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Table of Contents Iowa Electronics Waste Characterization Study FINAL REPORT March, 2002 Submitted by: Wuf Technologies, LLC 7 South State Street Concord, NH 03301 603-224-7959 / fax 229-1960 email [email protected] Submitted to: Iowa Department of Natural Resources Attn: Merry Rankin Waste Management Assistance Bureau 502 East 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION 1 SECTION ONE CURRENT GENERATION RATES AND RECYCLING PRACTICES 3 1.1 Commercial Sector 3 1.1.1 Commercial Sector CEE Generation 3 1.1.2 Commercial Sector CEE Management Practices 4 1.1.3 Barriers To Increased Recycling 7 1.2 Institutions 7 1.2.1 Institutional CEE Generation 7 1.2.2 Institutional CEE Management Practices 8 1.2.3 Barriers to Increased Recycling 8 1.3 Residential Sector 9 1.3.1 Residential CEE Generation 9 1.3.2 Assessment of Residential Electronics Collection and Recycling Efforts 12 1.3.3 Assessment of Collection Efforts Organized by Non-Government Organizations 14 SECTION TWO ALTERNATIVES TO INCREASE ELECTRONICS RECOVERY 17 2.1 Current Status of CEE Recycling 17 2.1.1 Overview of the Electronics Recycling Industry: U.S. 17 2.1.2 Overview of the Electronics Recycling Industry: Iowa 18 2.2 Summary of Barriers to Increased Recycling of CEE from All Sectors 20 2.2.1 Commercial Sector — Large Businesses 21 2.2.2 Commercial Sector — Small Businesses 22 2.2.3 Institutions 22 2.2.4 Residential Sector 23 2.3 Assessment of Laws, Regulations, Policies from Other States 23 SECTION THREE POLICY OPTIONS TO INCREASE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING 29 3.1 Comparative Assessment of Electronics Waste by Equipment Type And Generating Sector 29 3.2 Status and Direction of Private Sector Recycling Efforts 30 3.3 Review of CEE Recycling Initiatives Attempted in Iowa and Elsewhere 31 3.4 Current Iowa Laws and Policies that Hinder or Promote CEE Recycling 33 3.5 Policy Options to Improve CEE Recycling in Iowa 33 Iowa Electronics Waste Characterization Study March 2002 3.5.1 Options to Mandate or Encourage CEE Recycling 33 3.5.2 Options to Provide Collection Infrastructure 37 3.5.3 Options to Fund CEE Recycling 41 3.7 Identification of Potential Partners 46 SECTION FOUR CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 50 4.1 Mandatory vs Non-mandatory Initiatives 50 4.2 Generators and Waste Streams of Greatest Importance 51 4.2.1 Generators 51 4.2.2 Waste Streams 51 4.3 Options to Implement Statewide Electronics Recycling 52 4.4 Options to Finance Statewide Electronics Recycling 54 REFERENCES AND INDIVIDUALS CONSULTED APPENDICES A Iowa Companies and Institutions Responding to Wuf Technologies Survey on CEE Management B Computer and Electronic Equipment Recycling Implementation Options C Computer and Electronic Equipment Recycling Funding Options Iowa Electronics Waste Characterization Study March 2002 TABLES AND FIGURES ES-1 Estimated Discards of Computers and Related Electronic Equipment in Iowa, 2001 ES-2 Means of Disposing of Surplus Electronic Equipment Among Thirty Iowa Firms ES-3 Residential Electronics Recycling Programs in the U.S., 1998-2001 ES-4 Impact of Barriers to CEE Recycling on Different Generating Sectors ES-5 Comparison of CEE Disposal and Recycling Status by CEE Type and Generating Sector ES-6 Overview of Electronics Recycling Implementation Options ES-7 Overview of Options to Fund Statewide Electronics Recycling 1-1 N of Computers Retired by Iowa Businesses Based on U.S. Census Computer Use Data 1-2 N of Computers Retired by Iowa Businesses Based on Computer Sales Data 1-3 Means of Disposing of Surplus CEE Among Thirty Iowa Firms 1-4 Means of Disposing of Surplus CEE Among Fifty-Three Southern U.S. Firms 1-5 Published Estimates of Personal Computers Becoming Obsolete in the United States, 2000-2005 1-6 Wuf Technologies Estimates of U.S. Consumer PC Retirements, 2000-2005 1-7 Wuf Technologies Estimates of Consumer PC Retirements in Iowa, 2000-2005 1-8 U.S. Television Sales, 1991 - 1998 1-9 Residential Electronics Recycling Programs in the U.S., 2001 1-10 Electronic Equipment Recycling Charges to Communities 1-11 Funding Sources for Ongoing Collection and Special Event Electronics Recycling 1-12 Recycling Locations for Ongoing Collection and Special Event Electronics Recycling 2-1 Impact of Barriers to CEE Recycling on Different Generating Sectors 3-1 Comparison of CEE Disposal and Recycling Status by CEE Type and Generating Sector 3-2 Status and Future Direction of Private Recycling Efforts, by CEE Type and Generating Sector 3-3 Overview of Electronics Recycling Implementation Options 3-4 Overview of Options to Fund Statewide Electronics Recycling 3-5 Recycling Funding Options Ranked According To Complexity 3-6 Recycling Funding Options Ranked According to the Possibility of Funds Being Parasitized for Other Purposes 3-7 Recycling Funding Options Evaluated According to the Ultimate Allocation of Payment to Support Recycling 4-1 Recommended Policy Options: Electronics Recycling Infrastructure 4-2 Principal Disadvantages of Options Not Recommended: Electronics Recycling Infrastructure 4-3 Principal Disadvantages of Options Not Recommended: Paying for Electronics Recycling Iowa Electronics Waste