Initiate and Standard

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Global Initiatives

Some of the countries have implemented few initiatives which can affect the whole world. In this section those initiatives are discussed.

1. United Nations

United Nations has forwarded and implemented one program called StEP Solving the E waste Problem which deals with e-waste problems.

 Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP)

(What is StEP program? What are its objectives?)

StEP is an initiative that is open to all i e. governmental organizations companies, NGOs, non-profit organizations, academic institutions around the world. This is collaborative global initiative leading to global thinking knowledge awareness and innovation in development and management of mentally and ethically sound e waste recovery, reuse, recycle and prevention.

Objectives of StEP Program

1. Improvement of supply chains to optimize the life cycle of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE)
2. Increasing public, scientific, and business knowledge by conducting and sharing scientific research
3. Envelop nuclear policies
4. Exercising concern about disparities like digital divide between industrialized and industrializing countries
5. Closing material loop.
6.  Contamination reduction.
7. increasing reuse of equipment's and resource utilization.

{What are the principles of StEP program?)

SEP is based on five guiding principles. They are as follows:

1. Work of StEP is based on scientific assessments. It incorporates a comprehensive view of the environmental social and economic aspects of e- waste.
2. Research on entire life cycle of EEE and their supply, process and material fuws is conducted by StEP.
3. Research and Pilot project done by StEP contributes towards proving Solution to e-waste problems.
4. StEP expresses disapproval of all illegal activities related to e-waste like illegal shipments and reuse/ recycling practices which are harmful to the human health and environment
5. SEP promotes safe energy efficient and ecological reuse and recycling practices around the globe in socially responsible manner

Task Forces of StEP

(short note on StEP task forces.)

Task Forces of STEP program are :

1.     Policy and Legislation
2.     ReDesign
3.     ReUse
5.     ReCycle
6.     Capacity Building

These task forces address e-waste issues by conducting research and analysis in their respective domain to implement innovative projects. These task forces focus on the research, analysis and facilitation of pilot projects that are carried out in line with StEPs objectives.

1. Policy and Legislation :

Policy and Legislation task force deals with reporting and analysing the status of existing techniques and policies for managing e-waste and recommending future e waste management solutions based on their study and research.

Following things are done by this task force :

•  It analyzes and evaluates various legislation's and directives (like European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), etc.) for controlling reusing and recycling e waste, minimizing their environmental impacts and finding out how the positions and directives contribute to sustainable environment.
• It studies various green purchasing schemes to find out how this purchasing affects the trade of e-waste and used electronics products.
•  Find out how to manage e-waste problem in industrializing regions such as Africa and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
• Support the sustainable use of Information and Communications technology (ICT) in industrializing countries.

2. ReDesign :

ReDesign task force focuses on design of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to support sustainable solution to e-waste problem. Main objective is to optimize life cycle characteristics of EEE. Recycling activities are mainly for industrialized nations. This task force focuses on identifying identifying specific issues in industrializing countries. Redesign is considered as measure by this task force for optimizing life time of certain EEE products through products through the optimization of design features of those products.

Some of the tasks are :

• Assess and identify critical design aspects in the treatment of end-of to products. This could include material composition and toxins, design or any other components that has impact on product's end of life.
• Finding out current industry approaches to end-of-life products and Identifying current environmental, economical and regional design considerations.
• Development and demonstration of new design solutions of various EEE products.

3. ReUse : 

ReUse task force aims at development of sustainable and consistent reuse principles practices, and standard for EEE products. It deals with extending the ire of EEE products, changing consumers behavior for accepting reuse principles and practices, reducing flow of irresponsible reuse between developed and developing countries:

Some of the tasks are:

• Development of common nomenclature for definitions of reuse refurbishment, EEE products etc.
• Find out how equipment's are entering into reuse category.
• Development of globally consistent, sustainable, transmissible principles and standards for reusing EEE.
• This task force identifies common barriers to product life extended proposes practices to overcome those barriers.
• Cross-border guidelines need to be developed to identify when environmentally, and socially preferable to recycling 

4. ReCycle :

The objective of this task force is to enhance instruction systems and technologies to realize sustainable recycling system

Some of the objectives are:

• Collecting and assessing economic, environmental and social features of e-waste recycling in the developed country.
• Recycling system is evaluated to recommend development eco/energy-efficient resource cycle.
• Analyzing shipments of toxic substances from developed to developing countries.
• Finding all the constraints for sustainable resource cycles
• Developing and describing the new technologies for treatment of  WEEE in both developing and developed countries

5. Capacity Building:

The objective of this task is to draw attention the problems related to e-waste. This can be achieved by making thes of study and research done by task forces available to everyone. To task force depends on networks, internet, etc. The idea here is infrastructure to sustainably solve e-waste related problems.

