Electrical and electronic goods production is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. More new electronic goods appear every year. If the electronic waste cannot be managed and recycled properly, more and more electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) would be generated in the future. In fact, improper WEEE treatment causes tremendous harmful effect to the environment and finally affects our health. More effort was put in WEEE recycling worldwide. In recent years, the government, NGOs and other responsible parties worked very hard in Hong Kong WEEE recycling. However, Hong Kong is still lagging behind in terms of WEEE recycling compare with other countries. In Hong Kong, large quantities of WEEE are shipped to developing countries, which are non-ethical. Some of them would also go to landfills in Hong Kong, which causes serious land contamination. Even if the electronic waste is collected, the collectors may not follow the EPD guidelines to recycle the waste. Therefore, it is important to let people know the environmental impact of WEEE, the proper WEEE recycling channels and the importance of WEEE recycling so as to raise their awareness towards WEEE issues. There are few research findings about household WEEE recycling in Hong Kong, especially the household attitude and behavior towards WEEE recycling. The result in this dissertation can fill this knowledge gap. In this study, questionnaires will be used to find out the WEEE generation pattern and recycling frequency in households, the prefer disposal methods for household WEEE and the household attitudes and behavior towards WEEE recycling. Besides, some WEEE recycling facilities will be visited to identify difficulties in WEEE recycling. Finally, possible ways will be suggested to tackle the difficulties of WEEE recycling. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF title page screen. Advisor: Zhi-Ju Liu; submitted to the Dept. of Geography. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-89).

Thesis (Master of Engineering in Chemical Engineering)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / The rate of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is growing at an alarming rate, especially in countries where markets are saturated with huge quantities of new electronic goods. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a substantial portion of the value contained in waste from WEEE although they are only 6% of the total weight. It is reported that WEEE is currently the fastest growing waste stream in South Africa as the general population’s access to electronic goods in the last decade has increased, especially access to mobile phones. PCBs are found in any piece of electrical or electronic equipment and consist of various metals including precious metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd). It is reported that gold has the highest economic incentive at 15,200 $ per ton of PCBs. The rapid introduction of new and advanced technology into mobile phones has caused mobile phones to have a relatively short life span, 1 to 2 years to be exact. Mobile phones printed circuit boards (MPPCBs) have more Au content compared to computer circuit boards. They contain 350 g/ton Au whereas computer (PC) PCBs contains 250 g/ton. This research project will recover gold from waste mobile phones PCBs pregnant ammonia thiosulphate leach solution using copper cementation. The cementation process is preferred to all the other technologies of metals extraction from solution due to ultrahigh purity metals that can be obtained and to the less consumption of materials and energy. Electronic parts on the PCBs were manually removed using pliers and screwdrivers. PCBs were then cut to smaller pieces of about 2 x 2 m. The pieces were crushed and milled respectively. Some of the particles were recycled back to the crusher to get finer particles. The particles were separated to particles of sizes between 0 and 1350 μm using a shaker. The comminuted fractions of the PCBs were then used in the leaching step. Batch cementation experiments were performed by bubbling N2 in glass reaction vessel with a working volume of 0.5 L. The reactor was connected to a circulating water bath for temperature control. The recovery percentage of gold at various temperatures, agitation speeds and different amounts of copper powder used, was determined while pH was monitored. The temperature was varied at 30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C and the agitation speeds at 300 RPM and 900 RPM. Copper powder was added at 0.5 g/L, 1 g/L, and 1.5 g/L. Gold concentrations were measured by atomic adsorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS) analyses of the copper powder after cementation (precipitates) were used to determine the surface morphology and to evaluate the quantitative aspect of the precipitate. It was found that the recovery of gold from ammonia thiosulphate leach solution was greatly affected by agitation speed. At an agitation speed of 900 rpm, 40 °C and 0.5 g of Copper powder, 96% of the gold was recovered from the leach solution. The cementation rate increased as temperature was elevated from 30 to 40 °C, but slightly decreased as the temperature reached 50 °C. The change in experimental conditions affected the gold concentration on the precipitate recovered. This study will provide a possible solution to the WEEE problem and more specifically mobile cell phones, in South Africa.

