ICTD2007 Session 2: Extending the Boundaries of ICTD
Session Chair: Heather Hudson, USF

The post consumptive residues of ICTs: transnational e-waste flows and
developmetnal dilemas

Janani Vasudev
Siemens Corporate Technology - India

Develop analytical framework of looking at e-waste flows.
Define e-waste
Examine nature of problem

Understanding E-waste
* adopted II of Materials Mgmtn
* objects with battery or electrical cord that have reached end of life
  or have fallen into disuse due to changes in tech trends
* Rapid tech advances -> high product obsolescense - increasing e-waste
   - average life span of pc reduced from 5-4 years in 1997 to two in 2005
* High toxiscity
   - cumulative effects of toxic elements 

Materials Flow
 Producers  
   -> Consumers --> can reuse, recycle, or dump in landfills
        -> Agencies

E-waste recycling is very important in e-waste mangement
1> disassemble into functional components
2> functional components sold, non-functional further disassumpled
3> working parts sold
4> shredding

First two stages are manual and labor intensive.

Regulatory Regime:
* regularing trade
* rules for collection , mgmt, and disposal of e-waste

Transnational e-waste flows
* exporting a lot of e-waste to developing countries where disposed of
  in unhealthy conditions in the informal sector
* transnational e-wate flows...

Developmenta Dilemmas in transnational e-waste flows
* Pollution Haven hypothesis
* industries in developed countries find it profitable to send e-wate to 
  developing countries with less strict mgment of mkoney
* it makes economic sense to ship e-waste trans-naltionally
* employment opportunities - manual and labor intensitve 
    - so it is incentive also for developing countries

E-waste flows facilitating ICT access
But however once the remaining life is squeezed out then the disposal of
e-waste falls back to responsiblity of the Developing country

Basel Ban Convention - 1992
 - restricts trans boundary hazardous wate flows for final displosal
 - loophold - trae begins to assume a new form under guise of recycling
Basel Ban Amendment - 1995
 - restricts hazardowus wates export sof recovery, recycling or disposal
 - does not ban toxi wate trade amont the countries
 - key countries like the US have not ratified

The regulatory regime in India
* E-wate magmt in Indi is goverend by laws relateing to the environment and foreign trade
* Hazadouse waste mgmtn rules of 1989 and amendements in 2000 and 2004
   - deem e-wates as hazardous

* Legislations
   - restric on imports of used PCs
   - but exemptions for donations 
     	 -> loophole leads to fake donations and gray markeg

E-waste mgmtn and disposal industry dominated by a "very entrepreneurial
infomal sector"
   - expertise in manual operations
   - employ rudimenatry recycling processes

E-waste flows in India (diagram)
* exists in both informal and formal sector
* Illegal imports -> routed directly to informal sector
* unclear legislations
* e-waste exchanged between formal and informal sector
   - formal sector procures parts from informal sector

Conclusions
Transnational e-waste will take place despite the existence of legislation
The costs and benefits of e-waste flows derive from the nature of e-waste 
recycling.

Given the economic logic of e-waste recycling, regs must ack transnational flows

For developed countries
* enables them to take adv of the cheap labor in the developing countreis
* promotes conscious consumption of tech

For developing countreis
* address issues of employment
* precents occupational health hazards
( promotes cleaner env in devleoping countries

Does not preclued importance of regulations liek WEEE and RoHS
    - crucial to prevent and reduce e-waste

Many are oblivious to impacts on environment

Q: (Jahn Bennet, University of Colorado)
  You focused on a regulatory solution.  What about a soln that exploits 
  existing market forces - like an e-waste credit scheme

A: Saw 3 formal recyclers in country - but also found more.
   Saw trend - there is two-way flow between units abroad and in India,
   

Q: (Heather Hudson)
   Since you are working at Siements - what are their policies?

A: Agreement that they will dispose only to these formal forms.
   Shredded pulverized waste is transferred to units that handle and process
   prior to sending overseas

Q: Customer incentives for recycling?

A: Right now there isn't but it isn't now.

Q: A story to share - Morocco LifeStation.  Sony Playstations (ps1s and ps2)
   to recycle Playstations.  They save on cost of recycling in africa, and
   the ps are used as PCs and dvd players for educational videos.  Are there
   more examples of this - recycling cell phones. Reusing in a new way.

A: Reuse is big in India, but it just prolongs the period. Reuse is an 
   intermediate option - always ultmately have to dispose of the materials

Q: Reconciling concern for e-waste and technologicial optimism

A: It is contradictory - which is why regulations have come into effect
   Techs will advance.  The only way to help is to reduce the percentage of
   toxic materials in the e-waste.