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Tracking the Commodity Chain of the Electronic Waste Industry Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 12-2012 End of the Line: Tracking the Commodity Chain of the Electronic Waste Industry Jacquelynn A. Doyon Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Criminology Commons, and the Environmental Law Commons Recommended Citation Doyon, Jacquelynn A., "End of the Line: Tracking the Commodity Chain of the Electronic Waste Industry" (2012). Dissertations. 128. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/128 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. END OF THE LINE: TRACKING THE COMMODITY CHAIN OF THE ELECTRONIC WASTE INDUSTRY by Jacquelynn A. Doyon A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty ofThe Graduate College in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology Advisor: Paul Ciccantell, Ph.D. Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan December 2012 END OF THE LINE: TRACKING THE COMMODITY CHAIN OF THE ELECTRONIC WASTE INDUSTRY Jacquelynn A. Doyon, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 2012 This study examines the transfer of electronic waste (e-waste) from core to peripheral nations, specifically coastal nations in Africa. The theoretical perspective marries green criminology with world systems theory in examining the ways in which marginalized populations bear the burden of hazardous waste disposal across the globe. The study is comparative, looking at legislation in the United States as well as international legislation and enforcement, and also employs case study methodology, contrasting e-waste disposal in Nigeria and Ghana. The final intent of this research is to determine whether or not the violation of national and/or international legislation regarding the transfer and disposal ofe-waste constitutes a social harm. Copyright by Jacquelynn A. Doyon 2012 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A very important academic mentor once told me, "a good dissertation is a done dissertation"—and I can honestly say that if it was not for a handful of very important people, this would dissertation would not even be close to "done." I first and foremost must thank the most supportive partner I could ever have asked for—Lynn—who has listened, encouraged and (perhaps most importantly) made me laugh throughout each and every day in this journey. I must also thank my parents, siblings, close relatives and friends who have tirelessly checked in on my progress, offering support as well as a listening ear as I struggled to approach and answer my research questions. I would not be where I am today without them. To Drs. Ronald Kramer, Charles Crawford and Sarah Hill, thank you so very much for being the most patient committee a Ph.D. student could ask for. Your knowledge, suggestions and contributions over the last several years have guided me down the path of research and scholarship that I will follow well beyond this dissertation. And lastly, I thank Dr. Paul Ciccantell, who helped me flesh out the topic, formulate the questions, approach the research, revise the research....revise the research again, and come to conclusions about the importance of studying the inherent issues ofthe electronic waste industry. The last couple ofyears have been challenging for both of us—thank you for sticking with me throughout this entire process, and for pushing me to be the scholar that I am today. Jacquelynn A. Doyon ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of the Problem 1 Purpose ofthe Study 3 Research Questions 4 II. LITERATURE REVIEW 6 The Basics ofEnvironmental Justice 8 International Environmental Justice 11 Green Criminology 12 World-Systems Theory 17 III. METHODS 25 Data Sources 26 Data Analysis 27 Green Criminology Analysis 31 Commodity Chain Analysis 34 Introduction to Case Study Method 36 Designing the Case Study 37 iii Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Selected Case Studies 40 Nigeria 40 Ghana 42 Limitations 44 IV. LEGISLATION AND POLICY 48 Legislation in the United States 48 The Clean Air Act (CAA) 48 The Clean Water Act (CWA) 51 The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 52 The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 54 Electronic Waste in the United States 54 Enforcement 59 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act 60 International Legislation 61 Early Regulation and the Basel Convention of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989) 61 European Union Network for the Implementation of Enforcement ofEnvironmental Law (IMPEL) 65 Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Waste Substances (RoHS) 68 The Case ofAfrica 70 V. THE