Federal
Electronic Waste
Initiatives
The Federal
Electronics
Challenge (FEC)
 is
a new voluntary
partnership program
that encourages
federal agencies and
facilities to
purchase greener
electronic products,
reduce impacts of
electronic products
during use, and
manage obsolete
electronics in an
environmentally safe
way. The federal
government purchases
more than $38
billion worth of
electronic equipment
and services
annually, giving it
the opportunity to
provide leadership
in the
environmentally
sound and cost
effective life-cycle
management of
electronic assets.
Any federal agency
or facility can
participate in FEC
as a program
partner. Program
partners complete a
baseline survey and
set goals to improve
management of
electronic assets in
three
areas—acquisition
and procurement,
maintenance and
operation, and
disposal. FEC will
organize conferences
and produce
technical training
materials to help
partners change
their current
electronic equipment
management
practices. The White
House Task Force on
Recycling will
sponsor an awards
program to provide
national and
regional recognition
for partners’
achievements.
EPA's Office of
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
published Electronics:
A New Opportunity
for Waste
Prevention, Reuse,
and Recycling
(PDF). This fact
sheet provides
information on ways
that households and
businesses can
reduce the
environmental impact
of electronics use
and disposal through
reuse, donation,
recycling, and
buying greener
electronic products.
EPA’s WasteWise,
a voluntary program
that partners with
over 1,100
businesses,
governments, and
organizations,
developed the
Electronics
Challenge to help
partners divert
outdated computers
bound for the
landfill. Challenge
participants receive
free technical
assistance to get
their waste
reduction programs
underway, including Electronics
Reuse and Recycling
(PDF), a document
that provides
resources and case
studies on
end-of-life
management of
electronics. Sign up
today as a WasteWise
partner and take the
Electronics
Challenge.
EPA's Design
for the Environment
(DfE) Program
is undertaking, in
cooperation with the
electronics
industry, the Computer
Display Project
to evaluate the
environmental
impacts, performance
and cost of cathode
ray tubes (CRTs) and
active-matrix liquid
crystal display
(LCD) technologies
used for desktop
computer monitors.
The approach
combines
environmental
life-cycle
assessment and risk
assessment
techniques and is
intended to provide
the electronics
industry with
information on
environmentally
preferable
technologies,
materials, and
processes and on
environmental
challenges that
could be addressed
in the future. The
DfE program is also
working with the
printed wiring board
industry and others
to look for ways to
reduce water, energy
and toxic chemicals
use in the
manufacture of
printed wiring
boards.
ENERGY STAR
is a voluntary
partnership between
EPA, the Department
of Energy,
manufacturers, local
utilities, and
retailers. Partners
promote energy
efficient products
by labeling them
with the ENERGY STAR
logo and educating
consumers about the
benefits of energy
efficiency. The
ENERGY STAR label
can be found on a
variety of products,
including office
equipment, home
electronics, and
appliances.
The U.S.
Department of
Defense (DoD),
through its Defense
Reutilization and
Marketing Service,
awarded a contract
in 1998 for
electronic equipment
demanufacturing. The
contract is designed
to assure compliant
disposal of all
hazardous components
contained within
electronic
equipment, to meet
DoD's security
requirements, and to
maximize the return
to DoD on the
resulting precious
and valuable metals
and other recyclable
materials. DoD's
contractors identify
and sell any usable
items and
components. They
dismantle
electronics not
suitable for sale;
identify, remove and
properly dispose of
any hazardous
components; and then
sort, segregate, and
upgrade the
remaining scrap to
maximize return to
the U.S. Government.
The process involves
recycling of all
material, with a
minimal amount of
material sent to
landfills.
(Excerpted from Overview
of U.S. Electronics
Stewardship
Initiatives. [PDF])
The U.S.
Postal Service (USPS)
has
partnered with Per
Scholas, a
non-profit computer
demanufacturer and
recycler dedicated
to bridging the
digital divide by
bringing 21st
century technology
to schoolchildren
and low-income
families. The USPS
donated 15,350 units
of surplus
electronic equipment
for recycling.
Postal Service
vehicles transported
the computers to Per
Scholas for
reconditioning and
distributed
refurbished units to
families without
computers.
The U.S.
