| GRN Recycle Talk FAQ Answer |
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 98 08:24 WET From: FRIEDMAN.FRED@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV (Fred Friedman) Subject: Re: Computer recycling (Alex)
March 24, 1998
Dear Alex,
There are many publications which will include means of waste management and statistics on electronics/computer recycling in Europe. I cannot speak to what will be accessible in Belgium. I will try to provide Internet addresses where this is possible:
Product Stewardship Advisor can be accessed at http://www.cutter.com. Since this is a for-profit company, they may not give you free access. If they provide you with a sample search, choose the issue for May, 1997 which is all about Electronic equipment and waste management and takeback in Europe.
The conference proceedings of the IEEE will give you many articles on these subjects. For instance, Mandated electronic equipment recycling in Europe...: by Patricia S. Dillon, Gordon Institute Tufts University in the 1994 Proceedings.
Specifically European sources include: Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling in Great Britain has been in operation since at least 1993.
European (German) waste management statistics are available from: Universitat fur Bodenkultur, Abteilung Abfallwirtschaft, A-1190 Wien, Nubdorfer Lande 29-31. Specifically, their Bregenz Pilot Project: Waste from electric and electronic equipment authored by Stefan Salhofer and Renate Gabriel (April, 1996) will give you extensive statistics.
A similar pilot project was conducted much closer to your home: In the Netherlands. Called the Apparetour Pilot Project it was designed to collect and assess options for reuse and recycling for all 'white goods' including electronics. The project took place in the Einnhoven Region and results were to have become available in July, 1997. FIAR, the electronics industry assn. was a project partner as was local government and VLEHAN, the trade assn. of white goods manufacturers.
Here in the US, US EPA conducted a similar study comparing a collection and disposition pilot in Binghamton, NY and Somerville, MA. When results are published (soon) I could send you a copy if you provided the Research Library with your postal mailing address (and were patient, since we have no formal date of dissemination).
Lastly, Collection of Waste electrical/electronic items in Europe was conductd by the National Environmental Technology Centre (Culham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3DB, UK) in 1996 or early 1997. It condensed information on projects in the UK, Austria and the Netherlands.
-- Research Library for RCRA