E-Waste Recycling. Randy Shelton, B.S. Abstract

Transcription

1 Running Head: E-Waste Recycling 35 E-Waste Recycling Randy Shelton, B.S. Abstract Electronic waste and the minimal regulations involving recycling have developed into a global problem. Discarded and unwanted electronics are finding their way into landfills and exported to third-world countries which use primitive recycling methods that have an impact on the surroundings. These waste components are responsible for hazardous pollution of the environment and affect the health of the population. Suggestions are presented for reducing such waste.

2 E-Waste Recycling 36 Introduction and Statement of the Problem Statement of Purpose The purpose of the project was to improve understanding of electronic waste (e-waste) and the effect on health and the environment on a global scale. The project involved examining data and policies of governmental, national, and global organizations in dealing with electronic waste and recycling efforts from 1980 to Methods of recycling were examined as well as the hazardous composition of electronic components and the result on the environment. Data on human health were provided from studies (Huo, 2007;Li, 2006; Schmidt, 2006) of major waste recycling sites in Africa, India and China. Organizational Context Setting of the problem. Consumers desire new products with the latest features. Even though an existing product performed well, electronic equipment was replaced at an alarming rate. The electronics industry thrived on planned obsolescence and as an example, the average computer was only 2.5 years old (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2008a). Many corporations have budgeted a certain percentage of equipment replacement yearly. Numerous companies have provided for a complete replacement strategy within four years of all computer systems. The amount of electronic waste due to replacement of obsolete or unwanted electronics continues to rise. Electronic waste has become a global problem affecting both developed and undeveloped countries. Within the United States, e-waste recycling efforts are minimal. The

3 E-Waste Recycling 37 labor costs associated with recycling electronics are more than the value of the removed components (McConnell, 2009). Technology is making a difference in some areas to assist in reducing electronic waste. CRT, or television type monitors with large glass tubes, have disappeared from store shelves. Flat panels, or LCD monitors, have replaced CRT units. Flat panels are less expensive, are one fourth the weight, use one third less power, have a longer service interval, and take significantly less space than CRT counterparts (UCLA, 2010). Due to the hazardous makeup of e-waste, dumping in landfills is no longer an option. Local, state, and national governments have passed regulations restricting or outlawing e-waste in landfills. Restrictions on where to place unwanted electronic refuse has given rise to other outlets of disposal. As the world s largest producer of e-waste, the United States opposed the United Nations Basel Convention banning the export of electronic waste to undeveloped countries (Agoramoorthy, 2006). The United States only recognizes the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as the authority on illegal e-waste exports. Under the act, exporters legally ship e- waste freely as long as the goal was recycling. History and background. With the introduction of mass production in the 1920s and 1930s, a new method of manufacturing, planned obsolescence, was developed. Obsolescence became an aspect of production and incorporated into products, features that almost certainly went out of favor in a short time. Planned obsolescence induced consumers to purchase new models of the products (The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 2009).

4 E-Waste Recycling 38 Electronic waste has been a problem since the first electrical and electronic devices were manufactured. The influx of new and more powerful electronics fueled the increasing amount of disposed e-waste. New products with added features have driven and influenced consumers buying habits. Vying for increased market share, corporations constantly upgrade or release new models in an effort to draw in new customers. The introduction of the Apple iphone, for example, sparked a major shift in cell phone technology. With the myriad features and available applications, basic cell phone communication became outdated. The touch screen made the iphone popular with customers. As a result, the iphone release caused eager consumers to replace or upgrade their existing phones. The thousands of replaced phones became a part of the waste stream. As technology made it possible to manufacture items smaller, it also made it possible to make these products cheaper. The more inexpensive a product becomes, the more available it is to a larger consumer market. Personal computers were also a major source of e-waste due to obsolescence. The constant release of new and upgraded software was a force for replacing computer equipment. New operating systems and programs required an increasing amount of resources in memory, processing power, and storage space. Corporations, desiring to use the latest operating system to take advantage of greater computing efficiencies, found themselves with the need to replace numerous older computers. Older systems which ran legacy applications successfully for several years now were obsolete and entered the waste stream.

