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What Can We Do About the Growing E-waste Problem? - 3 views

blogs.ei.columbia.edu/...growing-e-waste-problem technology tech Software business
shared by garz14 on 19 May 20 - No Cached
    • tcale003
      tcale003 on 19 May 20
       
      China recently banned other countries from sending e-waste to them. E-Waste is comprised of many toxic materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium which are very harmful to people and the environment. Many new technologies for biodegradable electronics are being looked at and there is even an EcoAtm in some U.S. states for people to recycle their small electronic devices.
  • When China banned 24 kinds of solid waste last September, countries such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan realized they had a big problem. Until last year, China accepted 70 percent of the world’s electronic waste—discarded computers, cell phones, printers, televisions, microwaves, smoke alarms, and other electronic equipment and parts.
  • After China stopped accepting this e-waste out of concern for its environment, Europe and North America began shipping more of it to Southeast Asia—but now Vietnam and Thailand, whose ports have been overwhelmed, are curbing imported e-waste as well.
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  • In 2016, the world’s population discarded 49 million tons of e-waste
  • It’s estimated that by 2021, that number will grow to more than 60 million tons.
  • Electronic devices are made of a complex mix of materials that include gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, lithium, cobalt and other valuable elements.
  • But electronic devices also comprise toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium, polluting PVC plastic, and hazardous chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants, which can harm human health and the environment.
  • A recent study in China found that mining copper, gold and aluminum from ore costs 13 times more than recovering the metals through the urban mining of e-waste. The state of e-waste recycling Recycling e-waste is practiced both formally and informally.
  • mally.
  • As a result, many companies and countries illegally export their e-waste to developing countries where recycling is cheap
  • Research has found that inhaling toxic chemicals and direct contact with hazardous e-waste materials (even in some formal e-waste recycling settings) result in increases in spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, premature births, reduced birth weights, mutations, congenital malformations, abnormal thyroid function, increased lead levels in blood, decreased lung function, and neurobehavioral disturbances. Moreover, e-waste toxins contaminate the air, soil and groundwater. In the face of these health and envir
  • n the face of these health and en
  • onmental hazards, however, many people in developing countries earn a living by dismantling, refurbishing, repairing and reselling used electronic devices.
  • In addition to its health hazards, informal recycling can pose security risks, because while formal recyclers in the U.S. usually require wiping devices clean of data, informal recycling does not.
  • Criminals search e-waste for credit card numbers and other financial information.
  • In order to reduce e-waste, manufacturers need to design electronics that are safer, and more durable, repairable and recyclable. Most importantly, this means using less toxic materials.
  • anonymous on 10 Jun 20
     
    This article introduces what is e-waste and the main reason for the surge in e-waste. It also introduced the current recycling status of e-waste and the harm caused by the informal recycling of e-waste, such as heavy metal poisoning and financial information leakage. In addition, measures to address the proliferation of e-waste were also discussed.
  • garz14 on 12 Apr 21
     
    It has become necessary for more proper and formal recycling of e-waste as it is economical and environmentally beneficial for companies. China decided to accept less e-waste from other counties and as a result there is more e waste going to other countries in south east Asia damaging their environments.
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Can we fix our way out of the growing e-waste problem? - BBC News - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...business-51385344 E-waste
shared by jiayi017 on 15 Jun 20 - No Cached
  • Can we fix our way out of the growing e-waste problem?
  • he 50 million tonnes of e-waste generated every year will more than double to 110 million tonnes by 2050, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the world, according to the author of a UN report.
  • But e-waste from discarded electrical and electronic products is only part of the problem. A significant contributor to e-waste is the release of toxins from mining and manufacturing.
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  • "The issue of electronic waste is overlooked, as electronic items that could be fixed easily go to waste instead, contributing to pollution and increasing the demand for components like rare earth elements, which can have a damaging impact on the environment when sourced."
  • The rare earth elements being mined are currently crucial components in high-tech electronics, but they are hazardous to extract.
  • "But the truth is that one in five people - at best - are going to be motivated to do that, so for the remaining four out of five, we need to put systems in place that are convenient, that match their lifestyles and enable us to get the electronic equipment back... into the next item."
  • "There is the high risk that the pollutants are not taken care of properly, or they are taken care of by an informal sector and recycled without properly protecting the workers, while emitting the toxins contained in e-waste," Prof Williams says.
  • By far the biggest contributors to the level of e-waste are household appliances such as irons, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and fridges.
  • There are rules on the management of e-waste. Sellers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) within the European Union must provide ways for customers to dispose of their old household device when they sell them a new version of the same product.
  • "This project allows you to reduce waste, extend the life of objects, and it helps people who cannot afford to get rid of items that have developed a fault," he says.
  • world-wide collections are stagnating or even decreasing
  • In countries where there is no national e-waste legislation in place, e-waste is likely treated as other or general waste. This is either land-filled or recycled, along with other metal or plastic wastes
  • the rapidly-growing "Internet of things" - internet-connected gadgets - is expected to generate e-waste at a faster rate, as connectivity becomes embedded into everyday items
  • obena010 on 15 Jun 20
     
    How e-waste is being manage in some countries and what people are doing to reduce their impact on e-waste.
  • jiayi017 on 11 Apr 21
     
    This article mainly introduces the problems caused by e-waste and related solutions. E-waste not only affects environmental issues such as rare earth elements when it is landfilled or incinerated, but also the mining of its equipment manufacturing also affects the social environment, because a certain amount of emissions may be released in the process. Toxins are a great harm to the environment and the human body. Therefore, with the continuous emergence of e-waste disposal problems, some companies such as Apple and Sony have begun to extend the life of their equipment in recent years, and encourage customers to trade-in for recycling, making a certain effective contribution to the growing e-waste.
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How E-Waste Affects the Environment - Human-I-T - 1 views

