STRIVE Report Series No.110 RE-Evaluate Re-use of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Evaluation and Mainstreaming) STRIVE Environmental Protection Agency Programme 2007-2013 Comhshaol, Pobal agus Rialtas Áitiúil Environment, Community and Local Government EPA Inside Pages NEW_Blue Text 07/06/2013 10:12 Page 1 Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is REGULATING IRELAND’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS a statutory body responsible for protecting n Quantifying Ireland’s emissions of greenhouse gases the environment in Ireland. We regulate and in the context of our Kyoto commitments police activities that might otherwise cause n Implementing the Emissions Trading Directive, pollution. We ensure there is solid involving over 100 companies who are major information on environmental trends so that generators of carbon dioxide in Ireland. necessary actions are taken. Our priorities are protecting the Irish environment and ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ensuring that development is sustainable. n Co-ordinating research on environmental issues (including air and water quality, climate change, The EPA is an independent public body biodiversity, environmental technologies). established in July 1993 under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Its sponsor in Government is the Department n Assessing the impact of plans and programmes on of the Environment, Community and Local the Irish environment (such as waste management Government. and development plans). OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE LICENSING n Providing guidance to the public and to industry on various environmental topics (including licence We license the following to ensure that their emissions applications, waste prevention and environmental do not endanger human health or harm the regulations). environment: n Generating greater environmental awareness n waste facilities (e.g., landfills, incinerators, waste (through environmental television programmes and transfer stations); primary and secondary schools’ resource packs). n large scale industrial activities (e.g., pharmaceutical manufacturing, cement manufacturing, power PROACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT plants); n Promoting waste prevention and minimisation n intensive agriculture; projects through the co-ordination of the National n the contained use and controlled release of Waste Prevention Programme, including input into Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); the implementation of Producer Responsibility n large petrol storage facilities; Initiatives. n waste water discharges; n Enforcing Regulations such as Waste Electrical and n dumping at sea. Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and substances that deplete the ozone layer. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT n Developing a National Hazardous Waste Management n Conducting over 1200 audits and inspections of EPA Plan to prevent and manage hazardous waste. licensed facilities every year. n Overseeing local authorities’ environmental MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE EPA protection responsibilities in the areas of - air, noise, waste, waste-water and water quality. The organisation is managed by a full time Board, n Working with local authorities and the Gardaí to consisting of a Director General and four Directors. stamp out illegal waste activity by co-ordinating a national enforcement network, targeting offenders, The work of the EPA is carried out across four offices: conducting investigations and overseeing n Office of Climate, Licensing and Resource Use remediation. n Office of Environmental Enforcement n Prosecuting those who flout environmental law and n Office of Environmental Assessment damage the environment as a result of their actions. n Office of Communications and Corporate Services MONITORING, ANALYSING AND REPORTING ON THE ENVIRONMENT The EPA is assisted by an Advisory Committee of twelve members who meet several times a year to discuss n Monitoring air quality and the quality of rivers, issues of concern and offer advice to the Board. lakes, tidal waters and ground waters; measuring water levels and river flows. n Independent reporting to inform decision making by national and local government. EPA STRIVE Programme 2007-2013 RE-Evaluate Re-use of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Evaluation and Mainstreaming) (2008-WRM-MS-4-S10) STRIVE Report End of Project Report available for download on http://erc.epa.ie/safer/reports Prepared for the Environmental Protection Agency by Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Limerick Authors: Maurice O’Connell and Colin Fitzpatrick ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY An Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil PO Box 3000, Johnstown Castle, Co.Wexford, Ireland Telephone: +353 53 916 0600 Fax: +353 53 916 0699 Email: [email protected] Website: www.epa.ie © Environmental Protection Agency 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is published as part of the Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for the Environment (STRIVE) Programme 2007–2013. The programme is financed by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007–2013. It is administered on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) by the Environmental Protection Agency which has the statutory function of co-ordinating and promoting environmental research. The authors would like to thank the project Steering Committee who gave generously of their time and expertise during the study: Ms Sandra Kavanagh (EPA); Darren Byrne (DoECLG); Ruediger Kuehr (United Nations University). The authors would also like to thank all those who assisted us in the research, especially Rehab Recycle and Clondalkin Community Recycling Initiative. We would also like to thank all case study partners for their valuable input, including Elaine Coleman (Bryson) and Marc Willem (Komosie). The Re-Evaluate project is an official StEP project, i.e. a project which is supported by members of the Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative. StEP projects shall make their interim results and final results available to all interested StEP members. Any results which are to be published are reviewed by all StEP members and thus reflect the expertise of a multistakeholder initiative, representing academia, industry, governmental experts as well as non-governmental organisations from around the globe. StEP works towards a solution to the e-waste problem through its science- based but applied recommendations and StEP projects should support this aim. For more information on the StEP Initiative and its members, please see: www.step-initiative.org DISCLAIMER Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the author(s) accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full, as a consequence of any person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of a matter contained in this publication. All or part of this publication may be reproduced without further permission, provided the source is acknowledged. The EPA STRIVE Programme addresses the need for research in Ireland to inform policymakers and other stakeholders on a range of questions in relation to environmental protection. These reports are intended as contributions to the necessary debate on the protection of the environment. EPA STRIVE PROGRAMME 2007-2013 ISBN: 978-1-84095-504-0 Price: Free Online version ii Details of Project Partners Maurice O’Connell Una Lavelle Department of Electronic & Computer Clondalkin Community Recycling Initiative Engineering, Unit 14/2 Crag Terrace University of Limerick Clondalkin Industrial Estate Castletroy Clondalkin Limerick Dublin 22 Tel.: +353 (0)61 213102 Tel.: +353 (0)1 4578321 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Colin Fitzpatrick Jose Ospina Department of Electronic & Computer The Wooden House Engineering, Rossnagoose University of Limerick Skibbereen Castletroy Co. Cork Limerick Tel.: (+353)28 21890 Tel.: +353 (0)61 213561 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Martin Reddy Rehab Recycle Unit 77 Broomhill Road Tallaght Dublin 24 Tel.: 1800 661 551 Email: [email protected] iii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii DISCLAIMER ii Details of Project Partners iii Table of Contents v Executive Summary vii 1 Introduction 1 2 The Global E-Waste Landscape 3 2.1 Resource Scarcity 3 2.2 Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment 4 2.3 Impact of Informal Recycling Activities in Developing Countries 4 2.4 Directives and Policies 6 Table of Contents 2.5 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 6 2.6 Energy-related Products Directive/Ecodesign Directive 9 2.7 Basel Convention and Waste Shipment Directive 9 2.8 Waste Framework Directive 10 2.9 Discussion 11 Acknowledgements ii 3 Evaluating the Sustainability Potential of a Refurbishment Programme in Ireland Disclaimer ii 12 Details of Project Partners iii 3.1 Introduction 12 3.2 Literature on Reuse 12 Executive Summary vii 3.3 Environmental Assessment 14 1 Introduction 1 3.4 Social Assessment 21 3.5 Economic Sustainability 22 2 The Global E-Waste Landscape 3 3.6 Discussion 24 2.1 Resource Scarcity 3 2.2 Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment 4 4 Best Practices in Reuse 26 2.3 Impact of Informal Recycling Activities in Developing Countries 4 4.1 Barriers and