Toxic Chemicals Resulting From The Disposal Of Electronic Equipment

1. Toxic Chemicals Resulting From The Disposal Of Electronic Equipment

2. People are discarding computers every 3 to 5 yearsPeople are discarding computers every 3 to 5 years

3. Potential Environmentally Relevant Chemicals Antimony Arsenic Beryllium Bismuth Brominated Compounds Cadmium Copper Zinc sulfide Chromium Lead Mercury Nickel Silver Organo-tin compounds PCBs PVC Heavy metals: antimony, cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, silver, tin PVC: dioxin formation during incineration -estimated quantities: 37.1 grams in keyboards to 314 grams in cablesHeavy metals: antimony, cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, silver, tin PVC: dioxin formation during incineration -estimated quantities: 37.1 grams in keyboards to 314 grams in cables

4. Mercury Up to 50 mg in bulbs for backlighting It is estimated that 22% of the yearly world consumption of Hg is used in electrical and electronic equipment � RETRO SYTEMS Calgary Lighting and electrical equipment contributed an estimated 11% to total anthropogenic Hg emissions to air in Europe in mid 90s LCDs � gaining market share (143% increase in sales last year) - Gateway, LCDs are entry level - FCC, requiring the transition from analog signals to High Definition Digital signals Flat Panel Displays use less energy over the life of the product (vs. CRTs)Lighting and electrical equipment contributed an estimated 11% to total anthropogenic Hg emissions to air in Europe in mid 90s

5. Beryllium Brush Wellman largest producer Sells mainly to businesses in the computer, telecommunications, and automotive electronics industries U.S. Government was largest customer prior to the end of the Cold War Congress enacted legislation to compensate weapons workers with chronic beryllium disease Present as Copper-Beryllium alloy (2-4% Be) and Beryllium oxide Beryllium released when shredded Beryllium oxide released from Copper-Beryllium alloy when metals heatedPresent as Copper-Beryllium alloy (2-4% Be) and Beryllium oxide Beryllium released when shredded Beryllium oxide released from Copper-Beryllium alloy when metals heated

6. Current end-of-life management options Stockpile Recycle Incinerate Landfill

7. Current stockpile - California Percent of households that stockpile Televisions: 18.5 percent Computer monitors: 19.4 percent California Integrated Waste Management Board � MGT of America, Inc. NSC estimates � of all computers ever sold in U.S. remain stockpiled Current stockpile volume 73,600 tons of TVs 47,800 tons of monitors California Integrated Waste Management Board � MGT of America, Inc. Current stockpile volume 73,600 tons of TVs 47,800 tons of monitors California Integrated Waste Management Board � MGT of America, Inc.

8. Recycling In 2001, 11% of PCs retired in the U.S. were recycled

9. Recycling Envirocycle processes over 1,000 tons of material per week. Processes: Grinding Shredding Manual disassembly Metal reclamation Glass cutting Separate ferrous and non-ferrous Precious metals = gold, silver, platinum, palladium Heavy metals = copper, lead Grinding / Shredding: -Crushing lamps releases Hg to air -leaded dust when printed circuit boards are shredded -beryllium released -cadmium released in fine particulate dusts from printed circuit boards Heating: - beryllium oxide released - lead fumes Glass cutting or breaking; - CRTs coated with a phosphor, typically zinc sulfide or cadmium sulfide Whole and shredded circuit boards � not a solid waste if headed for recycling Separate ferrous and non-ferrous Precious metals = gold, silver, platinum, palladium Heavy metals = copper, lead Grinding / Shredding: -Crushing lamps releases Hg to air -leaded dust when printed circuit boards are shredded -beryllium released -cadmium released in fine particulate dusts from printed circuit boards Heating: - beryllium oxide released - lead fumes Glass cutting or breaking; - CRTs coated with a phosphor, typically zinc sulfide or cadmium sulfide Whole and shredded circuit boards � not a solid waste if headed for recycling

10. According to Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and the Basal Action Network up top 80% of equipment headed for recycling in US is sent overseas According to Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and the Basal Action Network up top 80% of equipment headed for recycling in US is sent overseas

11. Recycling Woman about to smash a cathode ray tube from a computer monitor in order to remove the copper laden yoke at the end of the funnel. Monitor glass is later dumped in irrigation canals and along the river where it could leach lead into the groundwater (Guiyu, China)