5 E-Waste Recycling 39 Scope of the problem. The scope of the study was limited to electronic waste. Other types of waste including organic, recyclable, soiled, and toxic were not included. Specifically, electronic waste was the fastest growing component of the waste stream and continued to grow each year (EPA, 2008b). Involvement in this project consisted of data provided by outside sources. The data described those involved as recycling workers in the United States, China, Africa, and India. Participants also included state, national organizations, and governments. Policies and regulations also played a role in the outcome of how electronic waste was handled. Significance of the Project This project provided informational benefits to consumers and users of technology. The public will be better informed of the meaning of electronic waste and the ramifications of obsolete devices upon the environment and public health. Consumers will realize the importance of proper recycling efforts versus the illegal disposal of electronic goods. This study has the potential as a vehicle for change. Data provided could result in more stringent governmental policies on exporting and recycling of electronic waste. A further benefit could drive voters to question and push for the United States to ratify the United Nations Basel Convention on exporting hazardous waste. Definition of Terms CRT: Cathode-ray tube; an older technology prior to the invention of LCD/Plasma screens. Used in television and computer display screens and are comprised of a large glass screen/tube.

6 E-Waste Recycling 40 E-waste: Any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic device. Hazardous Waste: Waste made up of toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, biological or infectious materials. Heavy Metals: Any metallic element with a high density that is toxic or poisonous in low concentrations. Leaching: The removal of materials by dissolving them away from solids. Lead Poisoning: A medical condition caused by increased levels of lead in the blood. Municipal Solid Waste: Waste products that include paper, glass, metal, plastic, rubber, leather, textiles, wood, food, yard trimmings, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes. Does not include hazardous materials. Recycle: To extract useful materials for re-use. Toxic: Any material capable of causing injury or death, especially by chemical means. Review of the Literature Heavy Metal Leaching of Personal Computer Components Electronic waste (E-waste) describes the obsolete electronic products thrown away as solid waste in landfills. E-waste also depicts electronic products nearing the end of their useful life, or obsolete electronics or products no longer wanted by the original owner. Personal computers were the most significant portion of this e-waste. In 2003 the EPA found that E-waste

7 E-Waste Recycling 41 was responsible for 1% of all the disposed solid waste in the United States. Although recycling continued to be encouraged, only 9% of computers were recycled with the majority disposed into landfills (Li, Richardson, & Walker, 2009). Additionally, large amounts of obsolete computers have remained in storage, awaiting disposal. In California, six million obsolete personal computers (PCs) and televisions were stored for disposal and the number has increased by 10,000 each day (Li, Richardson, & Walker, 2009). Computers have a number of toxic and hazardous materials within their components. Eight heavy metals including arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, and silver have been present in computers. These hazardous substances threaten human and environmental health. A fifteen-inch cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitor contains as much as 1.5 pounds of lead. Barium, which coats the front of the screen, is so dangerous it can affect the heart, blood vessels, and nerves. Phosphorous, used to make the screen glow, can cause damage to kidneys, liver, lungs, and the nervous system. Improper disposal of electronic components has allowed toxic and hazardous materials to leach into the soil. The largest culprit in this instance was lead from computer monitors or CRTs. As a result, the EPA proposed a rule in 2002 on the proper handling of CRT monitors. Other states have implemented regulations out of environmental concerns as well. California, in 2000 and 2002, banned the disposal of computer monitors in landfills. The state of Minnesota passed a law in 2005 to the same effect, with Maine following with legislation in Computer Recycling Builds Garbage Dumps Overseas

8 E-Waste Recycling 42 The United States exported 50-80% of computer waste (Agoramoorthy, 2006). Millions of tons of scrap electronics each year have been shipped to developing countries for recycling. Cheap labor and low standards of environmental protection in India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Africa have attracted shipments of E-waste. Obsolete computers are dumped or burned, releasing hazardous substances into the environment. The 1989 United Nations Basel Convention restricted hazardous waste transfers and was ratified by all the developed countries. The European Union as well as other nations further expanded banning all exports of hazardous waste to developing countries (Agoramoorthy, 2006). The United States was one of the few countries in the world that has not ratified the Basel Convention. Currently, e-waste from the United States was deemed legal only under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Within the act, as long as the goal of exporting e-waste was for recycling, U. S. exporters can ship e-waste legally (Agoramoorthy, 2006). Taking Out the Electronic Trash With the increasing use of technology, e-waste was seen as a global problem, according to McConnell (2009). In the United States, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported 130,000 computers discarded each day (McConnell, 2009). Electronic equipment contained hazardous materials. The hazardous types of materials make recycling cost prohibitive. The breakdown and separation of useful materials from electronics often was worth more than the salvaged materials resale value (McConnell, 2009). In the United States, fifteen dollars was the net expense to recycle a single computer monitor, after deducting what the parts were worth.

