Ewaste

INTRODUCTION Definition: Electrical or electronic equipment which is waste including all components, subassemblies and consumables which are a part of the product at the time of discarding waste. Because of two primary characteristics it has become a problem. They are E-Waste is hazardous E-Waste is generated at an alarming rate.

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Sources of E-Waste: E-waste is generated by following three sectors. Individuals and small businesses Large businesses, institutions and governments Original equipment manufacturers Types: Appliances, entertainment equipment, telecommunication equipment, data audio and video Cd’s, ink cartridges, batteries, laser printer drums, toner cartridges, mobile phones.

Composition: E-Waste Composition consists of heavy metals like Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Zinc, Mercury and also 36 other elements for eg:Germanium,Gallium,Barium,Nickel,Tantalum,Cobalt,Pall adium,Manganese,Antimony,Venedium,Indium,Gold etc.

Generation of e-waste-US scenario, Effects

Methods of disposal of E-waste The e-waste that is generated is disposed in the following ways. Landfill Incineration Reuse and Donation Recycling The three major steps involved in India are Manual Dismantling Refining &Conditioning Final Disposal

MANUAL DISMANTLING&SORTING

REFINING &CONDITIONING

FINAL DISPOSAL

METAL RECYCLING The following methods are adopted for Metal Recycling. Magnetic Separator Eddy Current Separator

Chemical Reactions involved Recovery of Lead PbO+C Pb+CO 2Sb+3Pb 3Pb+Sb2O3 2As+3Pb 3Pb+As2O3 Sn+2PbO 2Pb+SnO2

Recovery of Copper Fe+Cu2O FeO+2Cu 2ZnO+C Zn(g)+CO2 2CuO+C 2Cu+CO2

Process flow for secondary Lead Recovery Pretreatment Reductant Soft Pb Reductant

Reverberatory furnace Slag Blast furnace

Hard Pb 75%-80%Pb Refining

Process flow diagram for Copper recovery

Pretreatment Reductant

Blast furnace

Black Cu-70-85% wt.Cu Converter Blister Cu:95% Cu Anode furnace

Reductant Anode Cu:98.5%Cu

Electrolytic refinery Precious metals Cathode Cu99.9% Cu

Manually removing warnish

Recovery of copper from acid

Manual segregation Scrap iron addition

Copper extraction

Precious metals recovery Copper anode slime

Leach

Smelter

Silver electrolytic refining

Silver

Anode slime

Gold,palladium,platinum

The impact of e-waste may be broadly classified into two categories:

Downstream Impacts: Upstream Impacts:

Regulations •Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989/2000/2002 •MoEF Guidelines for Management and Handling of Hazardous Wastes,1991

•Guidelines for Safe Road Transport of Hazardous Chemicals,1995 •The Public Liability Act, 1991 •Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 •The National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995 •Bio-Medical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 •Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 and 2002 •Unfortunately, none of these regulations deal directly and specifically with e-waste.

Management Options Transparency and accountability to the public . General compliance with occupational health and safety standards Use of best recycling practices and their potential for wide adoption by the private sector. Establishment of a consultative group Preparing studies and creating a plan of action: Building capacity and a knowledge base: To control and or prevent the potential damage of e-wastes

  References Mayfield, Kendra. E-waste: The Dark Side of Digital Age. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57151,00.html Tong, X. Global Mandate, National Policies and Local Responses : Scale Conflicts in Chinafs Management of Imported E-Waste. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/9100/28876/01299716.pdf?tp=&arnumber=1299716&isnu mber=28876&arSt=204&ared=207&arAuthor=Tong%2C+X.%3B Mayers, France, et al. The use and disposal of IT products within commercial markets (2002). Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://miranda.emeraldinsight.com/vl=4871512/cl=71/nw=1/rpsv/~1101/v17n5/s2/p357 Richards, B. Environmental Management in Electronics Manufacturing. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://miranda.emeraldinsight.com/vl=5837266/cl=86/fm=html/nw=1/rpsv/cw/mcb/0305 6120/v23n4/s4/p16 What is E-Waste? Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/WhatisEwaste/ E-waste Management. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=103895&catId=100245&tid=100008&p E-waste Crisis: Around the corner (Toxic Links). Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://www.indiatogether.org/2003/may/env-ewaste.htm Electronic Waste: A New Challenge for a new Millennium (2001). Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from http://www.deq.state.ne.us/Newslett.nsf/pages/Sum01-4a Report on Asia-Pacific Regional Expert Group Meeting on E-Wastes (22-23 June, 2000).