Department of Energy
(DOE) has
established a unique
and innovative
partnership for
electronics
recycling with the
DOE Oak Ridge
Operations Office of
Assets Utilization,
the Community Reuse
Organization of East
Tennessee (CROET)
and The Oak Ridge
National Recycle
Center (TORNRC). Via
CROET, DOE funded
grants to research
better methods for
recycling glass and
plastics and
established an
electronics
recycling pilot
project. The pilot
project, operated by
a commercial
company, was
established at the
East Tennessee
Technology Park (ETTP)
site in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee. This
partnership allows
DOE to recycle its
electronics and
avoid costly
disposal. It also
allows TORNRC to
refurbish the
electronics for
reuse or recycle of
the basic components
(e.g., plastic,
metal, and glass)
for profit. Using
this strategy,
TORNRC is achieving
a 99% recovery rate
on all materials
received. As a
result of this
unique teaming
arrangement, over
1,190 metric tons of
surplus electronic
type materials have
been recycled,
resulting in a cost
avoidance to DOE of
$1.3 million dollars
to date. TORNRC and
CROET received the
White House
"Closing the
Circle Award"
in August 2001 for
their work in
electronics
recycling.
(Excerpted from Overview
of U.S. Electronics
Stewardship
Initiatives. [PDF])
The Computers
for Learning
program
is designed to
streamline the
transfer of excess
and surplus federal
computer equipment
to schools with
kindergarten through
12th
grade and
educational
non-profits, giving
special
consideration to
those with the
greatest need. The
program was
established in
Executive Order
12999,
"Educational
Technology: Ensuring
Opportunity for All
Children in the Next
Century." The
goal of this order
is to ensure that
American children
have the skills they
need to succeed in
the
information-intensive
21st century. GSA
has responsibility
for promoting the
order, helping other
federal agencies and
potential
recipients, and
setting an example.
In 1997,
approximately 70,000
pieces of equipment
were transferred to
schools from federal
agencies.
Demanufacturing
of Electronic
Equipment for Reuse
and Recycling
(DEER2).
Through
its National Defense
Center for
Environmental
Excellence, the US
Department of
Defense and its
contractor,
Concurrent
Technologies
Corporation, an
independent
nonprofit, are
operating the DEER2
project. The
objective of the
project is to
encourage electronic
equipment reuse and
recycling by
developing,
demonstrating, and
validating emerging
technologies for
equipment
demanufacturing.
Information on
effective
technologies will be
made available to
commercial
electronics
recyclers and other
interested parties
through speeches,
publications, and
other information
transfer methods.
The National
Electronics
Stewardship Workshop
stems from a
memorandum of
understanding signed
by EPA, the U.S.
Postal Service, and
the Departments of
Defense, Energy, and
Interior to develop
a common strategy
for using
environmentally
preferable and
energy efficient
technologies and
practices to improve
the quality,
performance, and
environmental
management of
electronic equipment
throughout their
lifecycle. The
purpose of the
February 2001
workshop was to
discuss how the
Federal government
can better manage
its own electronic
products and help
advance the
development of
greener electronics
practices, including
increased reuse and
recycling.
A background
document (PDF)
prepared as part of
the workshop
provides an overview
of current Federal
procurement programs
and initiatives to
manage its
end-of-life
electronics
equipment. The
document also
describes policy
initiatives on
electronics
stewardship that are
occurring across the
country.
In March 2003,
California
Representative Mike
Thompson introduced computer
recycling
legislation
that
would launch a
federal grant
program to aid in
the establishment of
computer recycling
programs in the
United States. The
program,
administered by EPA,
would be funded by
assessing a fee of
up to $10 for all
retail sales of
individual
computers, monitors,
and laptops. EPA
would award grants
on a competitive
basis to
organizations and
state and local
governments that
recycle computers in
an efficient and
environmentally
responsible manner.
Electronics
Industry
Initiatives
Product
stewardship
practices are
constantly evolving
as industry works to
achieve greater
resource use
efficiency and
pollution
prevention. A
sampling of
businesses
implementing product
stewardship
principles is
provided below. The
mention of any
company, product, or
process at this
Website does not
constitute or imply
endorsement by EPA.
Also, please note
that none of the
claims made by these
businesses have been
verified by EPA.
