Posts Tagged ‘recycling’
The e-Steward Standard is finished.
August 24th, 2009 | 
Author: Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Basel Action Network is pleased to announce the solution to one of the most serious toxic waste issues of our time:
The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment®
The Standard is the result of long collaboration between the environmental community and leaders in the recycling, auditing, occupational health, data security, and manufacturing industries as well as from the accredited third party certification industry. It is the standard that will be applied in the e-Stewards third party audited, accredited certification for electronics recyclers that will be begin in early 2010.
Two documents are now available:
The complete e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment (which contains the entire ISO 14001 standard) that serves as the basis for official certifications. Our use of ISO proprietary language and our licensing of it from ANSI requires a purchase price. To purchase, click here to go to the purchase page, where you will see a “Buy Now” button. Or, send a check for $125 dollars payable to The Basel Action Network, 122 South Jackson Street, Suite 320, Seattle, WA, 98104, along with an email address and we will send you a PDF copy.
An excerpted version of the complete Standard, which contains all the industry-specific e-Stewards performance requirements, but only summarizes the ISO requirements. This version may not be used for the purposes of certification. The purpose of this excerpted document is to provide access to information about the specific e-Stewards requirements that are built into the ISO requirements for an environmental management system. This version is available at no cost and can be freely distributed. Click here to download.
See www.e-Stewards.org for more information:
Link:
http://electronic-recycling.blogspot.com/2009/07/e-steward-standard-is-finished.html
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Toxic e-waste exports present pressing problem
July 31, 2008
Washington, D.C. – Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Gene Green (D-Texas), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), a founding member of the Congressional E-waste Working Group introduced a resolution today (H.Res. 1395) expressing the opposition of the U.S. House of Representatives to the federal policy allowing toxic electronic waste, or “e-waste” exports to developing nations. The resolution also calls for the U.S. to join other developed nations to ban such trade.
“We have introduced this resolution today to draw Congressional and public attention to this pressing problem,” Green said. “Many Americans are unaware that discarded electronics contain lead, mercury, and other toxics and end up being salvaged under inhumane conditions in the developing world.”
“I am encouraged by the efforts to improve e-waste recycling in the U.S., but progress is an illusion when ‘recycling’ means exporting e-waste to be picked over by scavengers under hazardous conditions,” Green said.
“If we export our e-waste improperly, it can come back to haunt us,” Green said. “Instead, we should create jobs by recycling it properly at home.”
See full article here:
http://www.house.gov/list/press/tx29_green/20080731ewaste.html
Computer electronics recycling legislation
Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 1:37 p.m.
LANSING, MI. — The following is a message from the Michigan Senate:
The Michigan Senate today approved legislation that will establish a manufacturer-driven program to increase the recycling of consumer computer electronics without a charge on consumers. Both measures, sponsored by Sens. Patty Birkholz and Valde Garcia, were sent to the governor to be signed into law.
“E-waste recycling is an important program because it allows state residents to properly handle old computer equipment free of charge,” said Birkholz, R-Saugatuck Township. “By recycling these items, consumers can help reduce the amount of hazardous materials being placed in our landfills.”
Senate Bill 897, sponsored by Garcia, and SB 898, sponsored by Birkholz, will require manufacturers of consumer computer electronics to implement a take-back program for the free return of computers and video display devices that they produce. To participate, a manufacturer must first register with the state.
Part of the Senate Republican “Green Michigan Initiative,” the legislation will:
- Outline registration guidelines for manufacturers who opt to be in the program;
- Establish requirements for the electronics take-back program;
- Develop an Electronic Waste Advisory Council;
- Create the Electronics Waste Recycling Fund.
To read the entire article, please follow this link:
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=237258
EPA Launches Campaign to Improve Electronics Recycling
1/13/2003
The Environmental Protection Agency has kicked off a campaign called Plug-In Recycling to encourage Americans to reuse or recycle used electronics.
In addition to the EPA, other groups involved in the partnership include Best Buy, AT&T Wireless, Sony, Panasonic, Dell, Sharp, Recycle America, Envirocycle Inc., and Nxtcycle. The goal of the program is to heighten the awareness of the value of reusing and recycling electronics, and to provide increased opportunities to reuse and recycling the materials throughout the country.
The program was announced Jan. 11.
“In the past decade, electronics have spurred economic growth and improved our lives in countless ways, but our growing reliance on electronics has given rise to a new environmental challenge: safe and thoughtful management of electronic waste,” said Marianne Lamont Horinko, EPA Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “Reusing and recycling electronics is something Americans can do in their everyday lives to protect the environment, and this campaign will show them how.
“Many local governments, electronics manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, and non-profit organizations have established reuse and recycling programs for electronics,” Horinko added. “We want to get the word out about these opportunities and build momentum for even more reuse and recycling programs.”
The campaign is one of several new EPA efforts under the Agency’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC), which seeks to increase the national recycling rate from 30 to 35 percent and cut the generation of 30 harmful chemicals by 2005.
