CSE 601

1
CSE 601

• Shawn X. Zhang

Recyclable Computers
2
Computers and Resources

• Tremendous amount of resources needed to
  manufacture, to support and to recycle computers
• Over 1 billion computers in use world wide
• In 2008, nearly 180 million computers replaced by
  new machines
• 35 millions of them (20) dumped as electronic
  waste (e-waste) despite the toxic substances they
  contain

Source International Telecommunications Union
and Gardner Consultancy
3
Social Benefits and Costs

• Performance Hundred/Thousand times faster CPU
  and I/O speed

4
Time to Revisit Computer Design

• Stop spending millions of dollars with landfills
  and suffering from pollution on our environment.

• Revisit the design of computers so that they use
  less or no toxic substances - green or
  environmentally friendly computers.

5
Design of Recyclable Computers

• Minimize mercury in cathode ray tube (CRT) and
  LCD backlights monitors.

• Minimize lead in solder.

• Minimize selenium in circuit boards and power
  supplies.

• Minimize polybrominated and antimony trioxide
  flame retardants in plastics.

• Minimize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in plastics.

• Minimize cadmium in circuit boards and
  semiconductors.

• Minimize arsenic in display glass.

• Minimize hexavalent chromium in some computer
  components.

6
Regulations on Toxic Substances

• Europe - July 2006
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
  Directive 2002/96/EC (WEEE)
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (
  RoHS)

• China- July 2006
• Regulations for Pollution Control of Electronic
  Products (RPCEP)

• The United States - No federal level RoHS or
  equivalence
• California - January 2007
• Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (EWRA)
• Other states in the process of setting up RoHS
  and WEEE like legislation

Source Stonewood Electronics Ltd.
7
EPAs Effort

• July 2006 - Electronic Product Environmental
  Assessment Tool (EPEAT)

• Computers and monitors must meet 23 mandatory
  criteria

• Can meet 28 optional criteria to earn EPEAT
  Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition

• EPEAT began with 3 manufacturers and 60 products.

• EPEAT registered its 1000th product in October
  2008 and included 30 manufacturers such as
  Hewlett Packer, Dell, and Acer, the top three PC
  makers in the world in 2008.

Source EPEAT
8
Promising Start of EPEAT
During first 6 months

• Saving of 13.7 billion kWh of electricity

• Reduction of 1,070 metric tons toxic materials

• Disposal of 41,100 metric tons of hazardous waste

Source EPEAT
9
Promising Social Awareness

• Starting January 2007, all US government agencies
  are required to purchase Energy Star
  EPEAT-registered electronic products.

• EPEAT became part of the US Federal Acquisition
  Regulations (FAR) by December 2007.

• More and more state and local governments,
  colleges and businesses have participated in
  EPEATs purchasing program. The total purchase
  were about 60 billion by the end of 2007.

Source The Green Electronics Council
10
Recyclable Computer Challenges Ahead

• More social awareness

• More government regulations

• Higher business ethical standards