Because we seek to
highlight the latest
developments in
product stewardship,
we are interested in
hearing about
innovative
strategies being
implemented by
business. Please
click on Contact
Us to send your
ideas to us.
The American
Plastics Council (APC)
has
participated in
several projects
looking at
opportunities for
recycling plastics
from end-of-life
electronics. In
Minnesota, the APC
joined with Sony,
the Minnesota Office
of Environmental
Assistance, and
other partners in a
pilot project that
evaluated strategies
and costs for
collecting,
transporting, and
processing used
electronics. The APC
has also published a
report, entitled Plastics
from Residential
Electronics
Recycling,
that
summarizes what the
organization has
learned to date
about recycling
plastics from
consumer
electronics. The
report draws on the
results of the
Minnesota study, as
well as one
conducted in San
Francisco to
determine whether
recyclers could
produce pure streams
of certain plastic
resins.
Apple
Computer
designs
its products for
ease of assembly and
disassembly, using
latches, snap-in
connections, and
single screw-types
requiring no
specialized tools.
Apple is also taking
steps to increase
recyclability by
using materials that
can be easily
recycled, marking
materials with
international
recycling codes,
standardizing
designs and
components to
facilitate material
use along product
lines, and reducing
the weight and
material used in
products. The
"product
design" section
of its environmental
Website has detailed
case studies on the
Power Mac G4 and
7200.
Best
Buy
was
the first
electronics retailer
in the country to
offer recycling
collection services
to consumers. During
the first phase of
its electronics
recycling program,
in the summer and
fall of 2001, Best
Buy held two-day
collection events at
ten sites in seven
states across the
country. During the
events, Best Buy
accepted old
electronics
equipment from
consumers for free
or for a small fee,
depending on the
item. Participating
stores collected
more than 250,000
pounds of equipment.
Nearly 3,000 people
took advantage of
the events. Best Buy
plans to expand its
recycling program to
ensure that
consumers in every
Best Buy community
have the opportunity
to recycle obsolete
electronics
equipment at least
once a year. Best
Buy is currently
seeking corporate
and government
partners to make
this expansion
possible.
Compaq
focuses
on environmental
stewardship during
every phase of the
product lifecycle.
For example, when
Compaq engineers
begin the design of
a computer, they
consider the
environmental impact
of its component
parts and their
readiness to be
recycled when the
computer is no
longer useful.
Design for the
Environment
guidelines have been
developed for use
across Compaq
product lines on a
worldwide scale.
Many of its products
are designed to be
easy to upgrade. For
example, its
notebook computer
designs incorporate
modular drive
designs so that a
user can interchange
different hard
drives, floppy
drives, and CD-ROM
drives in the same
drive bays.
In June, 2001,
Compaq and a midwest
electronics
recycling firm
launched the United
Recycling
Industries' (URI's)
Electronics
Take-Back Program.
This
program offers
participating
customers a 6 to 9
percent discount on
Compaq products if
consumers return
used electronics
equipment. URI
provides shipping
boxes and labels,
while customers pay
URI $27.99 to
process up to 70
pounds of returned
computers, monitors,
and peripherals.
URI's pilot program
is currently open to
residents and small
businesses in seven
Midwest states.
Dell
Computer Corp.
is
holding a 15-city
recycling tour in
2003, permitting
consumers in places
such as Austin,
Texas, and Portland,
Oregon, to donate or
recycle their
unwanted computer
equipment free of
charge. Dell’s
collection event in
Denver, Colorado,
set a national
record for tonnage
collected at a 1-day
event, according to
the National
Recycling Coalition,
as more than 2,000
people dropped of
200 tons of unwanted
equipment for
donation or
recycling.
Dell has also
launched an online
system
that
provides consumers
with three options
for dealing with
end-of-life
computers: 1) pay
Dell $15 to pick up
end-of-life
equipment from your
home for shipping to
a recycling center;
2) donate the
equipment through
the National
Cristina Foundation;
or
3) auction through
www.dellauction.com.
Dell accepts
non-Dell computers.
