The Best-of-2-Worlds philosophy: Developing local dismantling and global infrastructure network for sustainable e-waste treatment in emerging economies |
| |
| Authors: | Feng Wang Jaco Huisman Christina EM Meskers Mathias Schluep Ab Stevels Christian Hagelüken |
| |
| Institution: | 1. United Nations University, Institute for Sustainability and Peace, Hermann-Ehlers-Strasse 10, Bonn 53113, Germany;2. Design for Sustainability Lab, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628CE Delft, The Netherlands;3. Umicore Precious Metals Refining, Adolf Greinerstraat 14, 2660 Hoboken, Belgium;4. Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Technology and Society Laboratory, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland;1. Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Khulna, Bangladesh;2. Bauhaus University of Weimar, Germany;3. University of Padova, Italy;1. Global Institute for Sustainability, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Ciudad de Mexico, Calle del Puente, 222 Ejidos de Huipulco, Mexico, DF 14380, Mexico;2. Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Av. Universitaria 1801 San Miguel, Lima, Peru;1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510000, People?s Republic of China;2. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, People?s Republic of China;1. School of Economics & Business Administration, International Hellenic University, 14th km Thessaloniki-Moudania, 57001 Thermi, Greece;2. Department of Logistics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Branch of Katerini, 60100 Katerini, Greece;3. Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Box 483, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;1. Ho Technical University, P.O. Box HP 217, Ho, Ghana;2. Wisconsin International University College, P.O. Box LG 751, Accra, Ghana;1. Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana;2. Department of Chemistry, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana;1. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau;2. School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China |
| |
| Abstract: | E-waste is a complex waste category containing both hazardous and valuable substances. It demands for a cost-efficient treatment system which simultaneously liberates and refines target fractions in an environmentally sound way. In most developing countries there is a lack of systems covering all steps from disposal until final processing due to limited infrastructure and access to technologies and investment. This paper introduces the ‘Best-of-2-Worlds’ philosophy (Bo2W), which provides a network and pragmatic solution for e-waste treatment in emerging economies. It seeks technical and logistic integration of ‘best’ pre-processing in developing countries to manually dismantle e-waste and ‘best’ end-processing to treat hazardous and complex fractions in international state-of-the-art end-processing facilities. A series of dismantling trials was conducted on waste desktop computers, IT equipment, large and small household appliances, in order to compare the environmental and economic performances of the Bo2W philosophy with other conventional recycling scenarios. The assessment showed that the performance of the Bo2W scenario is more eco-efficient than mechanical separation scenarios and other local treatment solutions. For equipment containing substantial hazardous substances, it demands the assistance from domestic legislation for mandatory removal and safe handling of such fractions together with proper financing to cover the costs. Experience from Bo2W pilot projects in China and India highlighted key societal factors influencing successful implementation. These include market size, informal competitors, availability of national e-waste legislation, formal take-back systems, financing and trust between industrial players. The Bo2W philosophy can serve as a pragmatic and environmentally responsible transition before establishment of end-processing facilities in developing countries is made feasible. The executive models of Bo2W should be flexibly differentiated for various countries by adjusting to local conditions related to operational scale, level of centralized operations, dismantling depth, combination with mechanical processing and optimized logistics to international end-processors. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
