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.
By:
Josh Lepawsky (Memorial University Canada)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic USA
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9798216170136
Series: Contemporary World Issues
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 15 May 2025
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
,
Primary
,
Children's (6-12)
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
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 Café 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
Josh Lepawsky is Professor of Geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.