9 E-Waste Recycling 43 Limited in capacity to manufacture information technology, Africa has become the world s latest destination for obsolete electronic equipment (Schmidt, 2006). Some of the outdated material was somewhat functional. Donors of outdated electronics provide items in good faith. Brokers, who arrange these shipments, use African importers to rid themselves of unwanted electronic trash. According to the Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, up to 75% of the shipped electronics are irreparable junk (Schmidt, 2006). Even with a bustling repair market, Nigeria, as well as other African nations, had little oversight, or capacity, in safely dealing with e-waste. The majority of e-waste was disposed into landfills and makeshift dumps. Investigators witnessed enormous piles of waste strewn throughout the countryside (Schmidt, 2006). Some of the waste was used to fill in swamps. When piles of e- waste were too high, they were set on fire, releasing toxic fumes (Schmidt, 2006). Researchers witnessed barefoot children roaming over electronic waste piles (Schmidt, 2006). Livestock used in the local diet, including chickens and goats, were observed ranging through the electronic garbage. There were an estimated 500 shipping containers passing through Lagos, a Nigerian port city each month with, as stated previously, up to 75% useless and irreparable junk. As with New Delhi, India, Guiyu, China was a popular destination for e-waste (Huo, X., Peng, L., Xu, X., Zheng, L., Qiu, B., Qi, Z., et al., 2007). In an area totaling 52 square kilometers with a resident population of 132,000 in 2003, and a migrant workforce of another 100,000, Guiyu processed millions of tons of e-waste yearly. Due to the very expensive implementation of clean, safe, high-tech recycling, primitive processes were used. Old equipment was disassembled into subcomponents using hand tools. Circuit boards were heated over coal fires to melt solder to release individual electronic components. Acid baths were used

10 E-Waste Recycling 44 to extract precious metals. The waste acid was dumped into nearby fields and streams. Yellow smoke from acid processing drifted from acid bath huts (Huo, et al., 2007). Plastic sorting was performed according to color, rigidity, and luster. If plastic scraps were unable to be visually sorted, scraps were burned and sorted according to the odor. Hammers were used to separate batteries and monitor tubes. Remaining process residue was dumped in work areas, yards, roadsides, open fields, irrigation canals, riverbanks, ponds, and rivers. Huo et al. (2007) reported soaring levels of toxic contamination in dust, soil, river sediment, surface water, and groundwater. Guiyu residents displayed high incidences of numerous health issues including skin damage, headaches, nausea, gastritis, and ulcers. Lead, most widely used in electronics, causes health problems from environmental contamination. Lead enters living systems through food, water, air, and soil. As a result, children were more vulnerable to lead poisoning because they absorbed more from their surroundings. High blood lead levels in children were defined as greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Huo, et al., 2007). A study of 165 children from Guiyu and 61 from an area not associated with electronic recycling were selected to verify their blood lead levels. Researchers found 81.8% of Guiyu children exceeded safe levels. This study involved 165 children with a median age of 5 living in the Guiyu area. A group of 61 children residing in Chendan, where no electronic waste processing occurs, were included as a comparison. The manual methods used to process e-waste and how the refuse was disposed of contributed to contamination in the environment. Lead residue from processing posed a major threat to health (Huo, et al., 2007).

11 E-Waste Recycling 45 Collaborating on E-scrap Standards Standardizing global recycling processes to harvest valuable components in electrical and electronic scrap (e-scrap), extending the life of products, and harmonizing world policy towards e-scrap are goals of a new global initiative called Solving the E-waste Problem, or StEP (Industrial Engineer, 2007). The initiative included the United Nations, manufacturers, recycling companies, governmental, non-governmental, and academic groups as members. Valuable resources used in the manufacture of electronic products were increasingly discarded. The StEP initiative promoted salvaging increasingly precious resources and preventing these resources from polluting the environment. Other groups, mentioned below, will also allow for the safe disposal of components. Of all obsolete computers, 75% were in storage somewhere (Descy, 2007). The National Safety Council reported 63 million computers were obsolete in In addition, the council estimated 500 million computers were in storage in To properly dispose of a personal computer required removing all data. Data removal utilized an overwrite method to prevent retrieval of information. Due to the toxic materials present in computers, PCs legally cannot be thrown out with normal household refuse. Several options existed for disposal of obsolete equipment in a more environmentally friendly manner. Charities, need-based organizations, churches, civic groups, classrooms, and child-care facilities were possible recipients (Descy, 2007). National organizations were available to assist in finding non-profit organizations, disabled individuals, at-risk students, or the economically

