The world today relies heavily on technology, technology which advances daily. These advancements lead to discarded technological devices, such as televisions, cell phones and computers. The majority of such devices do not end up recycled, but are left in landfills or even taking up space in one’s garage.
When these devices end up in landfills, they pose a risk to the environment due to various toxic metals and parts. In addition, the devices which do get recycled are generally shipped to another country and environmental concerns arise in those countries as well. Cell phones alone create massive amounts of so-called e-waste, as according to statistics dating back to 2006, more than one billion were sold in that year.
In addition to ensuring that the electronics do not harm the environment, the recycling of these discarded devices will also be a gain monetarily. As stated above, many earth minerals are becoming more rare and therefore worth a greater amount. Devices, such as cell phones, contain significant amounts of earth minerals, such as goal and silver. It is estimated that recycling a million cell phones would generate 24 kilograms of gold (53 pounds), 250 kilograms of silver, 9 tons of copper and 9 kilograms of palladium. Currently, gold is worth approximately $1,500 an ounce.
For these reasons, the European Union has passed a new law to improve how e-waste is treated. In 2003, the EU created the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). This agreement has seen that approximately four kilograms of e-waste per person is collected and disposed of properly rather than ending up in landfills. The EU estimates that a third of all e-waste is currently recycled. Now changes to the WEEE law will see this recycling rate increased.
Beginning in 2016, all nations in the EU will be required to collect forty-five tons of electronic waste per one hundred tons of electronics placed on store shelves in the three years prior. This will increase to sixty-five tons by the year 2019. EU nations may also choose to collect eighty-five percent of all e-waste.
In addition to the collection aspect of the law, the law will also require large retailers to accept e-waste. Smaller items, such as cell phones, will be required by law to be accepted by any such retailer regardless of purchase by a customer. Meanwhile, manufacturers will be required to properly recycle large e-waste. An additional law requires detailed documentation when shipping electronics in order to assure that they are not being sent to be disposed in another country.
The law is expected to be official come 2014. The European Parliament has passed the law but the individual EU nations still must approve the law. However, all nations are expected to agree to the law.