This thesis examines the regional electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) recycling network in Malaysia and Singapore, with a secondary focus on the articulations of informal labour within the network. I argue that there is a need to theorise production networks post-consumption; i.e. to focus on the activities and processes that occur after a commodity is consumed and subsequently discarded. I argue that discarded e-waste are not ‘value-less’ waste, but instead embody value (specifically latent use value), and have the potential to be re-inserted as ‘raw materials’ into production networks through the processes of recycling. Also, key to the processes of value (re)creation, enhancement and capture is the labour process. I examine informal labour by focusing on karung guni (a local term for the rag-and-bone man) – analysing their critical role in value (re)creation in this regional e-waste recycling production network through the lens of petty commodity production. I argue that karung guni are constitutive of this production network through their collection and primary processing of e-waste, which forms the basis for subsequent value creation, enhancement and capture by downstream actors. Conceptualising karung guni as petty commodity producers – who own both the means of production and their own labour power – is significant in problematising as not so straightforward the separation of capital and labour into discreet categories as normally presented in global value chains (GVC)/global production networks (GPN) approaches. This thesis makes four significant contributions to the GVC/GPN literature. First, it recognises activities beyond the point of consumption (which has been the focus of present GVC/GPN research). Second, it conceptualises the constitutive role of informal labour in the development and structure of production networks. Third, it emphasises the continued relevance of the state. Fourth, by adopting a multi-sited case study method, it contributes to debates on how to carry out GVC/GPN research.

Information Technology is seen as that which makes one's life easier, fun and more comfortable. When a new cellular phone is launched one is eager to see what the new phone has to offer, and often one convinces oneself that the new device is required. This study investigates what happens to redundant or obsolete electronic devices like cellular phones, computers and other electronic devices. Are these devices stored, donated, thrown out with the garbage or are they recycled? Information from academic sources and from all types of media, including television, print and electronic was searched to enhance the survey that was undertaken. Both the informal and formal sectors of recycling were investigated. A questionnaire was used to supplement the information found in different kinds of sources. The collected data was interpreted through the use of SPSS. Descriptive as well as inferential statistics was used to draw conclusions and make inferences. An investigation into legislation controlling the disposal of e-waste is included in this study. International, national, provincial and local government legislation is outlined. The objectives of recycling electronic waste are listed together with the challenges that face the pro-recyclers. The quantitative research methodology approach has been employed for this research. A key technique used in this study is the Research Onion. Data analysis and interpretation are based on the p-value, Pearson's chi-square and Spearman's correlation. The study has really been an eye opener in that it considers the “darker side” of Information Technology. The “darker side” of Information Technology refers to the disposal of obsolete or broken electronic devices in a manner that is harmful to the environment. The cost or lack of profit is the main driving force for incorrect disposal methods. This study has found that the best method of disposal is the take back system, where manufacturers of electronic devices are responsible for the safe disposal of the devices that they manufactured. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

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An evaluation of electronic waste (e-waste) management in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality was undertaken in this study. The aim of the study was to evaluate the electronic waste management practices such as generation, storage, collection, transportation and disposal in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. This was achieved through questionnaires distributed to residents in Namakgale and Phalaborwa residential areas, structured interviews with municipal workers under the Environmental Health Division and observation in the landfill site and collection points were also used in gathering information on the electronic waste management. In the study it was found that a wide range of electronic waste is generated and lighting equipment, small household equipment and ICT equipment are disposed of in large numbers in the study area. The municipality is responsible for waste management in the study area. Electronic waste generated is stored, collected and disposed together with all other domestic waste in the area. No segregation or recycling at household level was evident. It was also found that the municipality does not have a formal relationship with electronic waste recycling companies to eliminate the flow of electronic waste from households to the landfill site. A lack of own regulatory and by-laws on electronic waste was noted and seemed to be one of the challenges the municipality is facing. The findings highlighted the low level of community awareness regarding electronic waste. The study concluded that there is a lack or absence of good management of electronic waste storage, collection, transportation in the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. From the study, it is recommended that there is a need for meaningful community awareness, environmental education, formulation of by-laws and formal recycling projects for effective electronic waste in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