As part of a move
toward an entirely
"green"
product range, Dell
is manufacturing a
line of
professional-level
computers that are
completely
recyclable. Dell's
OptiPlex PCs meet
the stringent
standards for
Germany's Blue Angel
environmental label,
which is awarded to
those products that
combine improved
longevity of the
system and its
components with a
recyclable design
and the opportunity
to reuse and recycle
used products or
product components.
The OptiPlex range
incorporates Dell's
innovative Optiframe
chassis, which uses
few screws and opens
with ease, making
upgrades and
dismantling simpler
and less expensive.
All of the materials
in the PCs are
labeled for easy
recycling. Dell is a
WasteWise
partner.
Electronics
Industries Alliance
(EIA)
announced
a pilot electronics
recycling project in
June 2001.
Collaborating
manufacturers,
including Canon,
Hewlett Packard, JVC,
Kodak, Panasonic,
Philips Electronics,
Sharp, Sony, and
Thomson, will test
three different
models of
electronics
collection and
recycling beginning
in October:
- Municipal Collection Model.
The consortium
of companies
will contract
private
companies to
recycle products
they
manufacture. The
contracts will
cover
transportation
from
consolidation
points to the
recycling
facilities.
Municipalities
will be
responsible for
collecting and
consolidating
used
electronics.
- Retailer Collection Model.
A selected
number of
retailers will
hold collection
events and
direct returned
equipment to
private
recyclers with
whom the
industry group
has made
arrangements.
Collaborating
manufacturers
will reimburse
the
participating
retailer for
recycling costs
based on the
number of units
sold. This model
is intended to
simulate and
evaluate an
advance disposal
fee, which in
reality
(although not
the case in the
pilot) would be
paid by the
purchaser at the
point of sale.
- Consumer Drop-Off Model.
The
collaborating
manufacturers
will partner
with any
retailer willing
to host a
collection
event. The
retailer would
contract with a
recycler and
charge consumers
a
"drop-off"
fee for all
products
collected.
Industry will
supply funds for
promotion,
education,
coupons and/or
rebates.
Project
participants hope to
generate data that
will help guide the
development of a
cost-effective and
efficient long-term
electronics
recycling program.
The Electronic
Industries
Alliance's Consumer
Electronics
Initiative (CEI)
is
a Web-based
information resource
that provides
consumers and others
with information on
recycling and reuse
opportunities for
used electronics.
Participating
manufacturers
include an industry
statement in a
variety of media,
including owner's
manuals, company
Websites, and
product literature,
directing consumers
to the CEI Website,
where consumers can
find recycling and
reuse opportunities
for used electronics
in their area.
Epson
has launched an online
recycling program
that
allows consumers to
ship back the
company’s branded
products for
recycling. Consumers
pay a $10 fee to
cover the cost of
shipping and
recycling qualifying
EPSON computers or
peripherals,
including printers,
scanners, digital
cameras, laptops,
and projectors.
Epson provides a
pre-paid UPS
shipping label, and
also sends each
participant a $5
electronic coupon
that can be used for
a future Epson
purchase. All
products returned
through the
recycling program
are sent to a
licensed recycling
facility where
components are
shredded and then
separated for reuse.
Fujitsu Ltd.
and Sony
Electronics
are taking steps to
reduce landfill
waste by finding
ways to incorporate
biodegradable
plastics into their
products. In 2002,
Sony Electronics
began offering a new
version of its
Walkman tape player
that uses a
vegetable-based
plastic for 90
percent of its
casing. Fujitsu is
also moving to make
use of this
environmentally
friendly plastic.
Beginning in 2004,
Fujitsu will use the
plastic in the shell
of its Biblio laptop
computer. Polylactic
acid, a corn-based
polymer, is the
ingredient that
makes this plastic
biodegradable. When
placed in a
landfill, the
plastic
disintegrates in a
few months—the
rate of
disintegration
depends upon soil
composition,
temperature, and
exposure to air. The
plastic is produced
using lower amounts
of petroleum and
does not release
dioxin when it is
burned or buried.
From 2003 to 2010,
global production of
biodegradable
plastics is expected
to grow from 410,000
tons to 14 million
tons. This should
significantly reduce
the price of the
plastics, making it
more economically
feasible for
companies to use the
plastics in their
electronic products.