Some of the objectives are:

• Identifying various approaches adapted by many countries by means of mutual learning environment and then implementing and test those approaches on other countries.
• Establishing standards in the form of guidelines for capacity building.

Basel Action Network

(Write a short note on Basel Action Network)

Basel Action Network (BAN) in headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It in charitable non-governmental organization which focus on reducing the export of hazardous  waste from developed countries to developing countries in it prevents dumping of toxic wastes from industrialized countries to industrializing countries It also works to BAN toxic trade and promote green, clean and toxics-free environment. Following functions are performed by BAN:

• Journalists, academies and the general public get information about waste trade from BAN
• BAN has produced Model National Legislation on hazardous waste trade for industrializing countries. It also provides international policy advocacy.
• It arranges many field researches and investigations in industrializing countries and provides various kinds of proof like photos and videos of e waste trade.
• With many NGOs around the world, BAN participates in campaign to counter toxic trade

 1) BAN Campaigns

(Q. What are the campaigns run by Basel Action Network?)

BAN runs following campaigns

1. Electronic Stewardship Project

This program seeks to prevent export of toxic substances to industrializing countries E-Stewards Initiative is a certification program for responsible electronics recycling. Recyclers are called as e-Stewards certified if they are following all laws (national and international concerning e-waste and its responsible disposal

2. Green ship recycling

It is focused on responsible disposing of end-of-life shipping vessels. The purpose is to ensure that ships are recycled properly and stop the illegal dumping of hazardous substances travelling from industrialized countries to industrializing countries

3. Investigative Watchdog

Basel Action Network (BAN demands responsible electronic recycling In this program, research team investigates for improper dispose of electronics and on finding report the name to relevant authorities

4. Basel Advocacy

BAN is the supporter of the Basel Convention Basel Convention restricted international hazardous waste trade. This convention requires developed countries to obtain prior informed consent from developing countries where hazardous waste is to be exported.

5. Zero Mercury

This campaign promotes elimination of mercury use in product

6. Basel Ban Ratification

BAN promotes the Basel Ban Amendment Ratification globally. It works to prevent the weakening or failing of this amendment.

Basel Convention

(Short note on Basel Convention)

• The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, generally referred as the Basel Convention in an international treaty that was designed to lessen movement of hazardous substances from developed countries to less developed countries.
• It also aims at preventing transfer of toxic waste from developed countries to less developed countries. It also deals with reducing the amount of toxicity and waste generated
• The objective of this convention is to protect environment and human health against adverse effects of hazardous waste. The convention became effective in 5 May 1992

Origins

Cost of disposing hazardous waste rose because environmental laws became stricter in 1970

• Khian Sea Waste Disposal incident : This is one of the incidents which led to creation of Basel Convention. A ship was carrying incinerator ash and it was sailed from Philadelphia in the United States. It has dumped half of its load on Haitian before being forced away. It was sailed for many months changing its name many times None of the port was accepting it, so it dumped its toxic land at sea.
• Koko case : This wan a 1988 case in which 5 ships transported 8000 barrels of hazardous waste from Italy to the town of Koko in Nigeria. A farmer living there had agreed to store these waste on his farmland for $100 per month as a rent

Obligations

• Basel Convention imposes various conditions on import and export of hazardous waste. There are strict requirements for notice, consent and tracking for movement of hazardous wastes across National boundaries This convention places prohibition on import and export of hazardous waste between Parties of convention and non-Parties.
• The exception to this rule is if waste is subject to another treaty and does not take away from the Basel Convention, transportation Concur between party and non-party
• Example : United States is a non-Party to Basel Convention and has several agreements that allow shipment of wastes to Basel Party countries.

Additional Regulation

• The Basel Convention aims at reduction of waste generation. This is meant for discouraging the generation of e-waste which might then be shipped to other countries
• Parties of prevention need to adapt a protocol that establishes like guidelines and procedures for damages stemming from the movement hazardous waste cross border. 

Controversy

• Some people, NGOs and countries argued that convention did not go for enough Some countries and NGOs have argued for complete ban for Transporting all hazardous waste to less developed countries.
• Convention did not prohibit hazardous waste exports to any location of Antarctica) but rather required a notification and consent system known as PIC Prior Informed Consent).
• Also, good name of recycling was exploited by many waste traders this traders began to justify that exports are moving to recycling destination.
• Many NGOs and countries believed that full ban was needed including exports for recycling.

