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E-waste: the Unintended Consequence of our Digital Revolution

Miriam Diamond, University of Toronto

Linh Nguyen1, Victoria Arrandale2,1, Liisa Jantunen3,1, Marta Venier4, Will Stubbings4,

Lisa Melymuk5

1. University of Toronto2. Occupational Cancer Research Centre & Dalla Lana

3. Environment & Climate Change Canada4. Indiana University

5. RECETOX, Masaryk University

No conflict of interest

2

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/14/about-a-quarter-of-americans-report-going-online-almost-constantly/

3

Twenge J 2017. iGen. Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy-and completely unprepared for adulthood.http://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net/igen-appendix.pdf

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E-Waste – The Growing Mountain

PropositionE-waste is a major unintended consequence of the digital revolution and e-waste workers are vulnerable to those consequences; We are predisposed to adopt new technologies, and externalize the negative impacts.

5

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, data from Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statustics, 2016https://www.cacp.ca/index.html?asst_id=1626

Canada in 2016:- 1,898 motor vehicle fatalities (2% increase from 2015, 5.2 per 100,000 population)- 10,322 serious injuries (4% decrease from 2015)- 72,039 impaired driving incidents (201 per

100,000)

Outline

1. How much?

2. How is it handled?

3. Results from our studies

4. Solutions?

6Photo courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace, UK

Outline

1. How much? – highly uncertain

2. How is it handled?

3. Results from our Ontario study

4. Solutions?

7

Photo courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace, UK

In-use Leaving 1st Life

Abbasi, G. 2015. Story of Brominated Flame Retardants: Substance Flow Analysis of PBDEs from Use to Waste. PhD Thesis, Dept of Geography, University of Toronto.

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• 60 million tonnes from 1970-2014

• 35 million tonnes 1970-2014• 2nd use (reuse), storage,

landfill, recycling

Global E-Waste Generation in 2014

Numbers under bars for: Lamps, small IT, screens, temp exchange eq., large equipment, small equipment

Baldé et al. 2015. The global e-waste monitor – 2014. United Nations University, IAS-SCYCLE, Bonn, Germany. 9

8.5 kg/inh for digital devices

E-Waste: How Much?

41.8 million tonnes globally in 2014 (Baldé et al. 2015)

400 million tonnes human biomass (Vaclav Smil)

https://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/88/i09/8809news2.htmlhttp://i.imgur.com/etPtdcl.jpg

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Where does e-waste go?

11Baldé et al. 2015. The global e-waste monitor – 2014. United Nations University, IAS-SCYCLE, Bonn, Germany.

~12% in Canada & US for formal recycling

Photo’s courtesy Labréche & Gravel

75,702 tonnes collected in Ontario in 2012The WEEE Report. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Reuse and Recycling in Canada – 2013. CM Consulting, Peterborough, Ontario

71,300 tonnes processed in Canada in 2015(Statistics Canada, 2016)

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Basel Action Network: 205 GPS trackers on US e-waste, 2016http://wiki.ban.org/images/1/12/ScamRecyclingReport-web.pdf 13

2018: China’s “National Sword” prohibits importing almost all forms of scrap, including e-scrap

14https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/india-it-electronic-waste

Bangalore: 20,000 tonnes e-waste annually, rising at 20% per year

Outline

1. How much?

2. How is it handled?

3. Results from our Ontario study

4. Solutions?

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Photo courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace, UK

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Photos courtesy Iryna Labunska,Greenpeace UKLabunska et al. 2013, 2014, 2015

Guiyu, China

17Photo’s courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace UKLabunska et al. 2013, 2014, 2015

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Photos courtesy Prof. IshtiaqueAhmed,University of Toronto 18

https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/projects/photographs/shipbreaking/ 19

Photo’s courtesy Labréche & Gravel

Canada

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Ontario Facility

21Photos courtesy Linh Nguyen, Univ of Toronto

Outline

1. How much?

2. How is it handled?

3. Results from our Ontario study• Flame retardants

4. Solutions?

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Courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace, UK

Flame retardants

• Chemicals added to materials to meet flammability std’s

• Added to e-devices with a plug, battery or chip

23http://flameretardants.americanchemistry.com/Electrical-Electronic-Equipment/Flame-Retardants-Fire-Safety-Tools-for-Electronics.pdfhttps://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2018/08/02/updating-sidewalk-labs-latest-quayside-plans/

Diamond et al. 2015. Exploring the planetary boundary for chemical pollution. Environment International 78:8-15.

