“E-waste”, “electronic waste”, “e-scrap” and “end-of-life electronics” are terms often used to describe used electronics that are nearing the end of their useful life, and are discarded, donated or given to a recycler. Though “e-waste” is the commonly used term, EPA considers e-waste to be a subset of used electronics and recognizes the inherent value of these materials that can be reused, refurbished or recycled to minimize the actual waste that might end up in a landfill or improperly disposed in an unprotected dump site either in the US or abroad.

 

An undetermined amount of used electronics is shipped from the United States and other developed countries to developing countries that lack the capacity to reject imports or to handle these materials appropriately. Without proper standards and enforcement, improper practices may result in public health and environmental concerns, even in countries where processing facilities exist.

 

We have serious concerns about unsafe handling of used electronics and e-waste, in developing countries, that results in harm to human health and the environment. For example, there are problems with open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components, which expose workers to harmful substances. There are also problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs.

 

EPA estimates that, in 2009, US consumers and businesses discarded televisions, computers, cell phones and hard copy peripherals (including printers, scanners, faxes) totaling 2.37 million tons. Approximately 25 percent of these electronics were collected for recycling, with the remainder disposed of primarily in landfills, where the precious metals cannot be recovered.

 

 

 

In July 2011, the Task Force released the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship report, which details the federal government’s plan to enhance the management of electronics by: 1) incentivizing greener design of electronics; 2) leading by example; 3) increasing domestic recycling; and 4) reducing harmful exports of e-waste and building capacity in developing countries.

 

The strategy provides four overarching goals, action items under each goal, and the projects that will implement each action item. The international goal is aimed at “reducing the harm from US exports of e-waste and improve safe handling of used electronics in developing countries." These recommendations are described in more detail in the report.

 

On August 4, 2014, EPA, CEQ, and GSA joined the US Postal Service in Washington, DC to release Moving Sustainable Electronics Forward: A Update to the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship, a report detailing key domestic and international accomplishments as a result of the release of the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship in July 2011.  The report highlights the improvement of information on global flows of e-waste, and the strengthening of capacity around the globe to better manage used electronics. 

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Managing the e-waste created by an increasing amount of computer and telecommunication equipment is important to the Ethiopian government, and many international partners have worked in Ethiopia to help address this concern. 

In 2010, EPA provided funds to the United Nations University (UNU) to assess e-waste in Ethiopia. The assessment was carried out by Germany’s Oeko Institute. Based on the results, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) invested $1 million in a project to strengthen Ethiopia’s capacity to manage e-waste.  This was the GEF’s first investment on the e-waste issue. The EPA and GEF projects build upon a previous World Bank-funded initiative aimed at enhancing Ethiopia’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.  

Through this multiyear effort, EPA, UNU-Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP ) and the GEF assessed the state of e-waste in Ethiopia, studied national and international downstream markets for certain e-waste components, and identified financing models for sound e-waste management in Ethiopia.  The project also strengthened the capacity of a demanufacturing facility to process e-waste in Addis Ababa. 

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) was the overall manager of the GEF project, with UNU-StEP’s Initiative team serving as the technical experts.  EPA served as an international advisor to an Ethiopian working group on e-waste management during the course of this work.  The project ended in late 2016.

These efforts developed the following publications: 

The following links exit the site Exit

• Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) Green Paper: E-waste Country Study Ethiopia (PDF) (46 pp, 1.85M, About PDF)
• National and International Downstream Markets for DMF E-waste Dismantling Fractions – Metals, Printed Circuit Boards and Plastics: E-Waste Management Project in Ethiopia (PDF) (84 pp, 2.67M, About PDF)
• Financing Models for Sound E-waste Management in Ethiopia (PDF) (99 pp, 2.48M, About PDF)

International E-Waste Management Network:

In addition to country-specific capacity building, EPA engages in longer-term multilateral cooperation with key international organizations to address the export of used electronics from one country to another and its ramifications.

 

Solving the E-waste Problem (Step): Step Exit is a multi-stakeholder initiative and a global platform addressing the e-waste problem.  Step develops scientific papers to help members address e-waste issues within their own organizations and provides global, objective and scientifically-based information relevant to addressing the global problem of e-waste. EPA is a founding Step member and part of the Steering Committee.

 

Basel Convention and the Basel Secretariat: Although the U.S. is not party to the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste,Exit EPA continues to be engaged in Basel activities, including the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment (PACE). Exit PACE develops guidance on key policy issues and supports capacity-building to developing countries on used electronics and e-waste issues and a variety of capacity-building programs, including programs in West Africa (PDF), Exit through a public-private stakeholder process. 

 

North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC): Canada, Mexico and the United States are collaborating on the sound management of e-waste in North America through the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC). One project involves describing the transboundary movement, or flows, of used and end-of-life computers, monitors and other electronic equipment both within, and exported from, North America. A second project involves enhancing the capability of small and medium-sized enterprises to recycle and refurbish e-waste using sound environmental practices. CEC has released a report, “Quantitative Characterization of Domestic and Transboundary Flows of Used Electronics Products,”  (128 pp, 3 M, About PDF)EXIT detailing trade flows of used electronics from and within North America.

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