The Global Impact of E-Waste: Addressing the Challenge the Global Impact of E-Waste: Addressing the Challenge
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The global impact of e-waste Addressing the challenge challenge the Addressing e-waste of impact global The International Labour Office International Labour Office SECTOR SafeWork 4, route des Morillons 4, route des Morillons CH-1211 Genève 22 CH-1211 Genève 22 SECTOR SafeWork Switzerland Switzerland Sectoral Programme on Tel. +41-22-799 7501 Tel. +41-22-799 6715 Activities Safety and Health Department at Work and the Fax +41-22-799 7050 Fax +41-22-799 6878 Environment E-mail [email protected] E-mail [email protected] ILO The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge Karin Lundgren SafeWork and SECTOR International Labour Organization Geneva 2012 Copyright © International Labour Organization 2012 First published 2012 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. 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Lundgren, Karin The global impact of e-waste: addressing the challenge / Karin Lundgren; International Labour Office, Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork), Sectoral Activities Department (SECTOR). – Geneva: ILO, 2012 ISBN 978-92-2-126897-0 (print) ISBN 978-92-2-126898-7 (web pdf) International Labour Office; Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment; International Labour Office; Sectoral Activities Dept electrical appliance / waste recycling / occupational health / occupational safety / role of ILO / environmental protection / regulation / labour legislation / comment / Africa / EU countries / Latin America / Pacific 08.15.2 ILO Cataloguing in Publication Data The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. 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Catalogues or lists of new publica- tions are available free of charge from the above address, or by email: [email protected] Visit our website: www.ilo.org/publns Photocomposed in Switzerland WEI Printed by the International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland Preface lectrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is currently the largest growing waste stream. It is hazardous, complex and expensive to treat in an environmentally sound manner, Eand there is a general lack of legislation or enforcement surrounding it. Today, most e-waste is being discarded in the general waste stream. Of the e-waste in developed countries that is sent for recycling, 80 per cent ends up being shipped (often illegally) to developing countries to be recycled by hundreds of thou- sands of informal workers. Such globalization of e-waste has adverse environmental and health implications. This paper explores the volumes, sources and flows of e-waste, the risks it poses to e-waste workers and the environment, occupational safety and health issues, labour issues and regulatory frameworks, and links this growing global problem with the International Labour Organization’s current and future work. We would like to express our thanks to Ms. Karin Lundgren (ILO consultant) for her work on this paper, as well to Mr. David Seligson from the Sectoral Activities Depart- ment and Mr. Pavan Baichoo from SafeWork for their inputs. Ms. Alette van Leur Director Sectoral Activities Department Mr. Seiji Machida Director SafeWork Preface 5 Contents Preface ......................................................... 5 Executive summary ............................................ 9 1. Introduction ................................................. 11 1.1 Main issues ................................................. 12 1.2 Scale of the e-waste problem ................................... 13 2. The flow of e-waste ......................................... 14 2.1 The e-waste trade ............................................ 14 2.2 The international flow of e-waste ............................... 14 2.3 The illegal e-waste trade ...................................... 16 2.4 Security implications ......................................... 17 3. Risks to human health and the environment ................. 18 3.1 Workers’ exposure in developing countries ....................... 18 3.2 Long-term effects on human health and the environment ........... 20 3.3 Child labour at e-waste recycling sites ........................... 20 4. Chemicals of primary concern in e-waste ................... 23 4.1 Unknown chemical properties ................................. 23 4.2 The cocktail effect and metabolites ............................. 23 4.3 Classification and labelling of chemicals ......................... 24 5. Labour and employment issues .............................. 25 5.1 Formalization of the informal e-waste recycling sector .............. 29 6. International, regional and national regulatory frameworks 33 6.1 Multi-lateral environmental agreements ......................... 33 6.1.1 The Basel Convention ................................... 33 6.1.2 The Rotterdam Convention ............................... 34 6.1.3 The Stockholm Convention ............................... 34 6.1.4 Synergies among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions 34 6.1.5 A global instrument on mercury under negotiation ............ 34 6.1.6 The Montreal Protocol ................................... 34 6.1.7 The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management .. 35 Contents 7 6.1.8 The London Guidelines for the Exchange of Information on Chemicals in International Trade ....................... 35 6.1.9 The Code of Ethics on the International Trade in Chemicals ..... 35 6.2 Regional legislation .......................................... 35 6.2.1 Africa ................................................ 35 6.2.2 European Union ....................................... 36 6.2.3 Latin America ......................................... 37 6.2.4 South Pacific ........................................... 37 6.3 National legislation in selected countries ......................... 37 6.3.1 Ghana ............................................... 37 6.3.2 India ................................................. 38 6.3.3 Mexico ............................................... 38 6.3.4 Nigeria ............................................... 39 6.3.5 People’s Republic of China ................................ 39 6.3.6 Serbia ................................................ 40 6.3.7 Sweden ............................................... 40 6.3.8 United States .......................................... 40 7. Possible solutions to the complex e-waste problem ......... 42 7.1 Local solutions .............................................. 42 7.2 International solutions ....................................... 42 7.3 Extended Producer Responsibility .............................. 43 7.4 Green design ............................................... 44 7.5 A systems analysis approach to the e-waste problem ................ 45 7.5.1 Core theories ........................................... 45 7.5.2. Causal-loop diagram .................................... 46 8. Scope and suggestions for ILO intervention ................. 49 8.1 Linking the e-waste problem with the ILO’s main objectives ........ 49 8.2 ILO Conventions and Recommendations ........................ 50 8.3 Decent Work Country Programmes ............................ 50 8.4 Green Jobs Programme ....................................... 50 8.5 Promotion of cooperatives .................................... 52 9. Conclusion .................................................. 55 9.1 Future challenges and opportunities ............................ 55 Annexes Annex I. Chemicals of primary concern in e-waste .................. 58 Annex II. Relevant ILO Conventions and Recommendations ......... 60 Annex III. Current initiatives, research centres and organizations involved with e-waste .................................. 63 References ..................................................... 65 8 The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge Executive summary lectrical and electronic waste