Abstract
China is now facing e-waste problems from both growing domestic generation and illegal imports. Many stakeholders are involved in the e-waste treatment system due to the complexity of e-waste life cycle. Beginning with the state of the e-waste treatment industry in China, this paper summarizes the latest progress in e-waste management from such aspects as the new edition of the China RoHS Directive, new Treatment List, new funding subsidy standard, and eco-design pilots. Thus, a conceptual model for life cycle management of e-waste is generalized. The operating procedure is to first identify the life cycle stages of the e-waste and extract the important life cycle information. Then, life cycle tools can be used to conduct a systematic analysis to help decide how to maximize the benefits from a series of life cycle engineering processes. Meanwhile, life cycle thinking is applied to improve the legislation relating to e-waste so as to continuously improve the sustainability of the e-waste treatment system. By providing an integrative framework, the life cycle management of e-waste should help to realize sustainable management of e-waste in developing countries.
Highlights
E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams [1]
E-waste treatment system in China has been through several phases from informal family workshops to licensed plants with specialized subsidy
As the largest country exporting e-products and illegally importing e-waste, China plays an important role in the life cycle management of the global electronic industry [9, 10]
Summary
E-waste ( called WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams [1]. E-waste contains abundant amounts of recyclable materials and hazardous substances, e.g. heavy metals, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). E-waste treatment system in China has been through several phases from informal family workshops to licensed plants with specialized subsidy. Since implementation of the “Old for New Program” and especially the “Fund Policy”, the formal treatment system of e-waste has been improved dramatically. As the largest country exporting e-products and illegally importing e-waste, China plays an important role in the life cycle management of the global electronic industry [9, 10]. The latest development in e-waste management are analyzed (including the new edition of the China RoHS Directive, new Treatment List, new funding subsidy standard, and eco-design pilots for e-products). The research elaborates the specific strategies and prospects for performing LCM, and attempts to provide a new methodology for optimizing e-waste treatment in China so as to realize sustainable management
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