12. Incineration Plastic has high BTU value used in cement kilns as fuel Energy Recovery Incineration ban is included in WEEE - Hg emissions is a concern - Plastic not clearly marked � avoid handling PVC (formation of dioxins and furans) - Copper is a catalyst for dioxin formation - Heavily brominated plastic may lead to dioxin production if combustion is incomplete - cadmium oxide dust from plastic Incineration ban is included in WEEE - Hg emissions is a concern - Plastic not clearly marked � avoid handling PVC (formation of dioxins and furans) - Copper is a catalyst for dioxin formation - Heavily brominated plastic may lead to dioxin production if combustion is incomplete - cadmium oxide dust from plastic

13. Landfilling More than 3.2 million tons of electronic waste is laid to rest in landfills each year � U.S. EPA

14. Landfilling ~70% of heavy metals (mercury, cadmium) found in landfills comes from electronic discards Global Futures Foundation (grant from Region IX) Consumer electronics constitute 40% of lead found in landfills in MN. Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, Massachusetts � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2001 California � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2002 Maine � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2002 Minnesota � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, effective 2005 Massachusetts � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2001 California � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2002 Maine � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, 2002 Minnesota � ban on CRTs in MSW landfills, effective 2005

16. Discussion Questions:

17. Are the Risks Quantifiable? Prediction - 315 million obsolete computers by 2005 (National Safety Council). Each year, 57 million computers and TVs are sold 20 to 24 million added to storage. 315 million computers = 1.2 billion pounds of lead 400,000 pounds of mercury 1.2 million pounds of chromium 1.9 million pounds of cadmium

18. Are the Risks Quantifiable? Inhalation of beryllium dust or vapor can cause a chronic lung disease at concentrations as low as 0.01 ?g/m3 10 workers at Noranda, Inc., one of the world�s largest electronics recyclers, diagnosed with chronic beryllium disease Beryllium exposure and dose response data are needed In 2001 emphasized by William Perry, OSHA�s Deputy Director of Health Standards Chicago Tribune, July 29, 2001 Noranda spokesman Denis Couture stated, �the firm had not known beryllium could cause lung disease in workers or that the metal was so common in electronic scrap� 1900 employees tested, 30 sensitive to Be. Noranda: - limit Be bearing materials - goal: ambient time weighted average Be concentration at .1?g/m3 - OSHA standard not adequate - current measurement range from none detected to .1?g/m3 - require customer disclosure of Be content NIOSH recommendation 0.5 ?g/m3 in workroom air during an 8hr shift OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Noranda spokesman Denis Couture stated, �the firm had not known beryllium could cause lung disease in workers or that the metal was so common in electronic scrap� 1900 employees tested, 30 sensitive to Be. Noranda: - limit Be bearing materials - goal: ambient time weighted average Be concentration at .1?g/m3 - OSHA standard not adequate - current measurement range from none detected to .1?g/m3 - require customer disclosure of Be content NIOSH recommendation 0.5 ?g/m3 in workroom air during an 8hr shift OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999

19. Sediment and water sample results along Lianjiang River (Guiyu, China)

20. Sample results SVTC, BAN, Exporting Harm: High-Tech Trashing of Asia, p. 45, 2002

21. What are the research needs? Where does the waste go? When are hazardous substances released? Recycling: vapors, dust, liquid release Incineration: air emissions Landfilling: leaching Monitoring of releases during processing

22. What are the research needs? Insufficient toxicity data available on liquid crystal toxicity Almost 400 different types of liquid crystal compounds in use for displays polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons Substance interaction associated with incineration Effects of low dose exposure to many substances over time

23. Research needs? Environmental impact of alternatives to toxics used EU RoHS � from July 1, 2006, new equipment put on market does not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominatd biphenyls or polybrominated diphenyl ethers Exemptions for certain uses

24. Research needs? Semiconductor Industry Lawsuits alleging chemical exposures caused cancer, birth defects, miscarriages Common Sense Initiative � compare health records maintained by State of Ca. to employment records in an effort to find any increased incidence of chronic illness Never went beyond discussion

25. What are the risk management options? Disclosure of hazards Material selection Proper handling Controlled pre-treatment Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999 Beryllium Federal labor laws: companies are not allowed to expose workers to more than 2 ?g/m3 of air workers contracting disease from exposures below the legal limit OSHA published guidelines on proper handling of beryllium, 1999