1. North America

North America is home to two countries namely United States and C These two countries are struggling for implementing e-waste program. Both the countries are trying for getting national laws but not yet happened. Many states and provinces of these two countries have developed their own local e-waste

The United States

United States does not have national law for governing e-waste. United States, as a whole, does not have e-waste legislation's and regulations, but ma states of US have developed their local e-waste laws to protect the environment

1) EPEAT

(Q short note on EPEAT)

EPEAT stands for Electronic Product Environmental Management Tool. It is method to rank the products on the basis of life-cycle of product and rate it a Gold, Silver or Bronze based on a set of environmental performance criteria. This system addresses following criteria:

• Reduction Elimination of toxic substances from the products
• Use of recycled and recyclable materials in the products 
• Product design for recycling 
• Product longevity life cycle extension 
• Energy efficiency Management of end-of-life products 
• Corporate performance 
• Packaging attributes

This system require manufacturers to make products which meet above mentioned criteria. Depending upon number of criteria met, products are rated Bronze, Silver or Gold. If product is meeting all required criteria, it is rated as Bronze. If product is meeting all required eritrea and at least 50% of the optional criterion, it is rated as silver. If product is meeting all required criteria and at least 75% of the optional criteria, it is rated as gold.

2) National Computer Recycling Act

(What is national computer recycling act?)

According to this act, whenever new computer i sell to consumer, consumer could be charged recycling for of US $10. According to this act, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to take various steps to manage e-waste in US. This act will do following things :

• EPA is required to make a grant program to encourage Individuals. organizations and municipalities to start e-waste recycling programs.
• Charge a fee of $10 on new computer purchase from consumers in order to fund the grant program.
• EPA is required to conduct comprehensive e-waste study to make recommendations for addressing e-waste the problem.
• Manufacturers, retailers, recycling Agencies, waste management professionals and administrators of EPA are required to be in full consultation with each other.

3) California

(What are the measures adopted by California?)

Some of the measures adopted by California to manage e-waste are:

(A) Electronic Waste Recycling Act 
(B) Cell Phone Takeback and Recycling 
(C) Rechargeable Battery Takeback and Recycling

(A) Electronic Waste Recycling Act

SB 20 (also known as Electronic Waste Recycling Act legislation was enacted by Californians to implement an e-waste recycling and recovering program. Intent of this act are:

• Consumer should be provided cost free recycling opportunities  
• Prevent the illegal dumping of e-waste.
• Manufacturers are required to decrease the amount of hazardous substances used in certain electronic products sold in California.

(B) Cell Phone Takeback and Recycling

An 2001 also known as the Cell Phone: To Back and Recycling) net requires manufactures and California retailers to take back used cell phones from the consumers at no cost. The cell phones collected are then reused, recycled or disposed of properly. It is necessary for retailers to participate in this takeback program

(C) Rechargeable Battery Takeback and Recycling

According to AB 1125 also known as Rechargeable Battery Tikeback and Recycling law, retailers that are selling rechargeable batteries to consumers are required to take back the waste batteries for reuses, recycling or proper disposal  net to the consumers.

2. Australia

(What is Byteback program?)

• Byteback program is designed by Australian government along with various industries to dispose e-waste safely. Byteback program is being run by sustainability Victoria in partnership with AIIA (Australian Information Industry Association) and founding partners Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji Xerox, HP, IBM, Lenovo, and Lexmark.
• Byteback was free to public and small businesses and provide opportunity to properly dispose unwanted computer equipment. With this program one can deposit up to 10 unwanted computer equipment at Byteback center and recycle them without any charge.
• Once equipment's are accepted at Byteback centers, they are recycled. The industry partners of Byteback program was covering cost of transportation and cost of recycling of equipment's and All addresses environmental concerns.
• Recycling helps in extracting precious metals such as, aluminium, nickel, lead, mercury, cadmium and lithium, from products and using them to make new products Byteback was a trial program.
• It started in 2005 and ran until the end of 2008. From this program, it was expected that entire country should learn to properly dispose computer equipment's which are reached to their end-of-life.

3. Europe

(Short note on WEEE directives and RoHS adopted by Europe.)

Europe follows both the legislation i.e. Directive on WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and Directive on RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous  Substance) WEEE directive provide ways for collecting consumers all equipment free of charge. The aim is to increase recycling and reuse of WEEE . RoHS restrict the use of some hazardous materials into the products.