www.human-i-t.org/-waste-affects-the-environment
shared by anaferia on 28 Sep 22 - No Cached
amdelgad liked it
  • As the world’s fastest-growing waste stream for almost a decade now, e-waste affects the environment in truly detrimental ways. And it’s not slowing down
  • e-waste generated annually has grown by over 7% since 2020
  • 59.4 million metric tons projected by the end of 2022
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  • expected to grow 26% by 2030 and double by 2050
  • two big factors contributing to its current acceleration.
  • first is growing incomes in low- and middle-income countries which allow more people than ever to access consumer electronics
  • second is the increasing availability of previously unthought-of electronic products to consumers in middle- and high-income countries
  • Products like e-cigarettes and electric vehicles are just two examples of products that, due to their increased popularity, have begun contributing more e-waste to landfills over the past decade.
  • electronics which power our lives are composed of substances which are harmful to the environment and our health.
  • e-waste negatively impacts the environment: air, water, and soil.
  • E-waste pollutes the air primarily as a consequence of improper recycling processes that are typical at informal e-waste processing plants located in developing economies
  • E-waste workers dismantle and shred electronics at these plants, which flings large amounts of dust and other particulates into the air.
  • e-waste workers use acids, desoldering materials, and other chemicals to dissolve e-waste with high-value materials like gold and silver . These techniques then release additional damaging fumes into local communities.
  • Recyclers dispose of acids and other chemicals they rely on to strip precious metals from e-waste into streams, ponds, and rivers. Then, the heavy metals inside of e-waste – like lead, arsenic, and cadmium – then compound this damage by seeping into water tables from landfills and e-waste dumps.
  • Increased acidification of waterways leads to more marine life and fish dying.
  • The heavy metals that are present then leach into those same waterways where they damage fishes’ tissues and gills.
  • two contaminants – acid and heavy metals – decimate biodiversity. This creates a domino effect where some organisms – previously constrained by predators – are then able to flourish and dominate the area
  • increased exposure to e-waste leads to ecosystem collapse in and around our waterways.
  • the dismantling, shredding, or burning of e-waste can also release large, coarse particles into the air.
  • due to their size and weight, these particles then quickly fall back to Earth where they subsequently contaminate soil. Shredding and burning of e-waste also produces toxic ash containing heavy metals and flame retardants which then leach into soil.
  • If we want to protect our planet from scourge e-waste, we’re going to have to start prioritizing reuse above all. By embracing this central principle of the circular economy, we can begin diverting valuable electronics away from landfills and back into the hands of people who need them
  • anaferia on 28 Sep 22
     
    To summarize, E-waste has been the fastest-growing waste stream in the world for nearly a decade, and it has a really negative impact on the environment. And the pace is not decreasing. E-waste is made of the materials that make up the electronics that run our life which are bad for the environment and for our health. Additionally, the three primary impacts are air, water, and soil that negatively affects the environment. Finally, to protect our planet from e-waste is prioritizing reuse of products.
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A welcome sign: Hotels adopt reuse and recycling - Waste Mangagement World - 0 views

www.waste-management-world.com/...adopt-reuse-and-recycling.html hotel hospitality green
shared by Qianlin Wang on 18 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • At most hotels, waste is created at upwards of 1 kg per guest per night - a large amount when multiplied by the number of hotels and guests around the world. But many hoteliers are responding to the waste challenge.
  • Wherever possible, waste elimination at source must be a hotel’s number-one priority.
  • A major way in which many hotels reduce waste at source is by running towel and linen reuse programmes.
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  • Having addressed waste at source, the next step is to put appropriate systems in place to identify how the remaining waste can be redeployed.
  • Any waste that cannot be reused needs to be sorted into its component fractions so that as much as possible can be recovered for recycling.
  • Many resort-based hotels, and those with sufficient space outside, compost their organic waste.
  • Another way of dealing with kitchen and garden waste is using it as feed for biogas plants. 
  • Waste management is not new to the operating agenda of hotels, and for many it is part of their overall environmental management system (EMS).
  • Qianlin Wang on 18 Sep 12
     
    At most hotels, waste is created at upwards of 1 kg per guest per night - a large amount when multiplied by the number of hotels and guests around the world. Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of the hotel industry. Hotels can make a significant impact on waste reduction and recycling.  Hoteliers have many opportunities to reduce waste by establishing waste prevention and recycling programs and by purchasing recycled products. Besides reducing waste and saving money, these actions can increase employee morale and customer satisfaction. Hotels and motels generate large amounts of highly recyclable materials, such as office paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass. Work with your waste hauler or recycler to arrange the details of your recycling program. Management should adopt an environmental policy to reflect how the company sees itself in relation to the environment, neighbors, and the people it employs and serves. Chains with multiple locations may want to encourage each hotel to evaluate and establish its own program.
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Electronic Waste: A Growing Concern in Today's Environment - 0 views

www.hindawi.com/...474230
shared by yvenisem on 28 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • Over the past two decades, the global market of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) continues to grow exponentially, while the lifespan of those products becomes shorter and shorter. Therefore, business as well as waste management officials are facing a new challenge, and e-Waste or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is receiving considerable amount of attention from policy makers.
    • yvenisem
      yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
       
      From this we see technology market is progressing to grow however the lifespan of these items lessesns. In turn, this creates a problem for those that work in the waste managemnent sector and calls for politics to get involved.
  • e-Waste has raised concerns because many components in these products are toxic and do not biodegrade easily if at all.
    • yvenisem
      yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
       
      Besides contributing to landfills e-waste can also contain many toxic chemicals. I know that mercury and other harmful chemicals can are common in electronics.
  • Most developing countries lack the waste removal infrastructure and technical capacities necessary to ensure the safe disposal of hazardous waste. And e-Waste has been linked to a variety of health problems in these countries, including cancer, neurological and respiratory disorders, and birth defects
    • yvenisem
      yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
       
      One of the biggest issues is that developing countries do not have the resources or infastructure to properly dispose of e-waste. I know that economics play a huge roll in this issue as 3rd world countries are often used as dumping places for 1st world waste, and these problems are not being addressed because of sytematic limitations. The health concerns are also staggering, they include: cancer, birth defects etc...
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  • However, even with these regulations, all hazardous materials that are used in newly manufactured products cannot be fully controlled, and management of e-Waste within the supply chain cannot be fully addressed.
    • yvenisem
      yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
       
      From this we can see that even with additional policies enacted they are simply not enough to address the e-waste issue. In my opinion with a issue this severe more drastic measures should be taken considering the options that have been exacterbated.
  • For e-Waste management systems, some of the most successful examples can be found in countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands [16 D. Sinha-Khetriwal, P. Kraeuchi, and R. Widmer, “Producer responsibility for e-waste management: key issues for consideration—learning from the Swiss experience,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 90, no. 1, pp. 153–165, 2009. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar See in References ]. Experience of the Swiss e-Waste management system is shown as an example in this paper. Generally, the Swiss e-Waste management system can be viewed as an ERP-based system, where each stakeholder has their own clear definition of role and responsibilities as shown in Table 4.
    • yvenisem
      yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
       
