"Electronic waste" may be defined as all secondary computers, entertainment device

electronics, mobile phones, and other items such as television sets and refrigerators, whether sold,

donated, or discarded by their original owners

-70% of metals in landfills are from ewaste materials-EPA estimates that amount to be about 2 million tons-5 to 6x as much disregarded than recycled-Average American household spends $1,400 annually on about 24 new electronic products

On average a computer is 23% plastic, 32% ferrous metals, 18% non-ferrous metals (lead, cadmium, antimony, beryllium, chromium and mercury), 12% electronic boards (gold, palladium, silver and platinum) and 15% glass.

-Only about 50% of the computer is recycled, the rest is dumped. The toxicity of the waste is mostly due to the lead, mercury and cadmium –non-recyclable components of a single computer may contain almost 2 kilograms of lead. Much of the plastic used contains flame retardants, which makes it difficult to recycle.

-Too expensive to properly dispose of in US for big companies.

-We say they are “recycled” but really just dumped overseas where environmental laws are looser.

-US has not ratified Basel Convention (ewaste exports)

-80% of “recycled” US goods are actually not dealt with at home

-West Africa vs. Bhopal case(Irresponsible implementation)

Melt plastics and copper wiring to extract the tiny amounts of precious metals (Gold, Copper, Silver)

$ 6 per broken up computer(remember only 50% can be recycled)

groundwater contamination, atmospheric pollution, or even water pollution either by immediate discharge or due to surface runoff (especially near coastal areas), as well as health problems including occupational safety and health effects among those directly involved, due to the methods of processing the waste.

Who is responsible?

What are the current measures being explored?

What are the solutions?

Current LegislationAggressive

• Recovery programs

• Recycling programs

• California success

• New York City

Passive

• Disposal bans

• Studies

California at the

Forefront

Electronic Waste Recycling Act (2003)

• Cost free recycling opportunities

• Reduce/prevent illegal dumping

• Decrease hazardous materials entering waste stream

“free and convenient”

Issues with Current Legislation

• Evasion of recycling fee

– Internet sales

– Out of state purchases

• Limits of state legislation

– Illegal shipping overseas (China, India etc.)

Fundamental Ethical Responsibilities of Scientists and Engineers (FERSEs)

1. To not act in any way that one knows will cause harm to innocent individuals or the “public interest.”

2. To try to prevent preventable harm from being done to innocent individuals or the “public interest.”

3. Assure that all parties are adequately informed about these risks upstream and given a realistic chance to give or withhold their consent to their subsequent imposition.

Do they have a choice?

Is risk imposed or voluntary?Is the risk acceptable?

1. Make products with less harmful materials

2. Congruent legislation among all states via federal mandate (ie. California’s laws)

3. International trade restrictions by the adoption of the Basel Convention.

“By offering distinctly political reasons for or against the adoption of a

particular technology, arguments of this kind stand apart from more

commonly employed, more easily quantifiable claims about economic costs

and benefits, environmental impacts, and possible risks to public health and

safety that technical systems may involve. The issue here does not concern

how many jobs will be created, how much income generated, how many

pollutants added, or how many cancers produced. Rather, the issue has to do

with ways in which choices about technology have important consequences

for the form and quality of human associations.”

-Langdon Winner p. 131 Do Artifacts Have Politics?