1) WEEE Directive

• Europe adopted this WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). Directive in February 2003. As a first priority, the aim of this directive is prevention of WEEE. Also, it aims at increasing reuse, recycling, and other forms of recovery techniques of these wastes so as to reduce disposal e-waste. It is the responsibility of manufacturers to dispose WEEE.
• Manufacturers are required to collect WEEE using any program established by them. This rule states that consumers should have possibility of turning old products to manufactures for free of charge. Then they are required for disposing of, recycling or refurbishing these old equipment's in ecological manner

2) ROHS

• European Union adopted Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) in February 2003, The RoHS  directive restricts certain hazardous substance which is electrical and electronic equipment. These hazardous substances are:

1. Lead (Pb) 
2. Cadmium (Cd) 
3. Mercury (Hg) 
4. Hexavalent Chromium (Hex Cr)
5. Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
6. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) 

• Any product following European RoHS directive must be tested to find presence of above six substances. According to this legislation, there must be no more than 0.01% of Cadmium and Hexavalent chromium, when calculated by weight of homogeneous materials.
• Also, there must be no more than 0.1% of Lead, PBB, and PBDE, when calculated by weight of homogeneous materials. Any product compliant to RoHS must have only 100 ppm or less amount of mercury. That means when these substances are extracted from finished product, their weight should not exceed the limits set by RoHS legislation.

4. Asia

Many countries are working in the path of minimizing the impact of e-waste on their environments. This section explains about actions that are taken place in Asia to protect the environment,

1) Japan

(How is e-waste managed by Japanese?)

• Japanese have their way of managing e-waste problem. They hired trains workers to dismantle and reuse the electronic materials which are use to mute new products. For example, glass, plastics and other material of old TVs can be reused in new television
• There were two laws that have been implemented in Japan for dealing with e-waste management problem. First law is called LPUR (Law for the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources). This law encourages manufacturers to recycle the goods and reduce the generation of the e-waste.
• The second law is called LRHA (Law for the Recycling of Specified Kind of Home Appliances). This law enforces both consumers and manufacturers recycle home appliances.
• According to this law, consumers have to pay for recycling home appliances This will include transportation costs and recycling fees. Consumers have pay to retailers for picking up their waste which is then recycled by the manufacturers.

2) China

(short note on China RoHS )

•  China RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is officially known as Management Methods for restricting the usage of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment's. This regulation helps in controlling usage of certain hazardous substances like lead, mercury, cadmium etc in electrical and electrical equipment's.
• China RoHS is quite different from EU ROHS. There are many products which are included in China RoHS but not in EU RoHS. China RoHs includes following product types:

1. Automotive devices 
2. Medical devices
3. Manufacturing equipment components
4. Electronics
5. Radar equipment 
6. Packaging materials.

• But, home appliances and toys are not included within its regulation.
• Products being sold into China must be marked as compliant or non-compliant. Manufacturers, distributors and importers need to meet the limits and requirements of China RoHS in order to continue selling products in China.
• China RoHS is implemented in two phases.

1. certain restricted materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls PBB), or Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) being used in products
2. Second phase will restrict specific substances in products 

Types of Marking required on products

There are four types of marking/label required on product. They are

• A label indicating information about usage of six restricted hazardous substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, or PBDE) in the product. If these substances are present in the product, another label called Environment-Friendly Use Period (EFUP) should be on product which determines the date until which these hazardous substances will not cause pollution.
• Table indicating information about which hazardous substances are contained in the product and the components) they are present in.
• The type of packaging material and Goods to be disclosed on the outside packaging.
• Date of manufacture of product must be marked on the product if EFUP label is need.

3. Korea

(Q. Write a short note on Korea RoHS.)

• In April 2007, National Assembly of Korea adopted the Act for Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and vehicles into the law. This is also known as Korea RoHS.
• This RoHS is designed to lessen the usage of Hazardous substances in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment's. It also facilitates collection of used products from consumers and recycles them. This means manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment or automobiles must make efforts to facilitate recycling of waste by making them recyclable and lessening usage of hazardous substances.
• Also, manufacturers or importers are required to take the used products back from consumers when selling new product to them regardless of whether the used product was manufactured by them without asking for any charges and then recycle them.
• The act includes four main requirements:

1. Restricting hazardous materials
2. Designing efficient recycling technique 
3. Recycling of WEEE
4. Recycling vehicles

Review Questions

Q.1 Write a short note on solving the E-Waste Problem (SIEP).

Q.2 Write a short note on task forces of SIEP program.

Q.3 Write a short note on Basel Action Network.

Q. 4  Explain Basel Convention in detail.

Q.5 Explain National Computer Recycling Act

Q.6 Write a short note on various initiatives taken up by California.

Q.7 Write a short note on : (i) WEEE directives (ii) RoHS

Q.8  Explain Korea RoHS

 Q.9 Explain China RoHS

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