      Here we see that more sucessful applications have been implemented in Nordic countries. The author goes into further detail about the techniques used by these countries.
  • yvenisem on 28 Sep 20
     
    The main point of this scientific report was to demonstrate how e-waste is becoming an issue and why the current structures in place today are simply not enough to overcome this issue. The author goes into detail the common issues with e-waste: hazardous materials being disposed of incorrectly, the side effects e-waste has on human and environmental life, how current infrastructures in 3rd world countries are not able to keep up with the waste load, why certain policies aren't enough and how new techniques such as the ones being applied in Nordic countries may be the answer to the issue. Ultimately the author makes the argument for why it is an issue, how the issue is growing, and presents alternatives on how to better tackle the e-waste issue.
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Sustainable Hotel Waste Management | RTSSustainable hotel waste management - How hospit... - 0 views

www.rts.com/...-is-tackling-its-waste-problem hotel hospitality management sustainable systems technology software business solution
shared by claudecole on 27 Sep 22 - No Cached
  • What impact will PPE waste streams have on waste management within hotels, and can the industry find better ways to deal with them?
  • Convenience and service have always been at the core of hotels, and a focus on hygiene is an integral part of that.
  • this means large quantities of waste – from single-use shampoos and plastic-wrapped bathrobes to breakfast buffets that encourage indulgence.
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  • The pandemic has had a major impact on hotels and there is an entirely new stream of hotel waste – PPE.
  • , often with single-use plastics, it could mean a huge step back.
  • items such as reusable masks for staff can help reduce PPE waste, with multiple options now available and the WHO still approving the use of properly manufactured fabric masks.
  • microplastics in the food chain or the estimated $2.5 trillion in damage and lost resources it causes to fisheries, aquaculture, recreational activities, and global wellbeing.
  • uch as plastic hotel key cards. While reusable, they will end up in the trash eventually, and many end up broken or lost after a few uses.
  • Food is the single largest component of US landfills with roughly 80 billion pounds being thrown away each year in America.
  • Even the most stringent company policies on plastic and food could still leave a hotel having to deal with more waste than expected.
  • over half of global travelers are now looking to travel more sustainably, and more than 60% of Americans are willing to spend more on sustainable products.
  • Rotana, for example, announced that it would remove all single-use plastic toiletries from its hotel rooms, saving an estimated 17 million plastic bottles and 100 tons of plastic every year.
  • replacing plastic key cards with mobile apps.
  • implement more robust recycling programs that help deal with waste in a sustainable way.
  • Beyond this, some hospitality establishments are now offering outreach to teach guests and staff more about sustainable waste management. This can extend beyond physical waste, to inform people about reducing hotel power and water waste as well.
  • claudecole on 27 Sep 22
     
    This article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic caused an influx in plastic waste due to an increased need for PPE. This article also talked about how hotels are trying to combat the effects of microplastics by limiting their implementation in their operation by finding other alternatives such as mobile apps and QR codes. One thing I found to be extremely interesting that was mentioned within the article was the fact that companies are investing in educating both their guests and staff on waste management.
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Hospitality Technology - Three Ways the Hospitality Industry Can Reduce Waste | LIFE FO... - 3 views

www.lifefoster.eu/...lity-industry-can-reduce-waste
shared by Olivier on 02 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • 25 percent of all food passing through kitchens gets thrown out
  • Set real benchmarks to achieve goals.
  • leak detection systems are installed in only 21 percent of hotel properties
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  • The average person in the U.S. generates more than 4 pounds of waste per day
  • understand where their waste comes from
  • Capturing qualitative and quantitative waste data from waste bills, and the trash itself, enables hotels to build a business case for waste reduction, identify new opportunities for recycling and food waste programs, and target org-wide training programs to maximize diversion
  • recycling containers are still uncommon in guestrooms
  • identify trends and targets to focus on by geographic region, site function, or department
  • Waste can fluctuate due to the economy, opening or closing locations, and changes in packaging, so measuring tons of waste generated against a specific metric, such as items sold or people served, can be much more effective.
  • Know the local landscape.
  • adjust best practices around local regulations and recycling and composting programs
  • Data is the key to turning a sustainability dream into reality – to thinking strategically about both financial and environmental costs and embracing a holistic approach to waste reduction.
  • Olivier on 02 Sep 19
     
    Waste management is a real concern nowadays especially in the hospitality industry whcih is facing waste in many different department within their walls. The Dumpster dive for data, the setting of real benchmarks and the understanding of the local landscape are 3 major ways on how an Hotel can reduce their waste.
  • llaff002 on 03 Sep 19
     
    Interesting article. Waste management is a concern. This problem needs a solution, by collecting data will show hotels where the changes need to be made. These are practices that need to be in place to be beneficial for our environment. By placing recycling containers in guests rooms may be beneficial, having them on housekeeping carts could be another avenue to explore. Different solutions will need to be made for all aspects of the hotel. In my opinion, I believe there will be practices in place that will help reduce hotel waste and improve our environment.
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How hotels are becoming smarter about waste | Hotel Management - 0 views

www.hotelmanagement.net/...e-becoming-smarter-about-waste
shared by anonymous on 25 Apr 20 - No Cached
  • Resorts, hotels and restaurants generate a lot of waste—from food, packaging, amenity containers, waste water from toilets, kitchens and laundries.
  • Food waste accounts for more than 50 percent of waste in the hospitality industry. In the U.S., more than $218 billion is spent on growing, processing, transporting and disposing of food that is never eaten. This is mostly from homes and the foodservice industry, which includes hotels, with a whopping 70 billion pounds of food wasted every year.
  • The city of San Francisco has taken some of the most significant waste management steps in the country. After adopting a zero-waste policy in 2002, the city partnered with Recology, its long-term materials management service provider, to implement a five-pronged strategy, which is aiming for zero waste by 2020: Create convenient programs Conduct extensive public outreach Provide generator and service provider incentives Process trash to recover materials Adopt waste-reduction policies
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  • Recology provides similar economic incentives through its “pay-as-you-throw” program  in which the less trash a business discards and the more it recycles and composts, the less it pays for pick-up services.
  • “Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.”
  • For business, especially hotels and restaurants, Stephanie Barger director of market development, zero waste programs at the U.S. Green Building Council, emphasized that “zero waste businesses are better businesses—better for themselves, better for customers and the communities in which they operate.”
  • anonymous on 25 Apr 20
     
