es5b00449_si_001.pdf (772.73 kB)
“Control-Alt-Delete”: Rebooting Solutions for the E‑Waste Problem
journal contribution
posted on 2015-06-16, 00:00 authored by Jinhui Li, Xianlai Zeng, Mengjun Chen, Oladele A. Ogunseitan, Ab StevelsA number
of efforts have been launched to solve the global electronic
waste (e-waste) problem. The efficiency of e-waste recycling is subject
to variable national legislation, technical capacity, consumer participation,
and even detoxification. E-waste management activities result in procedural
irregularities and risk disparities across national boundaries. We
review these variables to reveal opportunities for research and policy
to reduce the risks from accumulating e-waste and ineffective recycling.
Full regulation and consumer participation should be controlled and
reinforced to improve local e-waste system. Aiming at standardizing
best practice, we alter and identify modular recycling process and
infrastructure in eco-industrial parks that will be expectantly effective
in countries and regions to handle the similar e-waste stream. Toxicity
can be deleted through material substitution and detoxification during
the life cycle of electronics. Based on the idea of “Control-Alt-Delete”,
four patterns of the way forward for global e-waste recycling are
proposed to meet a variety of local situations.