Environmentally sound management of electronic scrap and the BaselConvention on control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes andtheir disposal

摘要

The electronics industry faces a challenge, perhaps a legalresponsibility, and in some respects an opportunity, to take back andmanage, on an international scale, in an environmentally sound manner,hundreds of millions of pieces of electronic equipment. But every mannerof management is subject to regulation. The Basel Convention, theprimary mechanism for control of international movements of hazardouswaste, defines “waste” to include any material intended for“disposal” and defines “disposal” to include allforms of reuse and recycling. It defines a waste as“hazardous” if, under virtually any circumstances, its“disposal” may have an adverse environmental effect. By itsterms, and in actual practice under its enforcement, electronic scrapand complete used computers are hazardous waste. The Convention thus hasa substantial impact upon international efforts to reuse, recycle, andreclaim electronic equipment and electronic scrap. This paper describeselements of a management system applicable under the Convention forcontrol and environmentally sound management of computers, electronicmaterials and scrap