    This article goes over the idea of zero waste. It continues on to explain what it means and how hotels are adapting to it.
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UN report: Time to seize opportunity, tackle challenge of e-waste | UNEP - UN Environme... - 0 views

www.unenvironment.org/...unity-tackle-challenge-e-waste e-waste technology Hospitality solution green
shared by mtedd003 on 01 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • The world produces as much as 50 million tonnes of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) a year, weighing more than all of the commercial airliners ever made. Only 20% of this is formally recycled.
  • worth over $62.5 billion
  • Global e-waste production is on track to reach 120 million tonnes per year by 2050 if current trends continue,
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  • $62.5 billion, more than the GDP of most countries.
  • Less than 20% of e-waste is formally recycled, with 80% either ending up in landfill or being informally recycled – much of it by hand in developing countries, exposing workers to hazardous and carcinogenic substances such as mercury, lead and cadmium.
  • improper management of e-waste is resulting in a significant loss of scarce and valuable raw materials, such as gold, platinum, cobalt and rare earth elements.
    • mtedd003
      mtedd003 on 01 Sep 20
       
      The resources not consumed but still existing in landfills.
  • circular economy in which resources are not extracted, used and discarded, but valued and reused
  • Nigerian Government, the Global Environment Facility and UN Environment announced a $2-million investment to kick off the formal e-waste recycling industry in Nigeria.
  • 100,000 people work in the informal e-waste sector in Nigeria.
  • PACE is a public-private collaboration mechanism and project accelerator dedicated to bringing about the circular economy at speed and scale.
  • The UN E-waste coalition is a group of seven UN agencies who have come together to increase collaboration, build partnerships and more efficiently provide support to Member States to address the e-waste challenge.
  • mtedd003 on 01 Sep 20
     
    The Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) is a public-private group consisting of more than 50 heads from various internal and external organizations. The group intends to fight the route cause of e-waste by repairing the method for which technology is recycled. The plan of action is to establish a circular economy. Materials are consumed, trashed, and eventually sent to landfills or sent for workers in toxic unsafe conditions to extract the precious materials. The world produces 50 million tons of e-waste annually, accumulating a worth of almost $62 billion. 80% of e-waste is improperly recycled in dangerous polluted conditions, creating an environmental hazard and unethical work conditions. Valuable resources such as gold, are also lost due to this poor method of recycling.Nigeria is one of the many countries that has exploited thousands of workers in the recycling of e-waste. In an effort to reform this issue, the Nigerian government has invested $15 million to employ PACE's circular economy. The design of a circular economy allows for products to be either made for longer use or recycled in a sustainable way. The circular economy will allow for a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of harvesting these resources while providing sustainable job opportunities.
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Why the U.S. is Terrible at Recycling Electronics | Digital Trends - 0 views

www.digitaltrends.com/...-waste-recycling-united-states technology hospitality business tech
shared by kmill139 on 17 Jun 21 - No Cached
  • E-waste in the United States is out of control.
  • You may assume America has to at least be on par with the rest of the first world when finding a forever home for computers, phones, and printers, but you’d be wrong.
  • Those millions of old motherboards and TVs consoles rotting in landfills and warehouses aren’t just eyesores. They amount to a massive health hazard. While electronics waste comprises only 2-3 percent of America’s solid waste stream, the lead, cadmium, chromium, and other materials in aging circuitry account for 70 percent of the hazardous material in landfills, according to an EPA report.
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  • Others go belly up, leaving behind millions of pounds of old gadgets piled in mountainous heaps atop land which has lead levels many times normal.
  • You’re probably not screaming into a paper bag about the $20 billion or so of gold that’s trashed in electronics every year worldwide. Precious metals come and go. But if you care about the soil that comprises the land of the brave, you should start thinking about what happened to last year’s smartphone (even if it’s just sitting in the garage).
  • This list of reasons isn’t exhaustive, but serves as a solid starting point for understanding the United States’ e-waste dilemma and what can be done.
  • U.S. e-waste recycling laws are often outdated or nonexistent
  • Only 25 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have legislation that addresses e-waste recycling. The other 25 don’t have comprehensive programs, and don’t report what happens to the electronics beyond occasional voluntary numbers, says Jason Linnell, head of the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER). Federal laws don’t explicitly address e-waste recycling.
  • The U.S. isn’t good at recycling
  • The current level and effectiveness of e-waste recycling depends on which state you live in and whether or not you trust locals to “do the right thing.” The hope for improvement sits with congressional reps, state lawmakers, manufacturers, and gadget freaks (yes, you).
  • Single-stream recycling hasn’t helped
  • Between 2005 and 2014, single stream recycling programs increased from 29 to 80 percent in American towns and cities. During that same time period, material contamination rates increased from 7 to 25 percent.
  • E-waste legislation regularly disappears in Congress
  • This is not the first Congressional session in which similar bills have been introduced and allowed to die like a first grade classroom goldfish on summer break. SEERA currently sits with the house’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Why is it so tough to pass e-waste legislation?
  • The U.S. is an environmental rogue
  • As of late 2018, 186 states and the European Union have ratified it and follow its legal framework. The United States has signed the Basel Convention, indicating an intent to ratify, but is the only developed nation that hasn’t actually done so, which
  • After the initial Basel Convention was adopted in 1989, many organizations said the treaty didn’t do enough to address the disposal of waste from first world countries into the developing world, and pressed for an update, which eventually became 1995’s Basel Ban Amendment. The tweak — which was attacked by many industrial powers, including the U.S., Canada, and Japan — needed three decades before it was accepted by enough countries to go into effect. In August 2019, Croatia became the 97th country to ratify it, which transformed the updated stipulations into international law in December 2019.
  • EPA regulations are incomplete
  • Federal attempts at regulation have stalled, been killed
  • U.S. pushes back against international efforts
  • As a part of the 2003 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive), the public was guaranteed free recycling services, and conveniently located collection centers. Around the same time, the EU also passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS), aka the “lead-free directive,” which restricts the use of several toxic materials in the manufacture of circuitry and electronic products.
  • In Japan, the Association for Electric Home Appliances requires consumers to help pay for the processing of their goods and manufacturers to set up recycling programs. Electronics recycling has been promoted as such a point of national pride — because Japan is both a huge consumer of gadgets and the country has few indigenous precious metals — that there’s serious talk of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympic metals out of recycled materials. An estimated 80,000 cell phones need to be pulled apart and picked over to complete the plan.
  • State-level e-cycling programs are uneven
  • Certified e-cycling programs are important, but also confusing
  • If you’re the compliance officer who has to make sure the company’s used servers don’t wind up getting tossed in an Indonesian landfill, and you won’t have to nervously answer questions in a “60 Minutes” exposé, you probably want to get that e-waste removed by a disposal team with one of these
  • That all sounds great until you listen to Puckett, who helped create the e-Stewards protocols. He’s one of several people who took part in the development of R2 for over two years and then refused to continue when the proposed guidelines seemed to be too tainted by lobbyists, including ones at the Institute of Scrap Recycling (ISRI), an organization that favors a free market approach over regulation. Puckett and 13 recyclers created e-Stewards, which describes itself as the “the cleanest, most globally responsible standard for e-waste recycling.” He points out that the R2 certification still allows recyclers to export to developing countries. E-Stewards’ doesn’t. R2 recyclers can drop toxic e-waste in landfills or incinerators in the event of “circumstances beyond their
  • Scrap recycling lobby doesn’t like regulations
  • The announcer proudly explains e-cycling is a vibrant industry that adds 20.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 45,000 jobs domestically, “safeguarding our environment,” along the way.
  • Can anything be done? Possibly
  • Recycling isn’t the only answer for fewer landfills filled with decaying circuits. Chris Wellise, Chief Sustainability Officer for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), which installs and recovers tech, emphasizes the importance of designing products for longevity, disassembly, and reuse.
  • “On average, 85 percent of the environmental impacts can be addressed in the design phase,” estimates Wellise.
  • Similar challenges exist for smartphones. Review IFixit’s guide for repairability and you can expect the phones that are easy to disassemble are also easier to refurbish or scrap. In an unusual display of transparency, eco-minded electronics company Fairphone sells spare parts on its site and has visual cues printed on the pieces to help novices figure out where everything goes. In case you’re wondering, it’s possible to make a Fairphone work in America, but most of the company’s sales are in Europe.
  • In 2018, Apple gave birth to Daisy, a robot that can disassemble 200 of the company’s phones in an hour — 1.2 million a year. The company has an installation of the machine in Austin, Texas, and another in the Netherlands. Daisy’s supply chain of used products comes from the company’s in-store trade-in program and a partnership with Best Buy.
  • Pretty awe-inspiring, right? Keep in mind that Apple sold over 217 million phones just in 2018 and has moved 2.2 billion iPhone units since the product line launched in 2007. The two Daisy divisions aren’t even working at capacity. Apple is willing to license the robot technology so any company can use it to disassemble phones, but none have approached them yet.
  • carlatj on 17 Jun 21
     
