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The End of Toxins in Electronics?
United Nations charts future on green design and eliminating hazardous chemicals in electronics.
Toxic substances used in electronics continue to be an issue. More than 100 global experts meet this week and made recommendations for a United Nations process on reducing and eliminating hazardous chemicals in the design, manufacturing and disposal of electronics.
Delegates from the private sector, pubic interest groups and government agencies met in Vienna, Austria, to develop key recommendations including: Eliminating chemical hazards during design; Phasing-out currently used hazardous substances; Improving information transparency and flow; Ensuring equal protection of workers, communities and consumers. Preventing export of hazardous electronic wastes from developed to developing countries; Controlling export and import of near-end-of-life equipment; Taking the special needs of small island developing states into account.
Many electronics products are already RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) compliant, meaning the use of toxic metals and chemicals like lead and brominated flame retardants have been reduced in the manufacturing process. But under the guise of recycling, many used electronics are still shipped to poor countries where the products are irresponsibly disassembled and stripped for their metals and the plastic chassis burned in open pits, creating serious health hazards for children, laborers and nearby residents.
Related: CEA Announces New eCycling Initiative
Some electronics recyclers have been certified as e-Stewards by the Basel Action Network (BAN) for pledging to recycle electronics responsibly and not ship them overseas, though the practice remains widespread.
The Korean Institute of Labor Safety and Health (Republic of Korea) and the International Labour Organization (Switzerland) presented information on how electronics manufacturing workers and nearby communities are being exposed to hazardous chemicals, the types of chemicals causing concern, recognition of adverse effects, controlling exposure, and how the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) agreement, a global strategy and policy framework to establish sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes by 2020, needs to address these issues.
Recommendations were made on eliminating chemicals of concern, which are defined by SAICM as including “persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBTs); very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances; chemicals that are carcinogens or mutagens or that adversely affect the reproductive, endocrine, immune or nervous systems; persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mercury and other chemicals of global concern; chemicals produced or used in high volumes; those subject to widespread dispersive uses; and other chemicals of concern at the national level.”
The group also recommends full ingredient disclosure, identifying and implementing substitution strategies and extended producer responsibility, which places the responsibility for collecting and properly recycling used electronics equipment on manufacturers. Many electronics companies last year failed on an Electronics Company Report Card produced by the Electronics Takeback Coalition.
Delegates from the private sector, pubic interest groups and government agencies met in Vienna, Austria, to develop key recommendations including: Eliminating chemical hazards during design; Phasing-out currently used hazardous substances; Improving information transparency and flow; Ensuring equal protection of workers, communities and consumers. Preventing export of hazardous electronic wastes from developed to developing countries; Controlling export and import of near-end-of-life equipment; Taking the special needs of small island developing states into account.
Many electronics products are already RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) compliant, meaning the use of toxic metals and chemicals like lead and brominated flame retardants have been reduced in the manufacturing process. But under the guise of recycling, many used electronics are still shipped to poor countries where the products are irresponsibly disassembled and stripped for their metals and the plastic chassis burned in open pits, creating serious health hazards for children, laborers and nearby residents.
Related: CEA Announces New eCycling Initiative
Some electronics recyclers have been certified as e-Stewards by the Basel Action Network (BAN) for pledging to recycle electronics responsibly and not ship them overseas, though the practice remains widespread.
The Korean Institute of Labor Safety and Health (Republic of Korea) and the International Labour Organization (Switzerland) presented information on how electronics manufacturing workers and nearby communities are being exposed to hazardous chemicals, the types of chemicals causing concern, recognition of adverse effects, controlling exposure, and how the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) agreement, a global strategy and policy framework to establish sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes by 2020, needs to address these issues.
Recommendations were made on eliminating chemicals of concern, which are defined by SAICM as including “persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBTs); very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances; chemicals that are carcinogens or mutagens or that adversely affect the reproductive, endocrine, immune or nervous systems; persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mercury and other chemicals of global concern; chemicals produced or used in high volumes; those subject to widespread dispersive uses; and other chemicals of concern at the national level.”
The group also recommends full ingredient disclosure, identifying and implementing substitution strategies and extended producer responsibility, which places the responsibility for collecting and properly recycling used electronics equipment on manufacturers. Many electronics companies last year failed on an Electronics Company Report Card produced by the Electronics Takeback Coalition.
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About the Author
Steven Castle is a writer, editor, and humorist who recently completed Filthy Rich Things, a savage satire on our thirst for success and wealth. He is Electronic House's senior editor and co-founder of GreenTech Advocates.
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