20042000

PENTA and OCTA Voluntary

agreement to stop productionin US 2004

< 1970

BFRs added consumer products

Detection of PBDEs in

breast milk

PENTA and OCTA ban on

production & new uses in US

2008

2008 2011 2012onwards

DECA proposed banned in

Canada 2013;Final PBDE reg

2017

What’s replacing

them?

PENTA & OCTA new uses banned in Canada 2009

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Flame Retardants Restrictions

2014

TCEP restricted in Canada

2014

TCPP proposed restricted in Canada 2018

47 FRs in Ontario

E-waste dust

Reasons for the Restrictions?

• PBDEs• Endocrine disruption through the thyroid system• Neurobehavioural effects, decrease IQ (National Academies of Science 2017)

• Cryptorchidism (Goodyer et al. 2017)

• Organophosphate esters• Reproductive impairment (Carignan et al. 2017, 2018, Meeker et al. 2013)

• Developmental toxicity (decreased IQ, working memory) (Castorina et al. 2017)

• Papillary thyroid cancer (Hoffman et al. 2017)

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Sampling Flame Retardants in Ontario E-Waste Facility

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Sampling Strategy

• February 2017• Five sampling days over two weeks• 24 hour samples, with equipment deployed in the early mornings

(prior to day shift)• Facility operated 16 hours per day (2 shifts)• All stationary samples

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Sampling Flame Retardants in Ontario E-Waste Facility

Co-deployed active and passive samplers at the workbenches and central work area.

Air samples

Deployed Micro-orifice Uniform Deposition Impactor (MOUDI).

Size segregated air samples

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Collected dust from floor, bench tops, and sorted-waste bins using defined method

(Harrad et al., 2008).

Dust samples

FRs in Dust – Canada & International Comparison

*Zheng et al., 2015. Environment International, 78, 1-7.┼Muenhor et al., 2010. Environment International, 36(7), 690-698. 29

0

20

40

60

80

100

∑4 PBDEs ∑4 NFRs ∑5 OPEsFloo

r dus

t con

cent

ratio

n (µ

g/g)

Ontario (n = 7)

China (n =14)

Thailand (n =25)

*┼

Restricted Some Restricted

FRs in Dust –Comparison of Locations in Facility

30

0

500

1000

1500

2000

∑4 PBDEs ∑4 NFRs ∑5 OPEs

Med

ian

conc

entr

atio

n (µ

g/g) Floor (n = 7)

Workbench (n = 8)Monitor bins (n = 5)Computer bins (n = 6)Mics items (n = 7)

FRs in Air (Silicone Rubber Passive Air Samplers)

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0.19 ng/m3

0500

100015002000250030003500

Central workplace(n=10)

Workbench(n=20)

Homes (n=49)

Air c

once

ntra

tion

(ng/

m3 ) ∑8PBDEs

∑9NFRsTDCPP

02468

101214161820

BDE 47 BDE 99 BDE 183

ng/m

3

Canada Sweden (Sjӧdin et al., 2001)

Vietnam(Tue et al., 2013)

020406080

100120140160180200

BDE 209 TCEP TCIPP TPhP

ng/m

3Canada Sweden

(Sjӧdin et al., 2001)Finland(Mäkinen et al., 2009)

Stationary Active Samplers

Comparison of Air Concentrations

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Size-Segregated Air Particles (0.1-18µm)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1* 2* 3* 4* 5* 6* 7* 8 9 10

Conc

entr

atio

n (n

g m

-3)

Stages

∑8 HFRs ∑5 OPEs

Respirable particles – 30%

PM10

Exposure Estimates for male workers (ng/kg bw/day, median values)

∑4 PBDEs ∑4 NFRs ∑5 OPEs Total 13 FRs

Inhalation 11 0.8 16 28

Dust ingestion

29 1.5 21 52

TOTAL 40 2.3 37 80

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Exposure – Comparison with Other Estimates

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0

50

∑5 OPEs ∑4 NFRs ∑4 Penta- and Octa- BDEs

Deca-BDE

Inha

latio

n ex

posu

re

(ng/

kg b

w/d

ay) This study, n = 20

US study (Cahill et al., 2007)

0

50

∑5 OPEs ∑4 NFRs ∑4 Penta- and Octa- BDEs

Deca-BDE

Dust

inge

stio

n (n

g/kg

bw

/day

) This study, n = 8Chinese study (Zheng et al., 2015)