    "Maybe it's easy to ignore the huge percentage of vintage gadgets that wind up torched in dicey scrap heaps in developing countries". This article was written on Feb-27-2020. The problem we saw on the old video is still very much a problem now, only bigger.
  • kmill139 on 29 Sep 21
     
    This article was super informative in the realm of E-waste. It covered every aspect of the issue and most definitely is relevant in today's world.
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Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste) | US EPA - 0 views

www.epa.gov/...aning-electronic-waste-e-waste E-waste EPA Cleaning Electronics Third World
shared by krikooo94 on 20 Feb 22 - No Cached
  • EPA works bilaterally with governments and environmental officials around the world on e-waste management.  U.S. EPA and Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (Taiwan EPA) coordinate the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN), which has brought together environmental officials from Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and North America to exchange best practices on e-waste management since 2011. 
  • EPA also collaborates with the Solving the E-waste Problem Initiative (Step)Exit Exit EPA website  to jointly address the e-waste problem in developing countries. Step, formerly known as UNU-Step, was previously an initiative under the United Nations University (UNU)
  • “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.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • To this end, EPA funded UNU-StEP to lead a study on US exports of used electronics in an attempt to better define the US contribution to the overall e-waste problem.  StEP collaborated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER)
  • 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.  
  • avanzado on 20 Feb 22
     
    This article is explaining electronic waste and its danger to developing countries when the materials are not properly disposed of. Many countries have joined forces to create the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN).
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Electronic Waste Is Becoming a Global Environmental Problem | Time - 1 views

time.com/...world-electronic-waste-problem
shared by alo328 on 23 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • s a tech-hungry nation flush with cash gets ready to upgrade to the next generation of lightning-fast 5G devices, there is a surprising environmental cost to be reckoned with: a fresh mountain of obsolete gadgets. About 6 million lb
  • Workers with hammers hack at the bulkiest devices, while others remove dangerous components like lithium-ion batteries
  • That cycle of consumption has made electronics waste the world’s fastest-growing s
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • “In our society, we always have to have the new, best product,” said Aaron Blum, the co-founder and chief operating officer of ERI, on a tour of the facility
  • 5G promises faster speeds and other benefits. But experts say it will also result in a dramatic increase in e-waste, as millions of smartphones, modems and other gadgets incompatible with 5G networks are made obsolete
  • But less than a quarter of all U.S. electronic waste is recycled, according to a United Nations estimate. The rest is incinerated or ends up in landfills
  • Environmental concerns aside, compacting flammable lithium-ion batteries with paper recycling can be dangerous; recycling centers have reported an uptick in fires
  • Even when e-waste rules exist, it’s left up to consumers to handle their old devices prop
  • ly. But recycling them can be a
  • We don’t necessarily have the measures to make sure people aren’t throwing it away,” Walters said.
  • One solution is to make electronics last as long as they once did. At ERI’s facility, Shegerian showed TIME dozens of televisions from the 1970s and 1980s that stopped working only recently
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us in
  • o shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,” said Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit
  • Some environmental groups say multibillion-dollar companies like Apple and Samsung should pick up the cost of recycling the devices they sell. Lawmakers in parts of Europe and Canada and in some U.S. states have passed so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which require manufacturers to establish and fund systems to recycle or collect obsolete products
  • Even so, some companies are increasing their recycling efforts on their own, whether for the economic benefit or the public relations boost (mining fresh materials has financial, environmental and human costs of its own). For instance, Apple in 2018 introduced Daisy, a smartphone-recycling robot that can take apart 200 iPhones every hour, and says it diverted 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills that year
  • About 6 million lb. of discarded electronics are already processed monthly at recycling giant ERI’s Fresno plant.
  • Americans spent $71 billion on telephone and communication equipment in 2017, nearly five times what they spent in 2010 even when adjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Apple alone sold 60 million iPhones domestically last year, according to Counterpoint Research.)
  • That stream is expected to turn into a torrent as the world upgrades to 5G, the next big step in wireless technology.
  • Part of the problem is regulatory. Only 19 states have laws banning electronics from the regular trash. In states without such rules, like Nevada, electronics often end up in garbage and recycling bins, said Jeremy Walters, a community-relations manager for waste collector Republic Services
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us into shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,”
  • nbakir on 23 Sep 20
     