COMMODITY CHAIN 73 iv Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Introduction to the Commodity Chain 73 Global Commodity Chains (GCC) 75 Global Commodity Chain Sustainability Analysis (GCCSA) 76 Raw Materials and Manufacture 77 History, Evolution and the Technological Advancements of E- Waste Products 85 Consumption Levels of E-Waste Products / Average Lifespan 86 Analysis of Market Structure and Trends 88 Planned and Perceived Obsolescence 90 Changing Market Trends 93 Conclusion 97 VI. THE ELECTRONIC WASTE INDUSTRY 98 Evolution ofthe Industry 98 Externalization ofHarm 101 Emerging Illegal E-Waste Markets 102 The Case ofExecutive Recycling Inc 109 Lobbying for E-Waste: The Political Economy ofthe Industry 113 Extended Producer Responsibility: Comparison between the U.S. and the EU 115 Tracking the Environmental Impacts ofTransboundary E-Waste 118 Analysis of Social and Environmental Impacts ofthe E-Waste Industry 118 v Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Conclusion 122 VII. CASE STUDIES 124 Case Study: Lagos, Nigeria 124 Toxic Waste Legislation in Nigeria 132 The Koko Incident 132 Case Study: Accra, Ghana 137 Toxic Waste Legislation in Ghana 143 Comparison of Case Studies 147 Challenges and Solutions in Nigeria and Ghana 151 Summary and Conclusion 157 VIII. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 159 Electronic Waste Regulation 160 Lack of Enforcement 162 Inconsistencies in Regulations and Sanctions 165 The State ofthe Industry 167 Exporting and Importing Nations 170 Conclusions 171 Environmental Justice 171 Green Criminology 173 World-Systems Theory 175 Global Commodity Chain Sustainability Analysis 176 vi Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Future Research 179 BIBLIOGRAPHY 181 vn LIST OF TABLES 1. Methodological Coding System 29 2. Average Lifespan for Select Electronic Products 94 3. Harmful Chemicals Released during Dismantling and Recovery of E- Waste 121 Vlll LIST OF FIGURES 1. Generic Analytical Framework for Electronic Commodity Chain 77 2. Electronic Product Lifecycle in the United State 96 3. Successful E-Waste Management in African Nations 153 IX CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Statement ofthe Problem Concern for the environment has been on the rise over the last forty years and has penetrated mainstream media in an unprecedented manner over the last ten. Debates over human impact versus natural environmental change continue, placing blame on anything that moves or breathes. Grassroots organizations practice anything from passive dissent to violence and destruction in order to convey their concerns for the natural world. While there are articles, books, magazines, small groups, large organizations, laws, cleaning products, discussion groups, blogs and who knows what else dedicated to environmental protection, the social sciences have just recently begun to develop a more substantial body ofliterature on the subject. Although past research is resourceful, it is quickly becoming outdated from both economic and technological standpoints. Electronic waste is an excellent example ofproduct obsolescence that has permeated both consumer and waste markets. For example, electronic hazardous waste, or "e-waste," consists ofelectronic products (computers, televisions, VCRs, fax machines etc.) that have reached the end oftheir useful life (as decided by the consumer) and must be discarded. Most ofthese products could be reused, refurbished or recycled, but many end up in the toxic electronic waste stream that is now circling the globe. Electronic waste disposal is swiftly becoming a burgeoning business oftoxic harm that, due to increasing technology, will not be disappearing or even declining any time soon. While this 'business' exists either through export or import in nearly every nation in the world, a lack ofawareness ofthe life cycle of refuse in the general public is perhaps its most valuable supplier. The (often illegal) market oftoxic trade has turned even the disposal ofwaste into a criminal enterprise, which has in turn garnered the attention ofcriminologists. In the social sciences, there is a lack ofdata and consequently of interpretation ofdata on the intersection ofenvironmental harm and crime. Several authors have called for increased research in this field (Beirne 2007; Lynch and Streteksy 2007; White 2008), in order to explore and identify how and when environmental degradation constitutes a social harm, and whether or not it can and should be labeled criminal. While some focus has been dedicated to environmental racism and injustice issues, little work has focused on the current criminological state ofenvironmental harm and
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