Ontario Occupational Health Regulations

• Limits for lead, mercury, copper, cadmium• Only flame retardant limit for TPhP (3 mg m-3, from 1961)• Where personal protective equipment is used, must be in good

working condition

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Concern about exposures?E-waste Estimated

Exposure, 95th

Percentile

RfD*

BDE-47 0.3 255BDE-209 72 2,300TDCiPP 58.5 24,500TCEP 11 17,900TPhP 26.4 (2.3E-5 mg m-3) 3 mg m-3

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ng/kg bw/dayChiu W et al. 2018. Beyond the RfD…. Environ Health Perspecthttps://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3368

Outline

1. How much?

2. How is it handled?

3. Results from our Ontario study

4. Solutions?

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Courtesy Iryna Labunska, Greenpeace, UK

Rittel, H.W.J. & Webber M.M. 1973. Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. Policy Sci 4: 155-169,http://socialmarketing.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341c595f53ef017d3bc64ca9970c-pi

Solutions for dealing with E-waste

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Legislative ComplexityWaste Chemical

ManagementOccupationalHealth & Safety

International Basel Convention, USMCA?Import-export controls, substance content restrictions

Stockholm Convention Persistent Organic Pollutants

Federal Industry: Electronic Product Stewardship Canada; Electronic Products Recycling Association

Canadian Environmental Protection ActChemical Management Plan

Provincial Waste Diversion ActExtended producer responsibility, intra-provincial movement, licence waste treatmentOntario Electronic Stewardship

Specific regulations that don’t pertain to e-waste

Occupational Health & Safety Act

Municipal Waste management servicesLandfills, direction on recycling & disposal

Landfill bans

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/canada_country_presentation.pdf40

http://www.basel.int/Implementation/PartnershipProgramme/PACE/Overview/tabid/3243/Default.aspxhttp://www.basel.int/Implementation/PartnershipProgramme/MPPI/Overview/tabid/3268/Default.aspx

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http://www.ban.org/ENV 261 42

Government of Canada

Federal Legislation & Regulations(CEPA 1999, CCPSA, EIHWHRMR)

Provincial Legislation & Regulations (e.g. WDA, EPA (ON), EMA (BC) )

Municipality

Municipal Bylaw

Operational Regulations(i.e. Landfill bans)

Provincial Stewardship

Program

(or individual steward)

No Government Designating

Agency ex. EMA (BC)

Implementation

Solid Waste & Hazardous waste Management

Government Designating

Agency i.e. WDO (ON)

Provincial Government

Collecting Processors (including municipalities)Refurbishing Processors

Recycling Processors

Repo

rtin

g Bac

k

Funding & Program Implementation

Electronic & Electrical Equipment Industries(Manufacturers & Retailers )

Electronic Product Stewardship Canada

(EPSC)

Electronic Product Recycling Association (EPRA)

Collaboration &Implementation

Propose Industry Std to Harmonize National Programs

Recycling Qualification O

ffice (RQ

O)

Develop and Implem

ent Guidelines

Repo

rtin

g Bac

k

Auditing Process

Electro Federation Canada (EFC)

Information Technology Association Canada (ITAC)

Setting Environmental Std

International Agreements

Negotiation &

Im

plementation

Communication

Communication

Communication

EC & HC CCME

Developing Environmental Std,

Developing EPR

Communication

Reporting Back

Reporting Back

Comm

unication

Feedback Process

Canadian E-waste Management

Implementation

Setting Environmental Std

Cons

ider

atio

nan

d ad

optio

n

Movement of Hazardous Wasteoutside of Canada

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http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/14/about-a-quarter-of-americans-report-going-online-almost-constantly/

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Twenge J 2017. iGen. Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy-and completely unprepared for adulthood.http://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net/igen-appendix.pdf

http://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net/igen-appendix.pdf

Dramatic decline in self-liking and rise in depressive symptoms that coincide with widespread use of Smart Phones

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Summary

• E-waste is a major unintended consequence of the digital revolution;

• We are predisposed to adopt new technologies, and to externalize the negative impacts;

• E-waste handlers are most vulnerable • to adverse impacts• Solutions ……..

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Acknowledgements

Miriam Diamond, Linh Nguyen

Marta Venier, William Stubbings, Jiehong Guo,

Kevin RomanakLisa Melymuk Liisa Jantunen

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Victoria Arrandale