Electronic Waste Research Paper

Introduction

A lot of hullaballoo has surfaced in recent times about preserving natural resources as a part of sustainable business model in recent years. However, another imminent danger is looming around the corner, one that has been created by human race and can lead to its destruction if not addressed with immediate regulations. This danger is that of Electronic waste or e-waste and it is one of those rare kinds of wastes that are generated by almost every industry in the world today, irrespective of the size of the business.
E-wastes are widely recognized as the most dangerous kind of waste as they are non-biodegradable, toxic and carcinogenic in nature that directly affects human body and mind. Currently, there is no farm in the world

Swiss E-Waste Management System
In Switzerland, E-wastes are not only refurbished, but materials that cannot be recycled are used for energy recovery by incinerating and only about 2% of the wastes go to landfill. The companies are required to pay an advanced recycling fee to Producer Responsibility Organizations (PRO) which in turn is used to fund the whole e-Waste management system, from collection and decontamination to final recycling of disposed E-Wastes. This process has been successfully implemented for over a decade and can act as a model for other nations. [7][4] Fig 2 attached appendix shows the flow of Wastes in the Swiss Industries.
2. Cape Town Project by HP
In 2008, Hewlett Packard initiated a pilot project in Cape Town for successful E-waste management. Over a span of 10 months, they processed around 60 metric tons of electronic equipment. This resulted in income generation of about $14,000 and created direct employment for 19 people in that region, with indirect employment benefits to many others. [4] [9]
This team is now trying to appeal to other corporate bodies as well as governments to take up such initiatives tackle the problem of E-waste in African sub-continent.
3. New Jersey Resources,

The alternative was landfills that would incur a disposal cost of over $26,000 and wastage of landfill space that can be put to better use. Recycling of computers and printer machines, wires and other miscellaneous devices amounted to around 12000 pounds. Recycled dry-cell batteries and waste lamps were to the order of 4000 pounds. These measures helped in saving 150 cubic yards of landfill space. [5]

Existing Regulations for E-waste management – Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Regulations are already existing in developed European nations that aims at sustainable management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The European Union’s WEEE directive mandates manufacturers to have WEEE treatment systems. Among the Asian countries, China has come up with administrative measures to manage E-wastes. [8] Majority of these policies are aimed at extending E-waste producers responsibility to cover the post-consumer stage of a product’s lifecycle. The above mentioned case of Switzerland is a good example of EPR implementation. [4][10]

A discussion on Suggested