Gateway's Recycling
Program
offers
customers a $50
rebate after they
purchase a new
Gateway computer and
then donate or
recycle their old
system. Customers
are responsible for
finding a recycler
or receiving
organization for
their computer,
after which they
submit confirmation
forms to Gateway to
receive the rebate.
Hewlett Packard (HP)
has
incorporated design
improvements that
facilitate
disassembly and has
initiated a computer
hardware take-back
program. Some of the
environmental
attributes designed
into HP products
include:
- Using a foam chassis that reduces the parts needed for
some products,
simplifies
disassembly, and
reduces the
amount of
protective
packaging
required during
shipping.
- Identifying the resin content of plastic parts by
marking the
plastic instead
of using a paper
label to
facilitate
recycling.
HP announced in
May 2001 that it
will take
back
computer
hardware from any
manufacturer. The
cost of this service
ranges from $13 to
$34 per item,
depending upon the
type and quantity of
hardware to be
returned. HP will
assess all returned
hardware to
determine if it
meets minimum
criteria for
donating to
non-profit
organizations. If
the computer has no
value as a whole
product, HP—and
its recycling
partner, Noranda,
Inc.—will
disassemble and
separate products
into their key
commodities such as
steel, aluminum,
copper, and plastics
and sell the raw
materials to
manufacturers who
will make new
products. HP is
testing a program
that awards a coupon
worth up to $50 to
those who recycle
through the company.
HP is a WasteWise
partner.
IBM’s
PC Recycling Service
allows
consumers and small
businesses to
recycle any
manufacturer’s
PCs, including
peripherals. For a
fee of $29.99, the
customer receives a
pre-paid mailing
label and ships the
computer equipment
via UPS to
Envirocycle, an
electronics recycler
in Pennsylvania.
Depending on its age
and performance
capability, the
computer will either
be recycled in an
environmentally
responsible manner
or refurbished for
donation through
Gifts in Kind
International. If
the computer can be
donated, the donor
receives a receipt
which can be used
for tax deduction
purposes. Customers
can purchase the
recycling service
when they buy a new
IBM computer or
order the service
separately by
calling
1-888-SHOP-IBM.
Intel
has
a number of product
stewardship
initiatives
underway, including
one design project
involving an
industry group to
standardize server
building blocks,
such as the chassis,
power supplies, and
boards. This
standardization
allows consumers to
upgrade, add, or
remove components
without having to
purchase an entirely
new system. In
addition, all
motherboards, PCs,
workstations, and
server major
subassemblies can be
disassembled and
upgraded with only a
screwdriver. Intel
has prevented
packaging waste by
moving to
lightweight shipping
trays and tray caps,
maximizing the
number of CPUs that
can be shipped in a
box, and replacing
foam padding with
paper. To keep track
of packaging use,
the company
established a
database that can
track the amount of
packaging material
shipped into each
country.
IPC,
The Association
Connecting
Electronics
Industries,
has
launched a Website
to help the U.S.
electronics industry
find ways to
eliminate the use of
lead in the
manufacture of
electronics and
electrical products.
For over 50 years,
lead has been used
as a solder in the
production of
printed wiring
boards, and has been
used in other
electronic
components and
manufacturing
processes. IPC's Get
the Lead Out!
Website
is
a resource for the
industry, offering
technical
information on
lead-free
electronics, updates
on lead legislation
around the world,
and other types of
news and
information. IPC is
a partner in the
U.S. EPA Design for
the Environment (DfE)
Program's Printed
Wiring Board Project.
Panasonic,
Sharp, and Sony
teamed with
electronics
recyclers Nxtcycle
and Envirocycle to
help collect and
recycle thousands of
pounds of obsolete
electronic equipment
in 2002. The three
manufacturers
underwrote the cost
of recycling their
branded products,
collected at one-day
events and ongoing
programs in a
variety of states.
Highlights of these
efforts included:
- Nxtcycle reported that 38,500 televisions and computer
monitors were
collected during
the last 5
months of 2002
at 16 special
events in seven
states and at 19
permanent
drop-off sites
in three states.
Panasonic,
Sharp, and Sony
financed the
recycling of
nearly 4,300 of
these products.
- Envirocycle recovered nearly 470,000 pounds of glass and
over 40,000
pounds of lead
from products
collected at 67
one-day events
and during
ongoing
collection
programs held in
11 states. The
glass was
provided to
glass
manufacturers
for inclusion in
new cathode ray
tubes.