Under the RCC, EPA is working with electronics manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, and government agencies to reduce the environmental impacts of electronic products during their production, use, and disposal. The Agency will also establish partnerships and alliances with industry, states and environmental groups; provide training, tools and technology assistance for businesses, governments and citizen groups and get the word out through outreach and assistance to the general population, especially to youth and minority groups.
RCC efforts also include: EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, which encourages the manufacture and use of more energy efficient products; and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive’s Federal Electronics Stewardship Challenge. This latter program will use the substantial buying power of the federal government to promote, among other things, the purchase of environmentally preferable electronic products.
Link:
Business, School, Agency, Institutions and Other Regulated Generators of Electronic Waste
| Agency: Environmental Quality |
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Non-residential generators of electronic waste must determine whether or not their waste is hazardous. They must also determine the amount of all hazardous waste they generate within one month. The U.S. EPA and the State of California have tested electronic products and many have failed the standard test for toxicity called the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure. Rather than sending waste to be tested, many generators find it more economical to manage their electronic waste as hazardous due to the lead, mercury, and other materials in them. In Michigan, the DEQ has promulgated rules allowing common electronic products containing circuit boards and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) (containing leaded glass) to be managed as universal waste. Universal waste is more easily recycled than hazardous waste.
Notification requirements: For businesses handling 11,000 pounds or more of electronics and all other universal waste, notify as a large quantity universal waste handler when handling 11,000 pounds or more and obtain a site identification number. Notifications may be done by applying online through MiTAPS or by mailing in the form EQP5150. There is a $50 application fee. To check if a site identification number has already been assigned to a collection site, go to the Waste Data System and select advanced search. It is recommended to search using the street number in the address field and zip code in the postal code field. If you need assistance looking up a number or filling out the application, call the Environmetnal Assistance Center at 800-662-9278. The following Michigan regulatory guidance documents contain specific information about electronic waste.
Managing electronic waste can be as simple as remembering the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle … REDUCE Buying Environmentally Friendly IT equipment: The United States Environmental Protection Agency sponsored a new purchasing program for buying more environmentally friendly IT equipment. Called the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool or EPEAT (www.epeat.net, “EPEAT is a procurement tool to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products.” REUSE If donating your electronics or selling for reuse, keep in mind that all data should be properly removed (this means more than deleting your files) and the quicker you move the equipment on, the more valuable it is to the next owner. Do the “PC” Thing: Donate Computers-for consumers. This 2006 publication describes how consumers can safely donate their computers, some common reuse organizations and resources for deleting data from hard drives. Do the “PC” Thing: Donate Computers-for companies. This 2006 publication describes how companies can safety donate their computers, some common reuse organizations and resources for deleting data from hard drives. eBay Rethink. On this site you can find information, tools and solutions that make it easy – and even profitable – to find new users for idle computers and electronics, and responsibly recycle unwanted products. “Wireless: The New Recyclable.” This site is sponsored by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. It contains information about industry sponsored collection programs and guidelines for the collection and transportation of wireless devices among other resources. RECYCLE CHOOSING A RECYCLER: Currently there is no state or federal certification program for electronic waste recyclers. Recycling could mean anything from collecting electronics for refurbishment to dismantling materials and processing into commodities. Following are some documents that could help you find out about services provided by recycling companies that will fit your needs and ensure that your waste electronics are handled properly. Michigan Recycled Materials Market Directory. This on-line directory contains lists of recycling companies ranging from drums and barrels to tires and electronics. Electronics Recyclers Listed in the Michigan Recycled Materials Market Directory US EPA Responsible Recycling Practices published October 30, 2008. This publication is a set of guidelines for accredited certification programs to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices. Since January 2006, EPA has facilitated a multi-stakeholder group to develop this document. U.S. EPA approved CRT recycling exporters. This website contains the list of U.S EPA approved exporters of CRTs destined for recycling per the CRT rule. Federal Electronics Challenge, Checklist for the Selection of Electronics Reuse and Recycling Services. This checklist includes questions you may want to ask a recycler prior to contracting with them. You will want to know some basic information when securing an electronics recycler, regardless of size of your operation. The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) is a voluntary program that encourages government agencies to manage electronics waste in an environmentally responsible way. FEC has put together this checklist to assist in selecting an electronics recycler that best fits your needs. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Publications:
Georgia guideline for choosing an electronics recycler . Two documents are linked that can help you choose an electronics recycler: “Guidelines for Auditing E-scrap Vendors” and “What You Should Know About Your E-scrap Vendor” BUSINESS-SPONSORED COMPUTER RECOVERY PROGRAMS: Following are links to manufacturer sponsored takeback and computer recycling programs. Ask your computer supplier, distributor or brand owner to find out if a takeback program is available. |
Link:
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3585_4130_18096-148778–,00.html
