Electronic waste is an important part of the world's waste from used products. People are working to recycle and reduce this type of waste.
Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, often called the Basel Convention, is an international agreement created to stop the movement of dangerous waste between countries. It specifically aims to stop the transfer of hazardous waste from more developed countries to countries that are less developed.
Out of the 172 countries that are part of the treaty, Haiti and the United States have signed the agreement but have not officially agreed to it yet.
Government regulation
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) supports the repair and recycling of electronic waste. Companies like Tech Waste Recycling offer specialized services to help businesses and consumers recycle electronics safely, meeting environmental and legal standards. Mining for metals used in electronic products often occurs in the same countries where recycling takes place. UNCTAD suggests that rules against exporting recyclable materials should consider the environmental harm caused by mining. In the United States, hard rock mining is responsible for 45% of all toxins produced by industries.
Greenpeace argues that the environmental risks of used electronics are so serious that all exports of these items should be banned.
The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA) was created in 2008 to help manage electronic waste in a way that protects the environment. Since then, eWASA has worked with companies and waste handlers to ensure proper recycling of electronics.
Many Asian countries have created or plan to create laws requiring the recycling of electronic waste. In South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, manufacturers are required to recycle 75% of their yearly production. China has laws to stop the import of electronic waste. China has agreed to the Basel Convention and its Basel Ban Amendment, which officially bans importing e-waste. In 2008, China approved a plan to manage e-waste by encouraging recycling and monitoring how electronics are disposed of. This plan requires consumers to recycle electronics and ensures that materials from manufacturing are also recycled.
In the 1990s, some European countries passed laws to stop electronic waste from being dumped in landfills. This led to the creation of e-waste recycling industries in Europe.
Switzerland started the first electronic waste recycling program in 1991, beginning with collecting old refrigerators. Over time, all electronic devices were added to the system. In 1998, laws were passed, and since 2005, people can return all electronic waste for free at stores or collection points. Two groups, SWICO and SENS, manage recycling for different types of electronics. In Switzerland, more than 10 kilograms of electronic waste is recycled per person each year.
The European Union has created rules that require manufacturers to take responsibility for recycling their products. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) requires all EU countries to follow laws that make manufacturers responsible for recycling their equipment. This policy, called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), ensures that manufacturers pay for recycling or reuse of their products. The directive requires that people can return used electronics for free, and that manufacturers dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way. However, some critics say the directive does not give individual companies enough incentive to design eco-friendly products. Since 2005, manufacturers in the EU have been required to pay for compliance with the WEEE Directive. Each EU country must recycle at least 4 kilograms of electronic waste per person each year. A proposed update to the directive aims to increase recycling rates to 65% by 2012.
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS Directive), adopted by the EU in 2003, limits the use of six harmful materials in electronic products. This rule became law in all EU countries by 2006.
The Battery Directive, introduced in 2006, regulates how batteries are made, used, and disposed of in the EU.
In Canada, Alberta added a fee to the cost of buying new televisions, computers, and computer parts in 2004. Other provinces, including Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, later introduced similar recycling fees. Manitoba passed a law in 2007 that requires electronics like TVs and computers to be part of a recycling program before they can be sold. Ontario’s recycling rules, passed in 2004, require companies to create plans for recycling their products.
Canadian laws, such as the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations (EIHWHRMR), define electronic waste as either "intact" or "not intact." Waste that is "intact" can be exported, but waste that is broken cannot. This rule allows non-working but intact devices to be sent abroad, even though they may later be broken down in places with poor recycling systems. Canada has ratified the Basel Convention, which limits the movement of hazardous waste. Since 1992, Canada has investigated 176 cases of violations related to e-waste exports, with 19 cases leading to legal action.
Israel has passed a national law to manage electronic waste.