E-waste is a world-wide, interregional, and domestic problem. E-waste management is a challenging task not only due to its speedily increasing volume but more outstandingly because of its hazardous nature. This study examined the e-waste management and disposal methods in the city of Addis Ababa to propose appropriate e-waste management model. Further, it attempted to comprehend the existing policy gap by identifying the different obstructions to the adoption of e-waste management policy. To this end, the study employs both descriptive and explanatory research designs. It selected 100 household heads from Bole and NSL sub-cities, 72 GSD personnel from the educational institutions and governmental sector offices, and 6 higher government officials. The quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS 21. Thus, the frequencies, the chi-square tests, t-tests, a one-way ANOVA, the partial and product-moment correlations, the ordinal, multiple and Poisson regression models were computed. The qualitative data were analysed using ATLAS ti 7. The findings of the study revealed that most of the respondents were not aware of e-waste and its management. The households generated about 4,010 number of non-functional, 2,077 obsolete, and 1,856 broken e-waste. Besides, the educational institutions and governmental sector offices generated about 11,153 non-functional, 15,911 obsolete, and 11,360 broken e-waste. The monthly income was statistically significant in the e-waste management whereas family sizes, gender, and educational qualifications were insignificant. The major e-waste causes encompass rapid obsolescence rate, breakage, and the demands for extra and innovative models or designs of electronic gadgets. The most common e-waste disposal method was storing. The recycling, reusing, donation, and refurbishing of e-waste had hardly been practiced. The study found the absence of good disposal methods and recyclers as the root causes for the prolonged storage and improper disposal of e-waste. E-waste laws, legislation, projects, activities, and recycling centres were non-existent. What is more, the administrative, economic, and socio-cultural challenges triggered the poor e-waste management of the city. Based on the findings, the study proposed a workable e-waste management model, which would most likely result in efficient and sustainable e-waste management in the city. Further, it calls for the stakeholders to work jointly to ensure proper e-waste management. / Geography / D. Lit. et Phil. (Geography)

An evaluation of electronic waste (e-waste) management in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality was undertaken in this study. The aim of the study was to evaluate the electronic waste management practices such as generation, storage, collection, transportation and disposal in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. This was achieved through questionnaires distributed to residents in Namakgale and Phalaborwa residential areas, structured interviews with municipal workers under the Environmental Health Division and observation in the landfill site and collection points were also used in gathering information on the electronic waste management. In the study it was found that a wide range of electronic waste is generated and lighting equipment, small household equipment and ICT equipment are disposed of in large numbers in the study area. The municipality is responsible for waste management in the study area. Electronic waste generated is stored, collected and disposed together with all other domestic waste in the area. No segregation or recycling at household level was evident. It was also found that the municipality does not have a formal relationship with electronic waste recycling companies to eliminate the flow of electronic waste from households to the landfill site. A lack of own regulatory and by-laws on electronic waste was noted and seemed to be one of the challenges the municipality is facing. The findings highlighted the low level of community awareness regarding electronic waste. The study concluded that there is a lack or absence of good management of electronic waste storage, collection, transportation in the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. From the study, it is recommended that there is a need for meaningful community awareness, environmental education, formulation of by-laws and formal recycling projects for effective electronic waste in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

This thesis is focused on the analysis of the global lighting market and the assessment of the current position of the Czech Republic in this market. The first part is devoted to the theoretical introduction in the field of lighting technology. Furthermore, the thesis deals with the relation between lighting market and energy sector, especially with regard to energy efficiency policy. The market analysis is concentrated primarily on general lighting, which forms the largest and the most important lighting market segment. The development of the Czech lighting market is then discussed in the context of the global as well as the European market. Additionally, the thesis includes analysis of current trends in lighting technology and research conducted among manufacturers of lighting.