEP Regional Activities andUS E-Waste
SituationJason LinnellNational Center for
Electronics RecyclingITU Symposium on ICTs, the
Environment and Climate ChangeMay 2012Montreal

2
Overview

• Background on StEP
• Objectives
• Core Principles
• Overview of Task Forces
• Regional and Other StEP Activities
• NCER and MIT Study on Used Exports
• Green Paper on Electronics Recycling Standards
• ADDRESS
• Overview of US E-Waste Situation
• State Laws
• Policy Results and Federal Landscape

3
StEP Objectives
Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative was
created to

• Initiate and facilitate environmentally,
  economically socially sound approaches to
  reduce e-waste flows and handle them in a
  sustainable way around the globe

1. Functions as a network of actors who share
   experiences and best practices
2. Carries out research and development projects
3. Disseminates experiences, best practices and
   recommendations

4
StEP Core Principles

1. StEP's work is founded on scientific assessments
   including social, environmental and economic
   aspects
2. StEP conducts research on the entire life-cycle
   of electronic and electrical equipment
3. StEP's research and pilot projects are meant to
   contribute to the solution of e-waste problems
4. StEP condemns all illegal activities related to
   e-waste including illegal shipments
5. StEP seeks to foster safe and eco/energy-efficient
   reuse and recycling practices around the globe
   in a socially responsible manner

5
Task Forces

• TF1 Policy Analyzes the status of existing
  policy approaches on e-waste, and elaborates
  policy recommendations for future development
• TF2 ReDesign dedicated to product design aspects
  to reduce negative impacts of the entire life
  cycle of electronics
• TF3 ReUse defines globally consistent re-use
  practices, principles, and standards to enhance
  re-use opportunities, change consumer behaviour
  reduce sham re-use
• TF4 Recycle overall aim is to enhance global
  recycling infrastructures and technologies to
  realise a sustainable e-waste recycling
• TF5 Capacity Building aims at increasing public,
  scientific and business awareness and
  disseminating the results of TFs 1 - 4

18.09.2014
StEP SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM
5
6
Selected Current Task Force Projects

• Green Paper on End-of-Life Standards
• ADDRESS
• US Transboundary Flows of Used Electronics

18.09.2014
StEP SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM
6
7
Annual Dynamic Digital Reporting on the global
E-waSte Status (ADDRESS)

• Size of the problem remains largely unclear!
• How much e-waste is generated?
• How much thereof gets properly collected and
  treated?
• How much goes to developing countries?
• What is the scope of e-waste?
• What are the developments over time?
• StEP initiated Annual Dynamic Digital Reporting
  on the global E-waSte Status (ADDRESS)
• To inform e-waste related researchers with
  up-to-date and solid data on e-waste globally
• To enable policy-makers to make better informed
  decisions

8
Characterizing Transboundary Flows of Used
Electronics
Project funded by
using a grant from
9
Project PlanCollaboration is Key
Progress
10
MIT-NCER Second Phase Activities

• Creating stock-flow model, gathering data to
  input and incorporate results
• Developed and sent survey to recyclers
• Unique method asks questions and predictions of
  how others would answer
• Asks questions about markets, types of companies
  doing export, destinations for export
• Different goals/questions from USITC

11
States With E-Scrap Laws

• States highlighted in orange have some type of
  electronics recycling law

12
Key Differences with US

• Only one state with Canada-like fee at sale
• We dont cover all WEEE very limited, but
  growing subset policy and in programs
• No federal policy on recycling programs, limited
  regulations on disposal and export
• No coordinated data collection mechanism
  nationally, incomplete state data
• States have moved policy forward, but differently
• Established voluntary programs along with mandates

13
25 State Electronics Recycling Laws

• 2003 California
• 2004 Maine
• 2005 Maryland
• 2006 Washington
• 2007 Connecticut, Minnesota,
• Oregon, Texas, North Carolina

• 2008 New Jersey, Oklahoma, Virginia, W.
  Virginia, Missouri, Hawaii, Rhode Island,
  Illinois, Michigan
• 2009 Indiana, Wisconsin
• 2010 Vermont, South Carolina,
• New York, Pennsylvania
• 2011 Utah

Covered
Not Covered
14
Policy Results

• True patchwork of producer responsibility goals
  (geographic and volume), requirements vary
• Very few compliance schemes
• Collection by many actors some states with very
  few municipal collection entities
• 16 states with landfill bans, 3 not in 25
• Lot of competition for recyclers to get
  manufacturer contracts
• Up to 300 total unique OEMs, but only 30-50 with
  significant obligations

15
Thank You!
Jason Linnell, NCER Phone 1 (304)
699-1008 jlinnell_at_electronicsrecycling.org
Visit us on the web www.electronicsrecycling.org
and www.ecycleclearinghouse.org
16
CONTACT

• StEP Secretariat
• UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY
• Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP)
• Operating Unit SCYCLE
• 53113 Bonn / Germany
• 49-228-815-0213/-0214
• 49-228-815-0299
• www.step-initiative.org
• info_at_step-initiative.org