Philips
Electronics
has
a strong global
ecodesign program,
supported by the
Delft University of
Technology in the
Netherlands. Philips
believes that
ecodesign principles
can be a strong
basis to enhance
business, and that
ecodesign is not
chiefly a technical
activity anymore but
a concept to be
embedded in the
business value
chain. The company's
EcoVision program
aims to integrate
EcoDesign into every
aspect of product
development across
all product
divisions, focusing
on five key areas:
weight, hazardous
substances, energy
use, recycling, and
packaging. Within
Philips, business
divisions are being
challenged to
develop and market
Green Flagship
products. Between
1994 and 2001,
Philips reduced
industrial waste by
60 percent and
packaging by 21
percent.
Sharp
Electronics
is
significantly
reducing material
usage in the design
of its televisions.
The company is
reducing the types
of plastics used by
half and the number
of parts by
one-third.
Similarly, the
company has reduced
the weight of its
VCRs by 27 percent
and the number of
parts by 15 percent.
Sharp has also
worked with the
states of
Connecticut and
Minnesota, along
with manufacturers
Panasonic and Sony,
to offer electronics
collection events.
Sharp is a WasteWise
partner.
Sony
Electronics
aims
to reduce its
products' power
consumption by 30
percent by 2005,
compared with
average energy
consumption of
products
manufactured in
2000. Many of the
company's products
have other
environmental
features as well.
For example, the
body and mounting
brackets of one of
its computer lines
are aluminum for
ease of recycling.
This product is
packaged only in
cardboard. Another
laptop computer is
constructed with a
rigid magnesium
alloy for all four
sides, which reduces
the use of plastic
and makes the
product easier to
recycle. The company
also uses a type of
paper packaging
called "Bee
Board," which
has unique
shock-absorbing
capabilities because
of its honeycomb
construction. A
hollow construction
enables designers to
use paper and to
make the overall
material lighter.
The company uses
this honeycomb
packaging for
television sets and
monitors made in
Europe. Sony has
also teamed with the
Minnesota Office of
Environmental
Assistance and Waste
Management, Inc., to
establish a takeback
and recycling
program for Sony
electronic products
in Minnesota.
Staples
is
developing
incentives to
encourage customers
to recycle their old
computers. In
February 2002,
Staples stores
across the nation
accepted old
computers during a
2-day trade-in
event. Customers
exchanged CPUs,
monitors, keyboards,
and other
peripherals for
store credit.
Staples transported
the computers to
Gifts In Kind
International, which
refurbished them. Gifts
in Kind
International
donated
the computers to
youth organizations
across the country
and sent obsolete
parts to be recycled
in a safe fashion.
Staples also
developed a Web
page
with
maintenance tips to
help customers
prolong the lives of
their computers.
Xerox is
taking greater
responsibility for
its products at
end-of-life by
employing DfE
principles and
increasing take-back
and remanufacturing
of its durable as
well as consumable
products. Xerox's
asset recycling
program is
encouraging
customers to return
a wide range of
products, including
printers and toner
bottles. Employees
disassemble and sort
parts from returned
equipment that meet
internal criteria
for remanufacturing.
Remanufactured parts
are incorporated
into new products.
Parts that do not
meet remanufacturing
criteria and cannot
be repaired are
ground, melted, or
otherwise converted
into basic raw
materials. The
company integrates
remanufacturing into
the same assembly
lines that produce
new products. To
achieve the
company's zero waste
goal, the eventual
recycling of
products is
anticipated in
product design.
Xerox is a WasteWise
partner.
For additional
examples of
innovative
strategies being
implemented by
businesses, check
out Addressing
End-of-Life
Electronics Through
Design: A Compendium
of
Design-for-Environment
Efforts of the
Electronics
Industries,
published by the
Electronic
Industries Alliance
(EIA). The report
describes how EIA
member companies are
using design for the
environment (DfE)
initiatives to
minimize or
eliminate adverse
environmental
impacts throughout
their products'
life-cycle. The
dozens of brief
success stories
included in the
report provide a
snapshot of the
efforts undertaken
voluntarily by
electronics
companies to
minimize the
environmental
impacts of their
products.
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