E-Wastes: The Way Forward 1.…

                                   E-Wastes: The Way Forward

1. Background
   ·    The ongoing IT revolution has improved people's lives in many ways. Electronic products have become part and
        partial of our everyday life. Because of economic growth and technological advances, it's often cheaper and
        convenient to buy a new electronic product than to upgrade an old one. Growing dependence on electronic
        products has given rise to a new environmental challenge, e-waste.
   ·    Currently, e-waste is one of the fastest growing segments of waste stream in Asia and the Pacific as in the other
        parts of the world. For example, 4 million PCs are discarded every year in China. E-waste worth $1.5 billion was
        generated in India last year and PCs, telephones, and televisions are projected to reach 14.3 million, 39.4 million
        and 18.2 million respectively by 2010. In the United States, about 5% of all municipal solid waste is e-waste and it
        increases 3-5% each year, which is 3 times the rate at which general waste increases.
   ·    Common e-wastes include: PCs, Televisions, telephones, mobile phones, air conditioners, electronic toy, etc.
        According to the estimates PC used in Asia was nearly 150 million in 2002 and that is growing at about 16 percent
        annually. 150 million PCs contain 0.86 billion kg of plastics, 215 million kg of lead and 86 thousand kg of mercury.
   ·    E-wastes, often ends up in landfills or incinerators. Toxic substances like cadmium, mercury and lead that are
        commonly used in electronic products can contaminate the land, water and air. For example, the cadmium from
        one mobile phone battery is enough to pollute 600,000 litres of water. Batteries from forecasted 800 million mobile
        phones in Asia could pollute nearly 4,800 trillion litres of water by 2007, if disposed improperly.
   ·    Despite the initiatives by some of the countries, agencies with the mandate on waste management in the region
        have no specific knowledge of composition of e-wastes or their management. UNEP Regional strategy identifies
        e-waste as an emerging issue and proposed to promote e-waste management in Asia and the Pacific by initiating
        a regional level activity for knowledge sharing.
2. Expert Group Meeting
   ·    An expert group meeting on e-waste
        management was organised from 22 ­
        23 June 2004 at UNEP RRC.AP. The
        meeting was participated by experts from
        Government and specialized institutions
        as well as the Basel Convention
        secretariat and the Basel Regional
        Center and derived the proposal for the next step.
3. Proposal
   ·    Objectives: The goal is to control and prevent the potential damage of e-wastes in Asia and the Pacific by: (i)
        enhancing the capacity of countries for implementing responses incorporating awareness, technical,
        administrative and legal measures; and (ii) promoting the use of environment friendly design, marketing approach,
        materials and energy in electronic products.
   ·    Approach: the objectives are proposed to be achieved through the following activities:
        ·   Establishment of network: Building on the existing initiatives such as Basel Convention Regional Centers,
            an e-waste network comprising policy makers and experts is proposed to be established. The network will
            facilitate the need assessment and participate in the preparation of baseline studies and knowledge sharing &
            capacity building programs.
        ·   Preparation of baseline studies and action plans: Baseline studies will include: inventories and existing
            technical as well as policy measures for e-waste management. Based on the baseline studies strategies for
            e-waste management will be developed at national and sub-regional levels.
        ·   Establishment of knowledge base and capacity building: It is proposed to establish a knowledge base on
            e-waste in order to promote the quantitative base. The knowledge base will include guidelines and good
            practices on e-waste management. Capacity building activities such as training and awareness programmes
            will also be carried out to enhance the knowledge on e-waste management.


Brief                                       August 2004                                                  UNEP/ROAP