    Advancement in technology every day has led to the dumping of electronic gadgets no longer wanted to the environment. Heaps of unwanted electronic waste, hazardous containing substances like lithium-ion batteries, are dumped into the ground with all their toxicology. As the world upgrades to 5G, it will end in a rapid surge in e-waste. According to John Shegerian thinks people are yet to see the magnitude of the transition to 5G, it is tremendous than changing from analog to digital (Samuels & Calif, 2019). However, it comes with many advantages; its outcome is a drastic rise in electronic waste. The ERI recycles less than a quarter of the United States' e-waste according to the estimate made by the United Nations, and the other dumped in landfills. This waste contains harmful metals such as beryllium and mercury, that have adverse environmental dangers. Among the 50 states in the United States, only 19 States have imposed a law to bun electronics from regular trash (Samuels & Calif, 2019); the rest of the states, like Nevada they are incorporated in recycling and trash bins, according to Jeremy Walters's manager for waste collection. The consumers are left to handle their e-waste even though there are e-waste rules. Multibillion companies should the responsibility and cater for the cost of recycling for the products they are manufacturing. Companies like Apple and Samsung, nonetheless the United States is repelling modifications to the prevailing laws, according to Scott Cassel Product Stewardship Institute found. However, some companies are improving through increasing their recycling efforts. For instance, Daisy, a recycling robot introduced by Apple, can collect more than 200 iPhones for recycling every hour. But this is not enough since e-waste generated annually globally is more than we can imagine, which almost 50 tons (Samuels & Calif, 2019). In a nutshell, technology can bring many benefits to society. Still, it can also harm both the environment and the p
  • khadija2050 on 28 Sep 20
     
    the article explores the dangers of elctronic waste and give suggestions on how to better monitor this issue and resolve.
  • alo328 on 21 Feb 21
     
    This article explains how the rapid advancement of technology has impulsed an increase in the use of technology, however has resulted in a rise in ewaste percentage. This happens because companies have opted for creating products that do not last for long periods of time, since they want to sell future products.
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Tackling e-waste | GISWatch - 0 views

www.giswatch.org/...tackling-e-waste
shared by cbespinel on 21 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Policy and regulatory mechanisms E-waste is very much a subject dealt with by individual states, even though the movement (or dumping) of e waste blurs state boundaries. In order to address the transborder issue, the United Nations (UN) introduced the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. So far 134 countries have recognised this convention. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US are yet to ratify it. Nevertheless, ratification of the Basel Convention has not necessarily led to policy or legislative responses. In some countries where legislation has been developed, the success has been mixed. For instance, despite all legislative efforts to establish sustainable e waste recycling in many developed countries such as the UK – also party to 1994 European Community convention that bans the export of hazardous waste to anywhere outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – these laws often lack effective implementation or regulations. Good recycling calls for efficient collection points, appropriate recycling technologies, and integrating streams of waste in a country or region with appropriate recycling infrastructures in place.
  • cbespinel on 21 Sep 12
     
    The Basel Convention is a great step forward in controlling e-waste, the US still needs to get on board and deal with electronic waste within its own territory and not send it abroad to be dealt with. Once this happens then the reality of how much waste is produced will be evident and actions will be taken to reduce, reuse and recycle.
  • Nelson Placa on 23 Sep 12
     
    It is important for companies to get involved in protecting the environment. The need to ensure that we are recycling e-waste properly to protect our lands is vital. The government needs to mandate that technological companies protect the environment and force them to ensure that e-waste is being performed correctly. It is great to know that both Dell and Microsoft are working together to make this happen (http://venturebeat.com/2010/04/22/microsoft-joins-with-dell-to-tackle-e-waste-on-earth-day/).
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What Can We Do About the Growing E-waste Problem? - 0 views

news.climate.columbia.edu/...growing-e-waste-problem technology Hospitality e-waste circular-economy
shared by fischerc014 on 17 Apr 22 - No Cached
  • Why the upsurge in e-waste? Technology is becoming more and more integrated into every aspect of our lives.
  • Companies intentionally plan the obsolescence of their goods by updating the design or software and discontinuing support for older models, so that now it is usually cheaper and easier to buy a new product than to repair an old one.
  • The U.S., the second largest producer of e-waste after China, produced 10 million tons of e-waste in 2012
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • 40 percent of the e-waste supposedly recycled in the U.S. was actually exported. Most of it ended up in developing countries—usually in Asia
  • only 29 percent of this was recycled—the rest is usually landfilled, incinerated or stuck in a closet.
  • With the flood of e-waste growing around the world, recycling alone will not be enough.
  • A circular economy is one that aims to keep products and all their materials in circulation at their highest value at all times or for as long as possible.
  • imagine a system where the provider or manufacturer retained ownership of the device through the contract so customers would pay a lower monthly fee and be expected to return the device for an upgrade. The value could be recaptured in the form of parts for remanufacture or materials for recycling, and customers would still get their upgrades.”
  • fischerc014 on 17 Apr 22
     
    E-waste (electronic waste) has continually risen due to technology being part of our everyday lives. Upgrades for technology happen e very year and so the life span of devices becomes shorter due to new technology being available. Only 29% of e-waste is recycled in the U.S. There has to be better solutions to combat e-waste. The concept of circular economy can help with the e-waste problem.
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The depressing truth about e-waste: 10 things to know - TechRepublic - 0 views

www.techrepublic.com/...bout-e-waste-10-things-to-know technology waste pollution solution recycle trade in
shared by avila031 on 20 Sep 18 - No Cached
  • What is surprising, however, is how little the public knows about e-waste and how to properly dispose of electronics.
  • Electronic waste is a globalized business, and about 70% to 80% of it is shipped to landfills in many developing nations,
  • under-regulated environments.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • In 2012, the US generated more than 9 million tons of e-waste, which was a huge jump from its 2 million tons in 2005. According to the EPA, 141 million mobile devices were ready for end-of-life management in 2008, but they made up less than 1% of discarded electronics. Of the electronic waste the US generated, only 25% was recycled. The other 75% was sent to landfills in the US or abroad.
  • United Nations' Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP) Initiative,
  • harmful elements include:Lead, which is in most electronic equipmentBeryllium, a lightweight metal in many electronics Mercury, in many lighting displays Polyvinyl chloride, often used for cabling in circuit board
  • The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2013, which would make it illegal for the US to send toxic e-waste to other nations was never passed. The Senate introduced the same one in March 2014, but it still hasn't passed.
  • Apple unveiled a new trade-in program for iPhones
  • avila031 on 20 Sep 18
     
