ELECTRONIC WASTE DISPOSAL AT

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

Victoria LiuMay 31, 2008

SCHOOL CAMPUSES AND TECHNOLOGYThere are over 2,400 four-year colleges and

university campuses in the U.S. UCI: 25,000 students enrolled

over 16,000 faculty and staff employed• Popular technology

• Computers & laptops

• Cell phones

• MP3 players

EPA KEY FINDINGS FROM 2005 Americans own nearly 3 billion electronic products

Estimated 130,000 computers discarded per DAY

Around 304 million electronics abandoned in 2005 2/3 of those electronics were still operable according to the

Consumer Electronics Association

EPA KEY FINDINGS FROM 2005

•Used/unwanted electronics: 1.9 – 2.2 million tons

• Landfills: 1.5 – 1.9 million tons discarded to landfills

• Recycled: 345,000 – 379,000 tons recycled

BASEL CONVENTION AND E-WASTE EXPORT

The Basel Convention: the international treaty that regulates disposal and export of e-waste

E-WASTE DEVELOPING DEVELOPED COUNTRY COUNTRY

• U.S. is the only developed country that has not ratified the Basel Convention and

• Of the e-waste exported, 90% goes to China.

• Workers in foreign countries dismantle waste without protective clothing and employing practices hazardous to their health.

ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM E-WASTE DISPOSAL

CHEMICAL TOXINS

Americans have been shown to have the highest levels of these compounds in their blood of any people yet tested.

•Emitted in air and groundwater

• Embedded in tissue

• Leached into food products throughout U.S.

ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM E-WASTE DISPOSAL

LEAD MERCURY CADMIUM PVC HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM

•Nervous and reproductive systems

• Kidneys, thyroid, bones

• Mental development of children and fetuses

•Neurodevelopmental problems

RESEARCH Current research addresses large-scale directives in

different countries: European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

directive (WEEE) Japan’s Designated Household Appliance Recycling Law

(DHARL) Current practices on university campuses

UC Berkeley: GreenCitizen: drop-off locations, community programs, marketing

incentives

UC Irvine: Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S): drop-off bins, online pick-up,

e-waste collection events and specified dates

KEY QUESTIONS: How are UCI students currently disposing of their unwanted

electronics (namely computers/laptops, cell phones, MP3 players)?

Why have they chosen that method of disposal?

What alternative forms of disposal do students know about?

What adverse effects of electronic waste do students know about?

What incentives would encourage students to recycle their electronic waste?

RESEARCH DESIGNSample:

Survey taken to classes and the ARC 164 subjects studying different majors:

Public Planning & DesignCriminology, Law & SocietyEconomicsHistoryBiologyEngineering

RESEARCH DESIGN Sample questions:

1) How do you usually dispose of your old computers/laptops? [Check all that apply]

Keep, reuse parts Donate Trash Recycling centers Other:___________________

Why? [Check all that apply] Convenience Common practice Good for the environment Maximize use of product Don’t know Other: ______________________

What are some alternative forms of disposal you know about? [Check all that apply] Electronics stores Recycling centers Donation Other: ______________________

4) What adverse effects of improper electronic waste disposal do you know about? [Free response]

RESULTS METHODS OF DISPOSAL

Results very similar across the board

8 – 15% Trashed

* Many have not had to dispose of MP3 players yet

*

RESULTS18.8% 0% 16% 25% 12.5% 30.8%

Students Who Keep/Donate Recycle vs.Students Who Throw in Trash

RESULTS WHY

For computers/laptops, cell phones, and MP3 players students chose their method of disposal for reasons of CONVENIENCE

Also a popular consideration: MAXIMAL USE OF PRODUCT

Keep

Donate Reuse

Convenient Maximal Use

RESULTS In general, students know about RECYCLING CENTERS and

DONATION as alternative forms of e-waste disposal

They also know that e-waste contains DANGEROUS CHEMICALS causes ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE BUT only in the most general sense or not at all

Demographics: Public Health and Social Ecology Majors had the best ratios of

students who knew about the adverse effects of electronic waste

“Very little. I just know it shouldn’t be thrown in regular

garbage.” “Batteries are bad for the earth?”

“Toxins but don’t know exactly what.”

“We ship it off to developing countries to be disassembled dangerously…hurting their population and environment.”

“Increase in landfills; mercury and lead in electronics; potential urban runoff.”

RESULTS

RESULTS In conclusion:

Not much trash

Students know about alternatives

Most students know about adverse effects

Students know what they should be doing but not enough about how or why • Donations and storage have their own share of problems

• CAPITALIZE ON CONVENIENCE

• Further education and publicity about adverse effects + bad practices

• MP3 players will be growing problem – should be addressed and planned for

FURTHER RESEARCH Professor Ogunseitan

Researching how to eliminate the toxins used in cell phone parts and replace with non-toxic and reusable components

Extend to computers and MP3 players

Expansion through UC System 2007: UC system adopted “Policy on Sustainable Practices”

Energy Global Warming Waste Eco-friendly purchasing http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/17146

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Professor Valerie Jenness Professor Joseph DiMento Professor Oladele Ogunseitan Professor Stanley Grant Professor Lisa Grant Professor Eli Simon Professor Stephen Barker Professor Scott Samuelsen Students of UCI Students of Social Ecology Honors Program

Contact: vliu1@uci.edu