A Thesis Presented to the Biology Department College of Arts and Sciences University of San Carlos Cebu City, Philippines

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1 LEACHING OF LEAD FROM COMPUTER MOTHERBOARDS AND CELLPHONE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS USING LEACHATES FROM CEBU AND TALISAY CITY SANITARY LANDFILLS WITH NOTES ON E-WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF LOCAL INDUSTRIES A Thesis Presented to the Biology Department College of Arts and Sciences University of San Carlos Cebu City, Philippines In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Environmental Science by Verna Luz L. Dano January 2011

2 Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude to the following persons and organizations who have made the completion of this paper possible. Engr. John Paul Sisa, Talisay City Landfill Manager and Engr. Randy Navarro, Cebu City Landfill Manager, for accommodating the study in their respective sites. To Engr. Connie Sumalinog, project consultant for GTZ SWM4LGUs and to the Cebu City Planning and Development Office, for sharing relevant references. To the staff of Fast Laboratories, Inc., for their assistance in the sampling and in the analysis of the samples. To Ms. Tina Oquiñena of the Biology Department, for her assistance in the survey and to Dr. Roland Emerito Otadoy of the Physics Department, for his help in accessing references. To my instructors in the ES graduate program. Without the many daunting tasks they ve given our classes, I would never have learned all the important things I need to finish this paper. To my thesis panelists, Dr. Filipina Sotto, Dr. Glen Martin Green, and Ms. Ligaya Suico, for their time in reviewing my drafts and for making this research more meaningful to the environmental concerns of our time. To Dr. Julie Otadoy, for her vital support, guidance, encouragement and motivation. If I have to do this research twice, I would never ask for a different adviser. To my officemates at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority for their motivation and for understanding my leaves of absence to complete this work. To my friends and MS ES classmates, who have been my support networks. To my family, whose support is beyond description. And to God, who made all things possible. Verna // January 2011 iii

3 ABSTRACT Electronic and electrical products have significantly improved the way of living in recent decades. The disposal of these products, however, poses a new environmental concern not only because of quantity, but also because of toxicity. Electronic waste or e-waste, if improperly handled and disposed, are deemed hazardous to the environment and to health. Studies on the toxicity of e-waste and the management practices of industries for such type of waste are important to assess environmental risks and formulate effective guidelines. The leachability of lead from computer motherboards and cellphone printed circuit boards (PCBs) by extraction using landfill leachates from Cebu City Sanitary Landfill and Talisay City Sanitary Landfill in Cebu, Philippines was investigated and was compared with the values obtained through Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The concentrations of lead extracted from computer motherboards using leachates from Cebu City Sanitary Landfill and Talisay City Sanitary Landfill were less than 0.02 mg/l and 0.39 mg/l, respectively. The concentrations of lead extracted from cellphone PCBs using leachates from the said landfills were 0.36 mg/l and less than 0.02 mg/l, respectively. On the other hand, extractions through TCLP yielded mg/l and mg/l for the computer motherboards and cellphone PCBs, respectively. These values are up to twenty times higher than the lead toxicity limit of 5 mg/l set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The results indicated that lead leached by e-waste disposed in landfills is much less than what might be expected. The e-waste generation and disposal, perceptions on e-waste, and current and future management measures of companies in Metro Cebu were determined through a survey. Fiftyone (51%) percent of the e-waste generated was sold for reuse and 25% were disposed to accredited disposal facilities. Only 31% have implemented e-waste minimization programs and only 37% planned to install a system for e-waste disposal. Although the respondents perceive that it is important to manage their e-waste, a lack of understanding on the matter may have hampered them from engaging in proper management measures. The factors affecting e-waste management behavior of companies were awareness on good e-waste management, lack of information on existing disposal facilities, volume of waste generated and profitability. iv

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE APPROVAL SHEET ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABSTRACT LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF APPENDICES ii iii iv vii viii ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Objectives of the Study 4 Significance of the Study 5 Scope and Limitations of the Study 5 Review of Related Literature 6 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS Lead Leachability Tests Sanitary Landfill Sampling Sites Collection and Preparation of E-waste Samples Collection of Sanitary Landfill Leachates Analysis of Background Lead in the Sanitary Landfill Leachates Extraction of Lead through TCLP Extraction of Lead Using Sanitary Landfill 20 Leachates 2.2. E-waste Management Survey Data Analysis 21 CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Leaching Tests E-waste Management Practices Survey E-waste Generation and Disposal Perception on E-waste Management 31 v

5 Implemented and Planned E-waste Management Measures Factors Affecting E-waste Management Behaviors 36 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusions Recommendations 40 LITERATURE CITED 42 vi

6 LIST OF TABLES TABLES TITLE PAGE 1 Toxicity characteristics (TC) concentrations for some heavy metals as per DAO Average concentration of background lead in leachates collected from Cebu and Talisay City Sanitary Landfills 22 3 Average concentration of lead extracted from computer motherboards and cellphone PCBs through TCLP and using leachates collected from Cebu and Talisay City Sanitary Landfills 23 vii

7 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE TITLE PAGE 1 Map of Cebu Island showing the location of the two sampling sites 13 2 Sampling Points at the Cebu City Sanitary Landfill 16 3 Talisay City Sanitary Landfill 17 4 Average concentration of lead extracted from computer motherboards and cellphone PCBs through TCLP and using leachates collected from Cebu and Talisay City Sanitary Landfills 24 5 The percentage distribution of survey respondents by industry sector 28 6 The percentage distribution of the e-waste disposal options of local industries The percentage distribution of the reasons why local industries have not disposed their e-wastes 31 8 Perceptions of local industries on e-waste management 32 9 The percentage distribution per size of companies who have implemented e-waste minimization programs The percentage of companies per industry who have implemented e-waste minimization programs The percentage distribution per size of companies who have plans to install an e-waste disposal system The percentage of companies per industry who have plans to implement an e-waste disposal system. 35 viii

8 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX TITLE PAGE A Calibration Curves for the Analysis of Lead 47 B Data for the Analysis of Background Lead in the Sanitary Landfill Leachate Samples 48 C Determination of Appropriate Extraction Fluid 49 D Preparation of Extraction Fluid 50 E F Data for Extraction of Lead from Computer Motherboards and Cellphone PCBs through TCLP 52 Data for Extraction of Lead from Computer Motherboards and Cellphone PCBs using Sanitary Landfill Leachates 52 G E-Waste Survey Questionnaire 53 H List of Survey Respondents 56 ix