    This article focuses on the electronic waste epidemic that is occurring all around the globe. Because so many people are clueless on the subject they have listed out the 10 basic things you should know on the subject. 1. Is everything that makes up electronic waste which is just about everything you use and everything in your home including fridges, washing machines, ect. 2. It explains where all of it goes, even though we think it may be getting disposed of properly about 80% is sent to developing nations. 3. It explains that this is extremely dangerous as it has harmful elements that can even cause death when not handled properly. 4. It has the potential to be used again or even made into new things like jewelry. 5. There are trust worthy places you can take your old electronics such as e-Stewards. 6. Ways to avoid giving your old electronics to the wrong person. 7. The reason this is happening is because there really isn't any laws to prevent it. 8. Thankfully now companies are starting to implement trade in programs. 9. China is truly suffering from this problem. 10. Shows just how little people know about E-waste.
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Soaring e-waste affects the health of millions of children, WHO warns - 0 views

www.who.int/...millions-of-children-who-warns technology Software e-waste waste
shared by balle028 on 20 Jun 21 - No Cached
  • As many as 12.9 million women are working in the informal waste sector, which potentially exposes them to toxic e-waste and puts them and their unborn children at risk.Meanwhile more than 18 million children and adolescents, some as young as 5 years of age, are actively engaged in the informal industrial sector, of which waste processing is a sub-sector. Children are often engaged by parents or caregivers in e-waste recycling because their small hands are more dexterous than those of adults. Other children live, go to school and play near e-waste recycling centres where high levels of toxic chemicals, mostly lead and mercury, can damage their intellectual abilities 
  • For an expectant mother, exposure to toxic e-waste can affect the health and development of her unborn child for the rest of its life. Potential adverse health effects include negative birth outcomes, such as stillbirth and premature births, as well as low birth weight and length.  Exposure to lead from e-waste recycling activities has been associated with significantly reduced neonatal behavioural neurological assessment scores, increased rates of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioural problems, changes in child temperament, sensory integration difficulties, and reduced cognitive and language scores.
  • A rapidly escalating problem
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The WHO Initiative on E-waste and Child Health, launched in 2013, aims to increase access to evidence, knowledge and awareness of the health impacts of e-waste; improve health sector capacity to manage and prevent risks, track progress and promote e-waste policies that better protect child health; and improve monitoring of exposure to e-waste and the facilitation of interventions that protect public health.
  • balle028 on 20 Jun 21
     
    This Article corresponds to the two discussion posts this week. where we see e-waste not only a growing problem for pollution but affecting the health of younger children in surrounding areas, this article discusses how the WHO is trying to bring awareness to this issue.
20More

Global Effects of E-Waste Can Cost You Your Health and the Environment - 0 views

www.ewaste1.com/waste-can-cost-you-your-health E-Waste
shared by qyang010 on 28 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • Why the global cost of throwing away old electronics is so high  What e-waste bioleaching and bioaccumulation mean for YOUR health How you can help solve the problem with environmentally-friendly electronic waste disposal techniques
  • people discard electronics at the slightest inconvenience
  • According to the EPA, e-waste accounts for 5% of the municipal solid waste stream In 2020, the global amount of e-waste is predicted to exceed 50 million tons  International e-waste levels are expected to grow by 8% per year 
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • 2. E-waste Disposal & Your Health: A Recipe for Toxic Waste
  • highly toxic elements, including
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Cadmium
  • most electronics contain more than just simple ingredients. 
  • CopyDeleteMercuryCopyDeleteCadmiumCopyDeletemost electronics contain more than just simple ingre
  • Barium
  • And fire retardants like Bromine 
  • Unfortunately, if these elements are ingested in high quantities, it can cause a recipe for disaster. 
  • consuming these toxic minerals on a day-to-day basis – one gigabyte at a time.
  • Environmental Effects of E-Waste Bioleaching
  • electronic waste can leach out into the surrounding area and contaminate crops, livestock, and wildlife. 
  • Health Effects of E-Waste: Example of Biomagnification
  • 3. The Best Solution to E-Waste Management
  • easily recycle your old smartphones
  • Reduce environmental destruction caused by mining  Decrease the spread of dangerous e-waste toxins  Produce an economy centered around recycled elements
29More

Green Computing, a contribution to save the environment | Lancaster University - 1 views

www.lancaster.ac.uk/...bution-to-save-the-environment green-computing environmental-data-science sustainability technology
shared by smend120 on 30 Sep 21 - No Cached
  • Going Green" is a rising trend establishing itself as the preferred way of doing things while saving the environment.
  • Green computing is the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. In broader terms, it is also defined as the study of designing, engineering, manufacturing, using and disposing of computing devices in a way that reduces their environmental impact.
  • Green Computing involves reducing the environmental impact of technology. That means using less energy, reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Green computing aims to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the Information Technology and Systems business and related industries
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • Energy-efficiency and e-waste are two major techniques involved in green computing. Energy efficiency involves implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption. And e-waste is the proper disposal of electronic waste.
  • It is estimated that out of $250 billion per year spent on powering computers worldwide only about 15% of that power is spent computing, the rest is wasted idling (i.e. consumed by computers which are not in use but still turned ON).
  • A recent example is seen in Intel's 2030 strategy. Intel has been committed to continued progress on achieving net positive water use, 100% green power and zero waste to landfills across Intel's global manufacturing operations.
  • Because "one company can't solve climate change" according to Intel CEO Bob Swan, Intel is marking a new era of shared corporate responsibility and collaboration.
  • Green design: Designing energy-efficient computers, servers, printers, projectors and other digital devices.
  •  Green manufacturing: Minimising waste during the manufacturing of computers and other subsystems to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.
  •  Green use: Minimising the electricity consumption of computers and their peripheral devices and using them in an eco-friendly manner.
  • Green disposal: Repurposing existing equipment or appropriately disposing of, or recycling, unwanted electronic equipment.
  • Going Green" is a rising trend establishing itself as the preferred way of doing things while saving the environment
  • Green Computing, a contribution to save the environment
  • hat means
  • The world is facing challenges that we understand better each day as we collect and analyse more data, but they go unchecked without a collective response - from climate change to deep digital divides around the world to the current pandemic that has fundamentally changed all our lives. We can solve them, but only by working together.
  • G
  • T
  • using less energy, reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Green computing aims to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the Information Technology and Systems business and related industries. Energy-efficiency and e-waste are two major techniques involved in green computing. Energy efficiency involves implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption. And e-waste is the proper disposal of electronic waste.
  • If we think computers are non-polluting and consume very little energy, in fact the use of computer plays a big role in environment pollution. It is estimated that out of $250 billion per year spent on powering computers worldwide only about 15% of that power is spent computing, the rest is wasted idling
  • the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Energy Star program, a controlled labelling program to promote and recognise energy-efficiency. The Energy Star label has now certified more than 75 different product categories, homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants. The program has also resulted in the widespread adoption of sleep mode among electronics' consumers.
  • in 1992,
  • The IT industry is putting efforts in all its sectors to achieve Green Computing.
  • Equipment recycling, reduction of paper usage, virtualisation, cloud computing, power management, green manufacturing are the key initiatives towards Green Computing
  • one company can't solve climate change
  • reen Computing involves reducing the environmental impact of technology.
  • Designing energy-efficient computers, servers, printers, projectors and other digital devices.
  • Minimising waste during the manufacturing of computers and other subsystems to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.
  • Green Computing has an optimistic future for saving the environment with ample avenues for making it possible. Hope we move forward with the goal of efficient computing while making the earth greener.
  • smend120 on 30 Sep 22
     