12 E-Waste Recycling 46 disadvantaged worldwide. Computer manufacturers have programs as well and will either recycle the equipment or allow trade-ins. Methods Hypothesis The basic question and purpose of this research was to analyze levels and characteristics of electronic waste (e-waste) and its effect on the environment and human health. The intended result and outcome of this study was to determine if there was a need to control, reduce, and properly dispose of obsolete or unwanted electronic devices. The null hypothesis was that there was not a problem with electronic waste and additional waste reduction was not necessary. The alternate hypothesis stated that electronic waste reduction was needed. Design The research design utilized to test the hypothesis consisted of a needs study using a single sample t test. The study measured amounts of electronic waste produced in the United States. The dependent variable consisted of yearly e-waste recycling percentages from EPA, state, and industry data across 29 years from 1980 to This timeframe was used in an effort to provide accuracy and to exclude or minimize extraneous variables. No independent variables were used in this study. Participants The participants involved in this study were composed of individuals who purchased and contributed to of the disposal of obsolete electronic devices within the United States. Therefore,

13 E-Waste Recycling 47 the population of the United States was chosen due to the country s major contribution to global e-waste recycling, disposal, and exportation. Instrumentation The dependent variable was consolidated from yearly e-waste recycling percentages. The amount from this span varied from 0% for 1980 to as high as 25% for 2008 (EPA, 2008a). The e-waste was predominately made up of televisions, cell phones, and computer related equipment which consisted of desktops, portables, printers, multi-function printers, digital copiers, faxes, mice, keyboards, CRT monitors, and flat panel displays. The µ, or constant mean, for the test was intended as a percentage. The µ was calculated by examining the ideal amount for recycling. This amount is 100% of electronic waste recycled. A high percentage score on the test meant more electronic waste was recycled. A low percentage score meant less electronic waste was recycled. Obviously, 100% is a lofty goal; however, I wanted to measure against the ideal mean. Ideally, we should recycle all electronic wastes. Procedure A large, historical range of electronic waste was selected covering the 29 year period from 1980 through 2008 to allow for increased accuracy. Each single year s percentage of recycled electronic waste was researched and provided as one of 29 data points for the dependent variable. The data were compared to the µ of and were, in turn, input into a single sample t test to provide results of the hypothesis testing.

14 E-Waste Recycling 48 Data Analysis Descriptive analysis. The data were used to determine a mean and standard deviation for the dependent variable. The standard error of mean, critical, and actual values were determined. The data were entered into WebSTATISTICA (Statsoft, ) and graphs produced. A diagram was created to reflect differences between historical electronic waste recycling and the ideal recycling rate of 100%. Inferential analysis. The alternative hypothesis stated that electronic waste was at an unacceptable level (Ha: µs µ). The null hypothesis was that electronic waste was not a problem (Ho: µs >µ ). The level of significance was.05 with a single sample t used for hypothesis testing. Limitations Reasons exist which may not allow readers the ability to reach a conclusion based on information provided by this study. Due to the inclusion of the United States as a recycling participant and the limited amount of time to complete this study, existing waste data provided by governmental and state agencies as well as industry figures and research institutions were relied upon. Data on electronic waste recycling was available from the EPA for only a ten-year period. I assumed that the data from the government was reliable and valid; however, these were not guaranteed. Summary of Results Descriptive Statistical Information

15 E-Waste Recycling 49 There were a total of 29 years of recycling data used in this test of electronic waste recycling. The samples covered the period 1980 through 2008 and comprised data from the Environmental Protection Agency, state agencies as well as industry figures and research institutions. Examining Table 1 reflects a mean score of 7.563% with a standard deviation of 7.524%. A histogram of total scores can be viewed in Figure 1. Table 1 Descriptive Statistical Information Figure 1. Histogram of percentage of electronic waste recycled note that the program extrapolates to less than zero. However, zero was the smallest amount.

16 E-Waste Recycling 50 Results of Significance Tests The null hypothesis stated the sample would not show a significant difference and increased electronic waste reduction was not necessary (Ho: µ s µ). The alternative hypothesis stated electronic waste was at an unacceptable level and waste reduction would be desirable Ha: µ s < µ). The test had a level of significance of.05. A single sample t test was utilized to deliver the results. Given the 28 degrees of freedom, a critical value of was established. The calculated t-value was The null hypothesis was soundly rejected. Based on test results, increased electronic waste reduction was desirable. Figure 2 shows a box and whisker plot for review.

