INTRODUCTION

Definition: Electrical or electronic equipment which is waste

including all components, subassemblies and consumables
which are a part of the product at the time of discarding
waste.
Because of two primary characteristics it has become a problem.
They are
E-Waste is hazardous
E-Waste is generated at an alarming rate.

Continued…..

Sources of E-Waste: E-waste is generated by following three

sectors.
Individuals and small businesses
Large businesses, institutions and governments
Original equipment manufacturers
Types: Appliances, entertainment equipment,
telecommunication equipment, data audio and video Cd’s,
ink cartridges, batteries, laser printer drums, toner
cartridges, mobile phones.
Composition: E-Waste Composition
consists of heavy metals like Cadmium,
Chromium, Lead, Zinc, Mercury and also 36 other elements
for
eg:Germanium,Gallium,Barium,Nickel,Tantalum,Cobalt,Pall
adium,Manganese,Antimony,Venedium,Indium,Gold etc.
Generation of e-waste-US scenario, Effects
 Methods of disposal of E-waste

The e-waste that is generated is disposed in the following ways.

Landfill
Incineration
Reuse and Donation
Recycling
The three major steps involved in India are
Manual Dismantling
Refining &Conditioning
Final Disposal

MANUAL DISMANTLING&SORTING
REFINING &CONDITIONING
 FINAL DISPOSAL

METAL RECYCLING

The following methods are adopted for Metal Recycling.

Magnetic Separator

Eddy Current Separator

 Chemical Reactions involved

Recovery of Lead Recovery of Copper

PbO+C Pb+CO Fe+Cu2O FeO+2Cu
2Sb+3Pb 3Pb+Sb2O3
2ZnO+C Zn(g)+CO2
2As+3Pb 3Pb+As2O3
2CuO+C 2Cu+CO2
Sn+2PbO 2Pb+SnO2

Process flow for secondary Lead

Recovery

Pretreatment

Reductant
Reverberatory
Soft Pb furnace
Reductant Slag

Blast furnace

Hard Pb

75%-80%Pb

Refining
Process flow diagram for Copper recovery

Pretreatment

Blast furnace Reductant

Black Cu-70-85% wt.Cu

Converter
Blister Cu:95% Cu

Anode furnace Reductant

Anode Cu:98.5%Cu

Electrolytic refinery

Precious metals

Cathode Cu99.9% Cu
 Manually removing warnish Recovery of copper from acid

Manual segregation
Scrap iron addition

Copper extraction
 Precious metals recovery

Copper anode slime

Leach

Smelter

Silver electrolytic refining

Silver Anode slime

Gold,palladium,platinum
 The impact of e-waste may be broadly
classified into two categories:

Downstream Impacts:

Upstream Impacts:

Regulations
•Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989/2000/2002
•MoEF Guidelines for Management and Handling of Hazardous
Wastes,1991
•Guidelines for Safe Road Transport of Hazardous Chemicals,1995
•The Public Liability Act, 1991
•Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001
•The National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995
•Bio-Medical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998
•Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 and 2002
•Unfortunately, none of these regulations deal directly and specifically with
e-waste.
 Management Options

Transparency and accountability to the public .

General compliance with occupational health and safety standards
Use of best recycling practices and their potential for wide adoption by the
private sector.
Establishment of a consultative group
Preparing studies and creating a plan of action: Building capacity and a
knowledge base:
To control and or prevent the potential damage of e-wastes

 
References
Mayfield, Kendra. E-waste: The Dark Side of Digital Age. Retrieved on February 10th,
2005 from http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57151,00.html
Tong, X. Global Mandate, National Policies and Local Responses : Scale Conflicts in
Chinafs Management of Imported E-Waste. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/9100/28876/01299716.pdf?tp=&arnumber=1299716&isnu
mber=28876&arSt=204&ared=207&arAuthor=Tong%2C+X.%3B
Mayers, France, et al. The use and disposal of IT products within commercial markets
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http://miranda.emeraldinsight.com/vl=4871512/cl=71/nw=1/rpsv/~1101/v17n5/s2/p357
Richards, B. Environmental Management in Electronics Manufacturing. Retrieved on
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http://miranda.emeraldinsight.com/vl=5837266/cl=86/fm=html/nw=1/rpsv/cw/mcb/0305
6120/v23n4/s4/p16
What is E-Waste? Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/WhatisEwaste/

E-waste Management. Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from

http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=103895&catId=100245&tid=100008&p

E-waste Crisis: Around the corner (Toxic Links). Retrieved on February 10th, 2005 from
http://www.indiatogether.org/2003/may/env-ewaste.htm
Electronic Waste: A New Challenge for a new Millennium (2001). Retrieved on February
10th, 2005 from http://www.deq.state.ne.us/Newslett.nsf/pages/Sum01-4a
Report on Asia-Pacific Regional Expert Group Meeting on E-Wastes (22-23 June, 2000).