    Green computing, commonly referred to as "green technology," is the study of creating, utilizing, and disposing of computing systems in a way that minimizes their impact on the environment. The ecologically friendly and ethical use of computers and their resources is known as "green computing." A growing trend that has established itself as the preferred method of doing things while preserving the environment is "Going Green." Green computing aims to lessen technology's negative effects on the environment. This entails conserving energy, cutting waste, and fostering sustainability. The goal of "green computing" is to lessen the carbon footprint left by the information technology and systems sector and allied businesses. Green computing mainly uses two methods: e-waste and energy efficiency. Reduced resource use as well as the use of energy-efficient servers, peripherals, and CPUs are all part of energy efficiency. And e-waste is how electronic garbage should be disposed of properly. Even while we may believe that computers are non-polluting and require relatively little energy, their use really contributes significantly to environmental pollution. Only 15% of the estimated $250 billion annually spent on powering computers globally is thought to be used for computation; the remaining energy is lost idling on inactive machines. Since energy consumption is the primary cause of CO2 emissions, any energy saved on computer hardware and computing will result in tons of CO2 emissions being avoided every year. The Energy Star program was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 as a controlled labeling initiative to promote and reward energy efficiency. More than 75 different product categories, as well as residences, office buildings, and industrial facilities, have already received the Energy Star badge. Consumers of devices have widely embraced sleep mode because of the campaign. The IT industry is working to implement Green Computing across a
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E-Waste: Five Billion Phones to Be Thrown Away in 2022 - 0 views

greekreporter.com/...illion-phones-thrown-away-2022 technology waste green solution
shared by ajean132 on 21 Nov 22 - No Cached
  • In the past two months, Apple, Google, and Samsung have all launched their newest devices with the hope of getting consumers to upgrade ahead of the winter holidays. However, the companies and their clients may also be adding to a growing environmental problem—namely, that of electronic waste or e-waste.
  • The International Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) announced last week that in 2022, 5.3 billion mobile phones will be thrown away
  • Precious minerals not extracted from waste electronics, such as the copper in wire or the cobalt in rechargeable batteries, have to be mined. This further adds to the ongoing problem.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • These devices offer many important resources that can be used in the production of new electronic devices or other equipment, such as wind turbines, electric car batteries or solar panels—all crucial for the green, digital transition to low-carbon societies.”
  • Official United Nation’s data indicates that the world generated a staggering 53.6 million metric tons in 2019 alone. Of that, only 17.4 percent was recycled.
  • Τhe International Telecommunication Union has set a target to raise that to thirty percent by next year. The reason is because e-waste is one of the “fastest growing and most complex waste streams that affects both human health and the environment, as it can contain harmful substa
  • To improve conditions, the International E-Waste Management Network, run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Taiwan EPA, held a workshop for eleven countries in 2018.
  • ajean132 on 21 Nov 22
     
    This article addresses the growing environmental, financial, and political issues involved with e-waste. It provides predictions on the future of e-waste if it continues at its dangerous rate. An analysis of e-waste and how it can be reduced is also included.
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US E-Waste and Planned Obsolescence by Elizabeth Lamb - US Environmental Policy - 0 views

blogs.nicholas.duke.edu/...obsolescence-by-elizabeth-lamb obsolescence environmental policy
shared by tvill22 on 08 Jul 22 - No Cached
  • In order to increase sales, companies like Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft engage “planned obsolescence” to encourage per capita turnover of cell phones, tablets, computers, increasing electronic consumption and waste in the process.
  • For example, a company might manufacture a phone’s battery so that it breaks down earlier, a new software update might rely extensively on a new kind of hardware, or the manufacturer might make repairing the product so difficult or expensive that it makes more sense to buy a new product altogether.
  • Although e-waste only composed 2% of US landfills in 2019, it is responsible for over 70% of waste toxicity, and it is America’s fastest growing category of municipal waste.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • Even worse, the US currently has no formal federal legislation regulating e-waste
  • exported up to 40% of its e-waste to other countries.[5] However, the waste landscape is changing quickly: China, a major waste importer, banned foreign waste shipments as of January 2018.[6] As the US must begin processing more waste domestically, it is increasingly important that proper regulations are set in place
  • 25 out of 50 states have independent e-waste recycling policies, but a federal policy has yet to come to fruition
  • Consumer Product Safety Commission possesses the ability to enforce durability standards.
  • Congress should pass an act
  • mandating a warranty on all electronic devices
  • Congress should officially instate a minimum warranty length of 2 years for all electronic devices.
  • By simply extending product lifetimes by even just a quarter through the measures mentioned above, the US can massively reduce the amount of e-waste that pollutes the US.
  • tvill22 on 08 Jul 22
     
    This article talks about planned obsolescence and US e-waste. This article talks about how tech companies engage in planned obsolescence to encourage technology turnover. They talk about ways that the US can stop this planned obsolescence. One way would be to enforce durability standard for products creating a longer life time. This could be partnered with an enforced longer warranty on electronic devices.
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