Citizens and workers are affected by e-waste on a personal level – take their health for instance. The risks are obvious when e-waste is dumped in inappropriate sites (near homes for example), or handled and treated by people who have not taken the necessary safety precautions. Workers who handle or manage the disposal of e-waste are exposed to dangers since they come into regular contact with potentially harmful materials and may not have received adequate training or gear and are usually poorly paid.

The cost of managing e-waste explains why so little efforts have been made by national governments to deal with it. There is little incentive for governments to develop sustainable e-waste disposal systems and very few regional or local governments take responsibility for general waste because it has been outsourced to private entrepreneurs.

The lack of an effective process for handling e-waste opens the door to alternative illegal solutions such as trafficking and smuggling. There should be an incentive for governments on all levels to develop strategies to prevent illegal waste management. Systems for tracking and monitoring are necessary as well as for the sharing of information across borders. Measures and mechanisms to enforce sanctions are also required to stop illegal activities. That requires a solid legislative and regulatory framework which has proven difficult to develop on both EU and national levels.

The industry is not preventing the waste from piling up because there is no reason for it to. Not only is a legal framework lacking, which would push the industry to take responsibility for products at the end of their life cycle, there is also no financial incentive to initiate a recycling programme (compare with PET bottles and the drinks industry). An extremely short lifespan of consumer electronics and the fast technological development of products is making the pile of e-waste grow - almost unstoppably given the absence of standardisation of consumer electronics.

It must be proven to the actors involved – to the governments, to the industry and to the consumers - that solving the problem of e-waste lies in comprehending that Green Garbage is Gold. Not only should the theory of reduce, reuse and recycle be applied to the fullest, offering a clear, logical incentive which is readily available is absolutely necessary in order for improvements to be made.

1. Prolonging the lifespan of the product and the transferability of appliances

Let’s start with the consumers: they are fed up having boxes of chargers and batteries that can only be used with one type of product. Furthermore, consumers have to cough up cash to replace outdated products. Thus, prolonging is Gold for consumers.

2. Legislative framework

Governments are pressured by the cost of handling e-waste and happily outsource the task to private operators who take little or no responsibility and in the worst case scenario export the e-waste just to get it off their hands. Governments should assume responsibility in this matter and monitor and track operators enforcing sanctions on those who do not adhere to legislation. Following legislation will bring Gold to governments in the shape of innovative actions, increased care and responsibility for the community and the environment as well as good PR and electoral support.

3. Cradle-to-cradle

The industry should realise that using the same innovative capacities that led to the development of electronics products to start with are also key when solving the e-waste problem. The first IT company that rises to the challenge and takes responsibility for e-waste wins. They would show foresight, innovation and responsibility - qualities that are popular among consumers. Apply the innovative skills used to develop the product in the first place to dig for gold with future generations of consumers.

For more information, please contact Caroline Jacobsson, EMF Adviser on ICT.