1 / 10

Jeremy Gregory MIT Materials Systems Laboratory StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem

Sustainable Electronics Recycling Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean A Proposed Research Collaboration. Jeremy Gregory MIT Materials Systems Laboratory StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem RELAC Workshop, 17 November 2009. Context: key outcomes from Cancun workshop.

rania
Download Presentation

Jeremy Gregory MIT Materials Systems Laboratory StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Sustainable Electronics Recycling Systems in Latin America and the CaribbeanA Proposed Research Collaboration Jeremy Gregory MIT Materials Systems Laboratory StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem RELAC Workshop, 17 November 2009

  2. Context: key outcomes from Cancun workshop • LAC in early stages – unique opportunity for impact • Harmonization of system development efforts is essential • Policymakers want to work with neighboring countries to make informed decisions, but lack the required information • A multistakeholder group should be created to educate policy-makers on best practices • Representatives from LAC should lead this process; StEP can provide research and analysis to support decisions

  3. What kind of research would best support system design? We need your help to answer this, but we have some preliminary ideas…

  4. E-waste management systems have three functions that operate within a financing scheme Financing Scheme System Management Processing Collection

  5. Sustainable e-waste systems are a balance of three issues • Collection & treatment costs • Financing mechanisms • Education of consumers about recycling • Labor justice in informal sector • Treatment and transport burden • Avoided burden of raw material extraction

  6. Numerous research possibilities exist

  7. Key research topic: interface between informal and formal networks Informal E-Waste System Collection Refurbishment Disassembly Material Recovery E-Waste Potential transfer from informal to formal system Reusable Products Reusable Components Scrap Materials Formal E-Waste System Collection Refurbishment Disassembly Material Recovery E-Waste Scrap Materials Reusable Products Reusable Components

  8. Key research topic: LAC reverse logistics network for e-waste • Large diversity of contexts exist • Where to locate?: • Collection points • Consolidation points • Processing centers

  9. What’s next? Gather researchers together to discuss research strategies and projects Key Issues • Interface between informal & formal networks • Reverse logistics networks • Balance economic, environmental, and social dimensions • Impact of context on outcomes • Remember objective: support decision-making Need multidisciplinary team with representation from north and south Target workshop for spring of 2010

  10. Existing team members • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Materials Systems Laboratory • Center for Transportation & Logistics/Center for Latin-American Logistics Innovation • Green Hub (Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning) • Sloan School of Management • Empa • RELAC • StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem • United Nations University Need more representation from LAC

More Related