Beyond Recycling

Sheila DavisSilicon Valley Toxics Coalition

August 2004

SVTC Mission Statement

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition does research, advocacy, and organizing to address human health and environmental problems caused by the rapid growth of the high-tech electronics industry. Our goal is to advance environmental sustainability and clean production in the industry, as well as to improve health, promote justice, and ensure democratic decision-making for communities and workers affected by the high-tech revolution.

Computer TakeBack Campaign

Take it backMake it clean

Recycle Responsibly www.computertakeback.com

Elements of CTBC Platform

Manufacturer takeback of equipmentReduction of toxic components

Increased recycled content Reduced packaging Upgradability Longevity Electronic waste bans on export & prison labor Clean manufacturing practices Design for reuse and recycling

Corporate Responsibility Vs

Product Design

Beyond Product Design

• Recycle Content• Toxics reductions• Design for Recycling

Corporate Responsibility

• Social Justice• Worker Health• Worker Rights• Community right to healthy

environment• Environmental Justice

Impacts -2

• From 1987 to 1993 US EPA reported that 177 tons of toxic chemicals were released into the air by just one high-tech facility in California.

• More than – 700 compounds used to make one computer work

station– 12 million computers amounting to more than

300,000 tons of electronic junk are disposed annually

A Semiconductor Wafer

Image: http://users.erols.com/circuits//

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic

ProductsMaterials of Concern (2)

• teratogenic = linked to birth defects• persistent = not easily excreted from

the body• bioaccumulative = magnifies up the

food chain• carcinogenic = cancer causing

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for

Electronic Products• Materials of Concern (3)

• reproductive toxin = linked to birth defects

• endocrine disruptor = disrupts the hormonal system

• mutagenic = causes mutations in cells

Global High-Tech Production is

Undergoing the Largest Industrial

Expansion in History

Piles of E-Waste

US Prisons

Quote: Myron Harrison, M.D., IBM, in Hazardous Materials Toxicology

What do Engineers and Designers

know?“ … Engineers are not evaluated nor

rewarded on their ability to… understand new or unusual health hazards… Unfortunately, the opportunities for professionals to be involved before these new processes arrive at the manufacturing floor are being diminished…”

Chart B Familiarity of designers with ecodesign topics (averaged values)

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

Hazards of lead

Concept of "Design for the Environment"

Hazards of persistent bioaccumulative toxins

EU RoHs Directive

Hazards of brominated f lame retardants

Not familiar (0) Very familiar (2.0)

Chart C Ability of designers to influence design attributes (averaged values)

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Form, color, texture

Finish type (paint, lamination)

Access to internal components

Ease of dissassembly

Multi-material inserts in plastic

Plastic type (incl. recycled content)

Flame retardant in plastic

Additives in plastic (phthalates, etc.)

Toxics in electronic components

Circuit board solder type

Design attribute

Not able to influence (0) Able to influence (3)

Chart F Importance of environmental and human health impacts of products to . . . (averaged values)

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8

the designer

the designer's clients

the designer'smanagers

Not important (0) Very important (2)

What We Know We Can Do

-Enforce Executive Order 12898-Use purchasing guidelines that included

Corporate Social Responsibility-Ask Companies about their supply

chain-Ask Companies about their Social

Responsibility reporting

For More Information:

www.svtc.org

www.computertakeback.com