Reuse and Recycling Sean Nicholson Reuse the forgotten

Reuse and Recycling Sean Nicholson

Reuse – the forgotten R Reduce Reuse Recycle In contrast with many home appliances, life cycle energy use of a computer is dominated by production (81%) as opposed to operation (19%). (2004) http: //www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15573621

Over 4000 organisations in over 90 countries. Special Windows offers for refurbished PCs Microsoft Refurbisher Programs Large government supported reuse programs www. microsoft. com/refurbishedpcs Over 25% are non profit organisations Dominated by North America & Western Europe and Japan

Reuse for economic opportunity http: //raceonline 2012. org/manifesto/7 http: //www. connect 2 compete. org/

Reuse helps people • The use of EEE is still low in Africa compared to other countries in the world, but it is growing at a staggering pace. In the last decade for instance, the penetration rate of personal computers has increased by a factor of 10, while the number of mobile phone subscribers has increased by a factor of 100. The penetration rate signifies that due to the intense trade of used EEE, people have better access the import and trade of used EEE is in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals as a means to foster the use of ICT for sustainable development. to lower priced EEE. From this perspective, Source: Where are WEee in Africa? FINDINGS FROM THE BASEL CONVENTION E-WASTE AFRICA PROGRAMME

Despite difficulties in obtaining data on new and used EEE as statistical data does not distinguish between these two categories of products, the studies in Ghana, for example, revealed that in 2009 around 70% of all imports were used EEE. 30% of the used EEE imported was determined to be non-functioning (hence should have been defined as e-waste): half of this amount was repaired locally and sold to consumers and the other half was un-repairable. http: //www. basel. int/Portals/4/download. aspx? d=UNEP-CHWEWASTE-PUB-Wee. Africa. Report. English. pdf

The Strategic problem is not OECD Exports of used EEE Forecasting Global Generation of Obsolete Personal Computers Jinglei Yu, Eric Williams, Meiting Ju and Yang (March 2010) http: //pubs. acs. org/doi/full/10. 1021/es 903350 q

How do we drive more electronics through certified reuse and recycling channels.

Why use a certified disposal channel? To Avoid Risk Data, Legal To get money back To help the planet

Local Reuse & Disassembly can scale easily to feed regional recycling s r e i r r Ba Ba i r r s r e

Reduce Reuse Recycle EPEAT, SEPA, Blue Angel, etc. Standards ? Targets ? R 2, E-stewards, etc. Supported by many Governments & Enterprises Specifically not allowed by most Governments & Enterprises Limited supported but many go for best price

Change the conversation • Education on disposal data risk • Recognise standards and certification • Better data, Case study the economic benefits Change behaviour • Governments only dispose of their electronics through certified refurbisher/recyclers • Encourage Trade In programs to drive used EEE through formal programs • Develop Reuse programs to support growth of broadband access for economic development Change the Ecosystem • Make trans boundary movement inside certified recycler networks easier. • Develop a certification program for quality refurbished PCs that are “Ready to Reuse” so its an easy / safe purchase decision. • Sponsor local reuse and disassembly capacity building

Thank You seannich@microsoft. com