Electronic Waste
A Reference Handbook
Published on 15. May 2025
Book
Hardback
272 pages
979-8-216-17013-6 (ISBN)
Description
The United Nations has reported that the world is on track to produce over 180 billion pounds of electronic waste (e-waste) by 2030.
This tidal wave of discarded electronic products, including cellular phones, laptop and desktop computers, televisions, solar panels, major household appliances, and telecommunications equipment, poses a host of serious environmental and public health problems and challenges.
Electronic Waste: A Reference Handbook provides readers with an illuminating survey of the myriad issues and controversies surrounding the collection, treatment, disposal, and recycling of electric and electronic products, including trends and challenges related to public health, social justice, and environmental protection and stewardship. It also discusses ways in which increasingly electronics-dependent societies and economies are factoring environmental, social, and public health considerations into their e-waste mitigation, recycling, and disposal strategies. The book is further supplemented with perspectives from experts in the field of electronic waste, profiles of important organizations and agencies, and a chronology of major events and developments.
This tidal wave of discarded electronic products, including cellular phones, laptop and desktop computers, televisions, solar panels, major household appliances, and telecommunications equipment, poses a host of serious environmental and public health problems and challenges.
Electronic Waste: A Reference Handbook provides readers with an illuminating survey of the myriad issues and controversies surrounding the collection, treatment, disposal, and recycling of electric and electronic products, including trends and challenges related to public health, social justice, and environmental protection and stewardship. It also discusses ways in which increasingly electronics-dependent societies and economies are factoring environmental, social, and public health considerations into their e-waste mitigation, recycling, and disposal strategies. The book is further supplemented with perspectives from experts in the field of electronic waste, profiles of important organizations and agencies, and a chronology of major events and developments.
Reviews / Votes
[This book] offers the perspectives from the experts of the field of e-waste and provide readers with information about organizations and agencies, events and developments. You will learn about the strategies for thinking critically about e-waste, the total mass and growth rates of e-waste, e-waste regulations around the world, problems, controversies, solutions, perspectives, and more. * WonderPediaUSA *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
College/higher education
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
9 bw
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
586 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-17013-6 (9798216170136)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2025
Bloomsbury Academic
€62.49
Available for download
E-Book
02/2025
Bloomsbury Academic
€62.49
Available for download
Person
Josh Lepawsky is Professor of Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.
Content
Preface
1. Background and History
From Modern Waste to E-waste
Strategies for Thinking Critically about E-waste
E-waste: A Global Synopsis
-Estimates of Total Mass and Growth Rates of E-waste Arising
-Transboundary Shipments: Patterns and Processes
Wastes Are Not, They Are Made
E-waste Regulation around the World
-The Basel Convention
-The Bamako Convention
-Africa and Middle East/West Asia
-Americas
-Asia Pacific
-Europe
Conclusion
References
2. Problems, Controversies, and Solutions
The End-of-pipe Problem
Classification and Regulatory Definitions of E-waste
Magnitude: How Big a Problem Is E-waste?
Scale: Matching Problems with Solutions
Jevons Paradox, Efficiency, and Rebound
Decoupling
Transboundary Flows
(I)legality
E-waste, Environmental Racism, Environmental Justice, and Colonialism
Carbon Fixation
Solutions: The Waste Hierarchy
-Disposal
-Recycling
-Reuse
-Reduce, Avoid, Prevent
-Design Solutions
-Reorganizing for Solutions
Conclusion
References
3. Perspectives
The Light at the End-of-life of Electronic Equipment: Narratives from the Global South, Ramzy Kahhat
Wasted Definitions: Negotiating Truth in Environmental Journalism, Adam Minter
A Closer Look at Agbogbloshie and the Electronic Waste Narrative, Grace Abena Akese
Welcome to Solution? Repurposing of Electronic Waste in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Samwel Moses Ntapanta
Designing for Reuse, Melissa Gregg
4. Profiles
Agbogbloshie Maker Space
American Chamber of Commerce in Europe
Bamako Convention
Basel Action Network
Basel Convention
Bureau of International Recycling
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
Circular Electronics Partnership
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Chatham House
DigitalEurope
Electronic Products Recycling Association
Electronics Watch
E-Scrap News
E-Stewards
Eurostat
FreeGeek
Global Electronics Council
Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative
Global E-waste Statistics Partnership
Good Electronics Network
Greenpeace
iFixit
Information Technology Industry Council
International Campaign for Responsible Technology
International Solid Waste Association
International Telecommunications Union
Interpol
Oeko-Institut
Open Repair Alliance
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
reBOOT
Recycled Materials Association
Recycling Industry Operating Standard
Repair Association
Repair Cafe Movement
Repair Europe
Responsible Business Alliance
Restart Project
Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety and Health