17 E-Waste Recycling 51 Figure 2. Box and whisker plot of percentage of electronic waste recycled reveals that not even the maximum percentage comes close to the target. Using 100% as the target was certainly going to result in a rejection of the null hypothesis. However, if one were more realistic and used a target of say, 50% correctly recycled waste, the t test would have been With 50% recycled waste, half of everything disposed would be incorrectly disposed. Just with the 50% statistic, the null hypothesis would have been soundly crushed. It seems there is a problem and the United States needs to do some serious problem solving concerning its disposal of electronic waste. Results of Needs Analysis Electronic waste and its relationship to computer operating system requirements could be a further test to explore. Each successive release of a major Windows operating system requires additional hardware resources of processor speed, memory, and hard drive space. These factors could potentially increase purchases of new computing equipment, thereby allowing obsolete units to be discarded upon their inability to run the new operating system. Figure 3 points out the increasing requirements of successive Microsoft Windows operating systems.

18 E-Waste Recycling 52 Windows Minimum Operating System Requirements Windows 95 Windows 98 Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista Basic Windows Vista Premium Windows 7 Processor Speed Mhtz Memory MB Hard Drive Space MB Figure 3. Comparison of minimum requirements for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems Description of Alternatives Existing policy and procedure. The existing method of dealing with electronic recycling comprises several areas that contribute to the overall handling of the waste. The United States has not ratified the United Nations Basil Convention on the outlawing of e-waste

19 E-Waste Recycling 53 exports to third-world countries. The U.S. only recognizes the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act that allows for export of electronic waste to any country as long as the intent is for recycling. There are limited federal and state regulations governing e-waste. Some states have enacted policies concerning e-waste but the majority of the states do not have any strict enforcement. Those that do have some form of regulation have no consequences for not meeting the stated objective. There are limited recycling efforts for electronics in the United States. Building the infrastructure capable of handling e-waste is deemed too expensive. Not all recycling is available free to the public. Recycling centers that do accept electronics often charge fees to consumers who want to dispose of, for example, older style tube television sets. People do not want to have to pay to recycle. Recycling efforts will not increase as long as it is easier to dispose of the unwanted electronics overseas. This existing method allows for the continuation of environmental pollution and health hazards for recipient nations incapable (or unwilling) of properly handling of these types of hazardous materials. Illegal export alternative. Another alternative to consider is for the United States to ratify the United Nations Basel Convention on making it illegal to export electronic waste to third-world countries. Complying with this mandate will cease all exports of waste to impoverished countries and assist in drastically reducing the environmental and health impacts to these nations. This method; however, without additional resources, will have a detrimental impact on the United States. Without large scale environmentally friendly recycling and disposal efforts, electronics will begin to stockpile within the country. Landfills will also become more prevalent in areas that allow e-waste to be discarded. Allowing for this method without large governmental assistance does not provide a long-term solution to unwanted electronics.

20 E-Waste Recycling 54 Aggressive recycling alternative. Perhaps the best alternative for reducing the impact on the environment and health concerns involves a multi-prong approach in dealing with e-waste recycling. Banning all electronic waste exports will go far in eliminating the impact of electronic waste on third-world nations environment and the health of their population. Strict government regulations should be enacted which govern the proper handling of e-waste on a national scale instead of leaving it up to individual states. Increasing recycling efforts through governmental support with tax credits and loans to provide an incentive to build environmentally friendly recycling facilities, could work. This alternative would follow the European Union s (EU) example in dealing with electronic manufacturers. The EU has imposed a take it back regulation affecting all electronics manufacturers if they want to sell their goods in Europe. Manufacturers must take back all disposed electronics. Such a take back policy produces pressure on the manufacturing community to create items with recycling in mind. Designing products in a more modular manner with the ability to easily remove components versus melting hard-wired connections has a benefit for both manufacturing and recycling. Manufacturers could easily upgrade returned products to the latest models instead of completely re-engineering each successive design. The recycling community could easily unplug these components instead of relying on primitive methods involving melting connections. Discussion and Conclusions General Discussion and Conclusions The purpose of the project was to improve understanding of electronic waste (e-waste) and the affect on health and the environment on a global scale, documenting the need for change, and

