Product Stewardship Updates
News briefs on worldwide product stewardship initiatives
August 3, 2007Volume 1 – Issue 3
United States
EPEAT Environmental Benefits Report Released
This month, the Green Electronics Council published the first annual Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) benefits report. The purpose of the report is to summarize all environmental benefits accrued throughout the lifecycle of EPEAT products. The report uses the Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EEBC) and sales data as information sources. The calculations include impacts from materials extraction, processing, manufacture, use, and end-of-life management. By purchasing EPEAT products over “conventional products,” environmental benefits will accrue over the lifetime of those goods. Some of the environmental benefits achieved through the use of EPEAT products in 2006 include: avoidance of 41,100 metric tons of hazardous waste disposed; reducing the amount of toxic materials used by 1,070 metric tons, including enough mercury to fill 157,000 fever thermometers; and saving 24.4 million metric tons of primary materials (equal to the weight of 189 million refrigerators).
EPEAT First annual report on impact of green electronics
July 17, 2007
EPEAT.net
More news on green technology:
Green IT: a marketing ploy or Green tech?
July 20, 2007
TechWorld.com
Canada
A Novel Way to Control E-waste
In November 2006, David Repa and Ifny Lachance started Free Geek Vancouver, a non-profit “adoption program” for used computers. Free Geek was modeled off a similar program originated in Portland, OR. Free Geek offers the chance for volunteers to come in and fix up 6 computers in one day’s work. Five of the revamped computers go to low-income families and individuals, and the volunteer takes home the sixth. Free Geek is able to set up the old machines with new software at no cost by using a free, user-friendly, open-source operating system, Ubuntu. Repa and Lachance also run a computer devices thrift store from which they sold a quarter-million dollars worth of keyboards, mice, printers, and other peripherals last year. The Free Geek programs help to keep old computer equipment out of the waste stream by extending their useful life and also prevent more computers and related devices from being purchased off the shelf.
Rebooting Canada’s Approach to E-waste
August 1, 2007
TheTynee.ca
United Kingdom
Textiles Seen as New Priority Waste Issue
The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) has identified textiles as the fastest-growing household waste stream in the UK and is looking to increase methods of collection and voluntary producer responsibility in order to cope with the rising problem. As sales of new clothes increase (by 60% in the last decade), Defra estimates that 1.165 million tons are thrown away each year. Defra plans to develop a “Clothing Roadmap” to aid in making textiles more sustainable. The Roadmap will study the environmental impacts of textiles and will serve as a basis for future policy. The push to consider the recycling of clothing has led Defra to also consider ways to increase recycling of other problematic textiles, such as carpet. In addition, increased textiles recycling can have social and economic benefits, as textiles can be diverted from landfills to benefit the poor within the UK and abroad in developing countries.
Government signals support for textiles recycling
July 24, 2007
LetsRecycle.com
South America
Producer Responsibility to Help Reach Zero Waste Goals
In May, the government of the southern Brazilian state of Paraná gave Tetra Pak an ultimatum after years of attempts to include the producer in dialogues and programs to increase recycling of the company’s aseptic packaging. The company needed to provide a recycling program, or the products would be banned from sale in the state. Aseptic packaging, used in drink boxes, is made from multiple layers – paper, plastic, and aluminum. They are lauded for their environmental benefits: they do not need refrigeration, they are compact, and they provide a lightweight alternative to cans and bottles. However, there are limited recycling facilities for aseptic packaging and they are not biodegradable. This past month, Tetra Pak chose to make a deal instead of having its products banned from sale in the state. Tetra Pak and the state’s environmental officials agreed to an action plan in which the packaging producer would promote recovery and recycling programs throughout the state, create educational campaigns, and provide incentives for recycling cooperatives and incentives for the purchasing of the collected waste. Paraná’s Environment Secretary, Rasca Rodrigues, said he plans to extend the same producer responsibility strategy to producers of tires, batteries, fluorescent lamps, motor oil, and other products as the state attempts to reach a Zero Waste goal.
Tetra-Pak Chooses to Deal
July 26, 2007
TemasActuales.com
Tetra-Pak Given 60 Days to Propose Packaging Waste Solution…Or Else!
May 30, 2007
TemasActuales.com
India
E-waste a rising issue in Indian cities
The Indian government has yet to take any measures against the improper dismantling and disposal of e-waste within its borders. As a result of this lack of action, regions skirting larger cities are becoming dumping grounds for e-waste. In India, even commercial and industrial e-waste ends up in municipal waste streams. In a study of Indian cities, Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai are the top e-waste generators, whereas Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad are where the waste accumulates. Within these dumping grounds, teenagers and children seek out the discarded machines, dismantle them with their teeth and fingers, and sell the valuable copper wires and other materials to scrap dealers. Environmental consciousness in India was described as “dismally low” by the director of an Indian environmental organization. In the same interview, the director realized that the only answer to India’s e-waste issue is extended product responsibility (EPR) laws.
No laws to control e-waste, Ahmedabad’s a dumpyard
July 28, 2007
ExpressIndia.com
Product Stewardship Updates
Issue 3 | August 3, 2007