Electronic waste

STUDENT NAME: Gustavo A. Amortegui

STUDENT ID: s2706450

COURSE: 7011CAL

ASSESSMENT TASK: Final Report

TITLE: Electric and Electronic waste

DUE DATE: Monday, October 4, 2010

TUTOR: Ms. Patricia Bowles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. SUMMARY 3
3. DEFINITION E-WASTE 3
4. ELECTRONIC WASTE AROUND THE WORLD AND AUSTRALIA 3
4.1 Recycling inQueensland 3
4.2 Electronic waste management in Queensland 3
5. COMPOSITION OF ELECTRONIC WASTE 4
5.1 Perilous substances, components and materials composition 4
5.2 Physical characteristics of WEEE 4
6. IMPACT OF E-WASTE 4
7. POLICIES 4
7.1 International 4
7.2 Australia 5
8. CONCLUSIONS 5
9. REFERENCE LIST 6

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
The author of this report has given permission for this report tobe posted in 7011CAL as a learning aid for students. The author retains copyright of the article. Students are not permitted to copy or adapt the report without the permission of the author.
 
1. Introduction

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to perform daily activities in any sector; domestic, economic or social development without the use of overwhelming modern technology, which helps tooptimize the quality of work and personal life of society. At the same time, contributes to accelerate, scientific creativity and technological innovation.
Electronics, which are no longer useful, automatically become toxic waste to humans and their environment. Both women and men are unsuspecting participants and makers of the globalized post-modern culture. However, the exponential growthexperienced by the manufacturing, consumption and disposal of these elements, shows an extremely dangerous future for all living beings, including humans.
The threatening picture is denounced by the nongovernmental organization (ONG), according to the ONG (2006), the organization has developed important research to reduce damage to people and their environment, to create appropriate processesto neutralize the toxicity of electrical and electronic waste. The concern is shared by the United Nations Organization (ONU), which also joined the fight to stop the progressive trend of turning countries in e-waste dumps. Both organizations reiterate that there are solutions to address this problem. However, they insist that the solutions are not in the hands of the consumer or consumers,the ONU claimed that this is a global issue and the solutions must be global too.

2. Summary
3. Definition e-waste

The term ‘electronic waste’ or ‘e-waste’ is the informal name for those electronic products that their lifespan is over. Electronic waste refers to products such as computers and peripherals, television and monitors, audio equipment, telephones and cell phones, video gameconsoles among many others. However, there is not a standard definition of electronic waste.
4. Electronic waste around the world and Australia

Electronic waste or e-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams around the world, growing at a rate of 3–5% per annum or approximately three times faster than normal municipal solid waste (Schwarzer et al., 2005).
Around the world localadministrations are trying to deal with this problem. Therefore, they are getting involved in process of management of electronic waste. Australia does not have any framework to deal with electronic waste. However, Individual local councils are left to develop strategies to deal with the e-waste issue (Davis & Herat, 2008, p.1).
4.1 Recycling in Queensland

During 2002–03, Australians generated 32.4million tonnes of solid waste (domestic, commercial and industrial), with QLD generating 2.86 million tonnes of that waste. Of the 2.86 million tonnes generated, 347,100 tonnes (12.14%) were recovered (Queensland EPA, 2006).

4.2 Electronic waste management in Queensland

In 2006 Brisbane City Council implemented the service of collecting electronic waste every 6 months. Other Local...