21 E-Waste Recycling 55 suggesting an alternative to the present poor disposal procedures. Performing research on e- waste has provided the means to reflect on the consequences of the lack of proper recycling efforts. If a change is not made on a multi-national scale, pollution rates will increase. The environment will suffer from additional amounts of chemical and hazardous material disposal. What happens to the environment will also affect the health of numerous individuals who use primitive methods to reclaim components from electronic devices and also those that live near the abundant discard piles. Nations and individuals will continue to seek the easiest and most cost effective way of dealing with e-waste. Unfortunately, that method all too often means passing the problem off to someone else. Shipping e-waste to third-world countries is seen as less trouble than creating an environmentally conscious solution. With the popularity of new, more advanced, or cheaper electronics, the problem of what to do with the unwanted devices causes the waste issue to escalate. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Study Strengths of this electronic recycling study include the large range of data. The 29 years of recycling information assists in increasing the accuracy of the results and allows for trends in recycling to be examined. Weaknesses in this study include the wide variety of organizations that contributed recycling data. No single source of recycling statistics was publicly available to cover a large time span. Industry-wide electronics manufacturers and recyclers data were only available for purchase instead of readily available for public review. There were insufficient data reported from each state on a timely basis. The majority of states have no laws or policies and those that

22 E-Waste Recycling 56 do have no ramifications for not meeting these regulations. The federal agency, the EPA, does not even provide its own data on a regular yearly basis. Recommendations Based on the project results, the country should embrace electronics recycling on a more aggressive scale. More specifically, the federal government and each state need to enact more strict regulations concerning the proper disposal and recycling of electronic waste. Governments need to promote recycling centers accepting e-waste without charging fees for disposal. The United States needs to ratify the Basel Convention on making the export of electronic waste illegal to other countries. Manufacturers need to see the benefits of designing products more modular with ease of upgrading in mind with the end result being less cost to bring new products to market. Of three alternatives described, only one has a clear advantage over the others in reducing the impact of electronic waste. The existing method and procedure in place today promotes shipping waste overseas. It provides no incentive to increase the recycling infrastructure and does not regulate e-waste with a strong central set of policies. Creating an alternative on banning exports of electronic waste is another consideration, but also has flaws. Passing regulations making overseas shipping illegal without providing for a way to dispose of and recycle unwanted devices will only stockpile the problem. Regulations would reduce the impact on third-world nations, but would only increase the U. S. reliance upon landfills and storage.

23 E-Waste Recycling 57 An aggressive recycling alternative is the best solution for reducing unwanted electronics. This alternative needs a multi-pronged approach to be considered a success. Banning all exports of electronic waste should be implemented. This will give relief to recipient nations environment and public health. The federal and state governments need to provide incentives to create the recycling infrastructure necessary for environmentally friendly recycling and disposal. Tax breaks, tax credits, loans, and other considerations need to be implemented to jumpstart the recycling industry. Strict federal laws need to be created and enforced on the proper handling of e-waste. This would allow for a strong central set of policies that would be enforced the same everywhere. States have not been consistent in enacting recycling strategies. Finally, recycling needs to be placed in the minds of the manufacturers themselves. The European Union s take back policy makes manufacturers receive unwanted devices for recycle. This policy causes them to put recycling considerations in their product design. If take back were implemented in the United States, then being required to take back products would put further pressure on manufacturers. Creating products with more standardized and interchangeable components would assist in the reduction of e-waste and would give additional incentive for manufacturers to take back electronics. Instead of re-designing from scratch, the ability to re-use components which meet production standards could lower the total cost of bringing new products to market. Creating more modular components with the ability to easily remove them to upgrade the product has the potential of benefitting both the manufacturing process and the disposal process. As the recommended method is developed, a plan could be devised to evaluate this alternative. A hypothesis could be considered in examining the aggressive recycling alternative. A study could be devised which compared the amount of e-waste recycled prior to ceasing all

24 E-Waste Recycling 58 exports versus the amount of e-waste recycled after exports were banned. A paired t test could be implemented to analyze before and after recycling amounts. The results could offer further insight into electronic waste recycling. Suggestions for Future Research Additional research in the area of electronic waste is needed. This study has explained the need to increase e-waste recycling; however, further studies in related areas could assist in the overall goal of reducing electronic waste. Delving further into how e-waste is processed could provide valuable information. Research needs to look closely at how items are disassembled, processed, and individual components reclaimed. This research could assist in increasing the amount of e-waste recycled versus exporting or discarding in a landfill.

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