Recycling special report: A way forward
Published: 18 Jun 2001 14:02 BST
Perhaps the best road map for US recycling legislation can be found in Europe. A key stimulus there comes from the European Union, which through its parliamentary arm is working to pull various existing and proposed national programs into a united front through legislation known as the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, which encompasses not just computers and related devices, but also video games, digital cameras, refrigerators, washing machines, toasters and hair dryers.
The European Parliament this month will have a key vote on legislation that would require electronics manufacturers to phase out elements such as lead and mercury and to take back used products.
"As the (legislation) moves in Europe, that's going to move the debate for the rest of the world," said Dell's Minter.
The WEEE Directive sets a target date of December 2005 to begin annual collection of, on average, at least 5Kg per inhabitant from private households. A related directive sets January 2008 as the date by which manufacturers must find replacements for lead, mercury and cadmium, as well as for chemicals such as flame retardants that show up in circuit boards and plastic covers.
The EU adheres to what it calls the "polluter pays" principle, according to which electronics makers must be held accountable for treatment, recovery and disposal of their products when they become waste and that private households should be able to return the products free of charge.
This doctrine "means extending the legal, moral and financial responsibility of producers," said Ted Smith, executive director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition , an advocacy group focused on the high-tech sector. It is a government's way of telling manufacturers, "your responsibility goes beyond the initial sale and through the life cycle, including disposal," he added.
It's the issue of disposal that has drawn manufacturers' attention. They're worried about the logistics -- and especially about how it will translate into hard cash.
"The recycling targets that were set are pretty high," Minter said. "It's not certain how achievable they are. It's never been done before on this scale."
The EU expects the net costs of its collection and recycling requirements for all household electronic equipment to total between £315m and £560m per year in its 15 member states, with commercial equipment adding roughly 20 percent to those costs. For the individual consumer, the requirements would likely mean a premium of about one percent for most electronic goods, and as much as three percent for monitors, according to EU estimates. That could add some £7 to £35 to the typical price of a PC.
Or the cost could come when consumers get rid of their old equipment. In a recycling programme IBM launched in the US last November, the company is charging $29.99 (£20) for consumers and small businesses to ship it any brand of PC, monitor, printer or peripheral. Retailer Best Buy, which will be launching its own electronics recycling initiative later this year, charged between $10 (£7) and $25 (£17) per device in a pilot programme last year, according to a spokesman.
"Economies of scale will play a big role," said Tony Hainault, a policy analyst with Minnesota's Office of Environmental Assistance, which worked with Sony to set up a recycling program for the consumer giant's products. "It will be important to collect a large volume of this material to make it cost-effective to recycle."
In the end, as with many environmental issues, the success of computer recycling may rest with the individual.
As the EPA's Tumarkin put it: "We say it's on everyone in the supply chain, from manufacturer to consumer."
Click here to go return to the intro of our Recycling Special Report:
Click here to go to Part II of our Recycling Special Report: First steps.
Click here to go to Part IV of our Recycling Special Report: Disposal is too hot to handle.
See ZDNet UK's NetBuyer guide to recycling PCs -- complete with details of useful organisations that can help.
Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Click on the TalkBack button and go to the ZDNet news forum.
Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom. And read other letters.
Did you find this article useful?
50 out of 130 people found this useful
Digg
Slashdot
Del.ici.ous
Stumble
Reddit
