E-Waste Disposal at UCI: Awareness & Recycling Practices Among Students

1. Electronic Waste Disposalatthe University of California, Irvine Victoria Liu May 31, 2008

2. School campuses and technology • There are over 2,400 four-year colleges and university campuses in the U.S. • UCI: 25,000 students enrolled over 16,000 faculty and staff employed • Popular technology • Computers & laptops • Cell phones • MP3 players

3. EPA Key Findings from 2005 • Americans own nearly 3 billion electronic products • Estimated 130,000 computers discarded per DAY • Around 304 million electronics abandoned in 2005 • 2/3 of those electronics were still operable according to the Consumer Electronics Association

4. Epa key findings from 2005 • Used/unwanted electronics: 1.9 – 2.2 million tons • Landfills: 1.5 – 1.9 million tons discarded to landfills • Recycled: 345,000 – 379,000 tons recycled

5. Basel Convention and e-waste export • The Basel Convention: the international treaty that regulates disposal and export of e-waste E-WASTE DEVELOPING DEVELOPED COUNTRY COUNTRY • U.S. is the only developed country that has not ratified the Basel Convention and • Of the e-waste exported, 90% goes to China. • Workers in foreign countries dismantle waste without protective clothing and employing practices hazardous to their health.

7. Adverse effects from e-waste disposal CHEMICAL TOXINS • Americans have been shown to have the highest levels of these compounds in their blood of any people yet tested. • Emitted in air and groundwater • Embedded in tissue • Leached into food products throughout U.S.

8. Adverse effects from e-waste disposal • LEAD • MERCURY • CADMIUM • PVC • HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM • Nervous and reproductive systems • Kidneys, thyroid, bones • Mental development of children and fetuses • Neurodevelopmental problems

9. research • Current research addresses large-scale directives in different countries: • European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive (WEEE) • Japan’s Designated Household Appliance Recycling Law (DHARL) • Current practices on university campuses • UC Berkeley: • GreenCitizen: drop-off locations, community programs, marketing incentives • UC Irvine: • Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S): drop-off bins, online pick-up, e-waste collection events and specified dates

10. Key Questions: • How are UCI students currently disposing of their unwanted electronics (namely computers/laptops, cell phones, MP3 players)? • Why have they chosen that method of disposal? • What alternative forms of disposal do students know about? • What adverse effects of electronic waste do students know about? • What incentives would encourage students to recycle their electronic waste?

11. Research Design • Sample: • Survey taken to classes and the ARC • 164 subjects studying different majors: • Public Planning & Design • Criminology, Law & Society • Economics • History • Biology • Engineering

12. Research Design • Sample questions: 1) How do you usually dispose of your old computers/laptops? [Check all that apply] • Keep, reuse parts • Donate • Trash • Recycling centers • Other:___________________ • Why? [Check all that apply] • Convenience • Common practice • Good for the environment • Maximize use of product • Don’t know • Other: ______________________ • What are some alternative forms of disposal you know about? [Check all that apply] • Electronics stores • Recycling centers • Donation • Other: ______________________ 4) What adverse effects of improper electronic waste disposal do you know about? [Free response]

13. Results • METHODS OF DISPOSAL • Results very similar across the board * 8 – 15% Trashed * Many have not had to dispose of MP3 players yet

14. Results Students Who Keep/Donate Recycle vs. Students Who Throw in Trash 18.8% 0% 16% 25% 12.5% 30.8%

15. Results • WHY • For computers/laptops, cell phones, and MP3 players students chose their method of disposal for reasons of CONVENIENCE • Also a popular consideration: MAXIMAL USE OF PRODUCT Keep Donate Reuse Convenient Maximal Use

16. Results • In general, students know about RECYCLING CENTERS and DONATION as alternative forms of e-waste disposal • They also know that e-waste • contains DANGEROUS CHEMICALS • causes ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE • BUT only in the most general sense or not at all • Demographics: • Public Health and Social Ecology Majors had the best ratios of students who knew about the adverse effects of electronic waste

17. “Increase in landfills; mercury and lead in electronics; potential urban runoff.” • “Very little. I just know it shouldn’t be thrown in regular garbage.” “We ship it off to developing countries to be disassembled dangerously…hurting their population and environment.” • “Batteries are bad for the earth?” • “Toxins but don’t know exactly what.”

18. Results

19. Results • In conclusion: Not much trash Students know about alternatives Most students know about adverse effects • Students know what they should be doing but not enough about how or why • Donations and storage have their own share of problems • CAPITALIZE ON CONVENIENCE • Further education and publicity about adverse effects + bad practices • MP3 players will be growing problem – should be addressed and planned for

20. Further Research • Professor Ogunseitan • Researching how to eliminate the toxins used in cell phone parts and replace with non-toxic and reusable components • Extend to computers and MP3 players • Expansion through UC System • 2007: UC system adopted “Policy on Sustainable Practices” • Energy • Global Warming • Waste • Eco-friendly purchasing http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/17146

22. Acknowledgements • Professor Valerie Jenness • Professor Joseph DiMento • Professor OladeleOgunseitan • Professor Stanley Grant • Professor Lisa Grant • Professor Eli Simon • Professor Stephen Barker • Professor Scott Samuelsen • Students of UCI • Students of Social Ecology Honors Program Contact: vliu1@uci.edu