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
Solve the E-waste Problem
Sustainable Electronics Recycling International
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Institute for Training and Research
United Nations University
United States Federal Trade Commission
United States Public Interest Research Group
WEEE Forum
WEELABEX
World Computer Exchange
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Reuse, Repair, and Recycling Association
WorldLoop
5. Documents
"Recovery of Precious Metals from Electronic Scrap," United States Department of the Interior (1972)
"Flows of Selected Materials Associated with World Copper Smelting," United States Geological Survey (2005)
"Fairchild, Intel, and Raytheon Sites Middlefield/Ellis/Whisman (MEW) Study Area Mountain View, California, Record of Decision," United States Environmental Protection Agency (1989)
"2011-2017 Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Industrial Profile: Electronics Manufacturing Sector," United States Environmental Protection Agency (2018)
"Center for Corporate Climate Leadership Sector Spotlight: Electronics," United States Environmental Protection Agency (2016)
"Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) Summary Report, Market Assessment, Legal Analysis, Crime Analysis and Recommendations Roadmap" (2015)
"Future E-waste Scenarios," United Nations University/United Nations Environment Programme (2019)
"Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions," United States Federal Trade Commission (2021)
6. Resources
Books
Articles and Reports
-Mining
-Manufacturing
-Use and Reuse
-Post-consumer Discard
Journals
7. Chronology
Glossary
Index
1. Background and History
From Modern Waste to E-waste
Strategies for Thinking Critically about E-waste
E-waste: A Global Synopsis
-Estimates of Total Mass and Growth Rates of E-waste Arising
-Transboundary Shipments: Patterns and Processes
Wastes Are Not, They Are Made
E-waste Regulation around the World
-The Basel Convention
-The Bamako Convention
-Africa and Middle East/West Asia
-Americas
-Asia Pacific
-Europe
Conclusion
References
2. Problems, Controversies, and Solutions
The End-of-pipe Problem
Classification and Regulatory Definitions of E-waste
Magnitude: How Big a Problem Is E-waste?
Scale: Matching Problems with Solutions
Jevons Paradox, Efficiency, and Rebound
Decoupling
Transboundary Flows
(I)legality
E-waste, Environmental Racism, Environmental Justice, and Colonialism
Carbon Fixation
Solutions: The Waste Hierarchy
-Disposal
-Recycling
-Reuse
-Reduce, Avoid, Prevent
-Design Solutions
-Reorganizing for Solutions
Conclusion
References
3. Perspectives
The Light at the End-of-life of Electronic Equipment: Narratives from the Global South, Ramzy Kahhat
Wasted Definitions: Negotiating Truth in Environmental Journalism, Adam Minter
A Closer Look at Agbogbloshie and the Electronic Waste Narrative, Grace Abena Akese
Welcome to Solution? Repurposing of Electronic Waste in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Samwel Moses Ntapanta
Designing for Reuse, Melissa Gregg
4. Profiles
Agbogbloshie Maker Space
American Chamber of Commerce in Europe
Bamako Convention
Basel Action Network
Basel Convention
Bureau of International Recycling
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
Circular Electronics Partnership
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Chatham House
DigitalEurope
Electronic Products Recycling Association
Electronics Watch
E-Scrap News
E-Stewards
Eurostat
FreeGeek
Global Electronics Council
Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative
Global E-waste Statistics Partnership
Good Electronics Network
Greenpeace
iFixit
Information Technology Industry Council
International Campaign for Responsible Technology
International Solid Waste Association
International Telecommunications Union
Interpol
Oeko-Institut
Open Repair Alliance
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
reBOOT
Recycled Materials Association
Recycling Industry Operating Standard
Repair Association
Repair Cafe Movement
Repair Europe
Responsible Business Alliance
Restart Project
Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety and Health
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
Solve the E-waste Problem
Sustainable Electronics Recycling International
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Institute for Training and Research
United Nations University
United States Federal Trade Commission
United States Public Interest Research Group
WEEE Forum
WEELABEX
World Computer Exchange
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Reuse, Repair, and Recycling Association
WorldLoop
5. Documents
"Recovery of Precious Metals from Electronic Scrap," United States Department of the Interior (1972)
"Flows of Selected Materials Associated with World Copper Smelting," United States Geological Survey (2005)
"Fairchild, Intel, and Raytheon Sites Middlefield/Ellis/Whisman (MEW) Study Area Mountain View, California, Record of Decision," United States Environmental Protection Agency (1989)
"2011-2017 Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Industrial Profile: Electronics Manufacturing Sector," United States Environmental Protection Agency (2018)
"Center for Corporate Climate Leadership Sector Spotlight: Electronics," United States Environmental Protection Agency (2016)
"Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) Summary Report, Market Assessment, Legal Analysis, Crime Analysis and Recommendations Roadmap" (2015)
"Future E-waste Scenarios," United Nations University/United Nations Environment Programme (2019)
"Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions," United States Federal Trade Commission (2021)
6. Resources
Books
Articles and Reports
-Mining
-Manufacturing
-Use and Reuse
-Post-consumer Discard
Journals
7. Chronology
Glossary
Index