Characterization Study March 2002 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study was undertaken to address the significant waste management and environmental issues represented in the large and growing number of personal computers, computer monitors, televisions, and related equipment entering the Iowa waste stream. Computers and related electronic equipment are one of the fastest growing segments of the municipal and commercial waste stream, in Iowa and nationwide. Environmentally, they are a concern for several reasons, principally leaded glass in computer monitors, and lead, mercury, and other heavy metals in a wide variety of electronic equipment. The study was designed to address a series of related questions: 1. How many computers are being discarded by Iowa residents and businesses? 2. What recycling options are available for used electronic equipment in Iowa? Is the availability of recycling options different for different generators? 3. What are the barriers to electronics recycling for Iowa generators? Are they different for different generators? 4. What equipment and which generators should be the highest priorities as the State considers attempting to expand the availability of recycling opportunities for electronics? 5. What policy options are available to the State to address these high priority generators and their electronic equipment wastes? CURRENT ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WASTE GENERATION RATES This study estimates that approximately 274,000 personal computers or their equivalents were generated as waste in Iowa in 2001 (Table ES-1). When related equipment including monitors, keyboards and mice are accounted for, this equates to an approximate quantity of 9,900 tons of electronic equipment waste. This value can be expected to double by 2005. Table ES-1 Estimated Discards of Computers and Related Electronic Equipment in Iowa, 2001 Estimated 2001 Discards, PCs or Equivalent Sector Number Weight (Tons) Commercial / Institutional 175,000 4,400 Residential 99,000 2,500 Total 274,000 9,900 Note: Estimated weight of approximately 50 lbs/system includes monitor (approximately 25 lbs) plus CPU, keyboard, and mouse (approximately 25 lbs). Televisions are another waste stream of concern. With an average of over 35 million units sold per year through the 1990's, the number of TVs purchased annually by American consumers is nearly triple the number of personal computers (despite the rapid growth in PC sales throughout the decade) (Electronic Industries Alliance, 1999). In a statewide pilot electronics recycling program in Minnesota, TVs returned for recycling outweighed PCs by a factor of five. Although the number of TVs retired nationally or in Iowa was not specifically estimated for this study, it is clear that the need and demand for TV recycling options is at least as great as demand for computer recycling options. This situation will be exacerbated in coming years Iowa Electronics Waste Characterization Study March 2002, Page ES-1 as the TV industry and consumers convert fairly rapidly to high-definition television, a transition expected to begin by about 2003. CURRENT ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Commercial / Institutional Sector Table ES-2 summarizes information on management of surplus computers derived from Iowa firms. Forty percent of 30 reporting firms donate some or all of their equipment or attempt to do so. Over half report that they dispose of all or some of their surplus computers and electronic equipment (CEE), or store it because they have no better alternative. Only two firms report third-party recycling as a means of disposing of surplus CEE. Six firms return equipment to the company that leased or sold them the equipment (3 firms), or report that disposition is handled by their parent companies (3 firms). Another six firms report that they give or sell used equipment to employees, and one reports in-house scavenging for parts as a major means of disposal. One-third of all firms reported that they use multiple means of disposing of used equipment. Table ES-2 Means of Disposing of Surplus Electronic Equipment Among Thirty Iowa Firms Means of Disposition Number Percent Donate 12 40% Attempt to Donate 2 7% “Recycle” 2 7% Give/Sell to Employees 6 20% Scavenge for Parts 1 3% “Dispose” 9 30% Warehouse Indefinitely 7 23% Return to Firm that Leased or Sold Equipment 3 10% Handled by Parent Company 3 10% This information is consistent with data gathered elsewhere in the country. In general, a few broad patterns characterize the current status of CEE recycling in the private sector. • Larger firms tend to manage their electronic surplus better than smaller firms. Smaller firms are much more likely to report storage or disposal as their primary means of disposition. • Large firms tend to have more disposition options. This results from a combination of factors: (1) more staff and resources available to devote to recycling; (2) more awareness of the potential liabilities associated with improper disposal; (3) greater volumes of surplus, which attract recycling firms; (4) more momentum toward equipment leasing with connected takeback provisions.
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