Electronics Recycling in North Carolina

1
Electronics Recycling in North Carolina

• John Blaisdell
• NC Recycling Business Assistance Center

2
Transition from Agriculture to
Tobacco Crops
3
High Tech Economy
Glaxo Wellcomes US Headquarters
4
Market Assessment Issues

• Generation
• Toxicity
• Collection and Processing Infrastructure

5
Breakdown of Disposed Waste Stream
6
Overview

• Generation Market Assessment http//www.p2pays.o
  rg/ref/02/01622.htm

Estimates of the Amount of Electronics Requiring
Disposal 1997 2002 Residential
Electronics 25,164 26,699 Workplace
Electronics 25,164 26,699 Total 50,328 53
,398 Sources 1) OECD Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development 2) MADEP
Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection 3) MCC Microelectronics and Computer
Technology Corporation 4) CMU Carnegie Mellon
University
7
Toxicity

• Disproportionately large amount of toxicity
  relative to the tons of waste generated. Not as
  much a generation issue.
• Lead in monitors is of most concern

8
Equipment Obsolescence

• Flat Screen technology
• Conversion to Digital Television
• More new devices
• Hand Held Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) Palm
  Pilots, etc.
• Telephone/Computer/Television combinations

9
Markets

• Directory of Markets for Recyclable Materials
• 35 Companies
• Categories
• -Electronics Equipment and Scrap
• -Computer Equipment
• -Monitors-Cathode Ray Tubes
• -Computer Disks-CD and Floppy
• -Audio/Video/Computer Reels
• -Telecommunications Equipment
• -Televisions
• Web Site http//www.p2pays.org/dmrm

10
Examples of NC Businesses

• Waste Management Asset Recovery Group,
  Kernersville, NC (Processor)
• Wesbell Asset Recovery, Durham, NC (Processor)
• ECS Refining, Greensboro, NC (Broker)
• Southern Resources Inc, Charlotte, NC
  (Broker/Processor)

11
Larger Businesses Institutions vs. Residential
Collection

• Businesses
• Newer, more standardized equipment
• Somewhat motivated by RCRA requirements
• Underserved by recycling services, but better
  than residential
• Residential Collection
• Older, less standardized equipment
• Underserved by recycling services

12
State Surplus

• The State Surplus Property Computer Center
  http//www.doa.state.nc.us/ssp/computrs.htm
• Contact
• Jeff Nance [phone]

13
NCs Strategy

• Workshops this Fall to begin education process
• Consider policy options-make recommendations to
  our Secretary
• Publicize RCRA requirements to generators and
  landfills
• Small grants to fund several residential
  collection events

14
Workshops

• Two planned for NC in October, 2000
• One in Raleigh and one in Charlotte
• Purpose
• To educate Local Governments and Businesses on
  establishing recycling programs
• Contractor is Southern Waste Information eXchange
  (SWIX)

15
Policy/Program Options/Topics

• Advanced Disposal Fee (ADF) for consumers
• Disposal ban
• Infrastructure development through targeted grant
  rounds (funding?)
• Private Sector
• Public Sector

16
Policy/Program Options/Topics

• Voluntary fee or free collection events for
  residents
• Mandatory or voluntary take back for OEMs
• Mandatory or voluntary elimination of toxic
  components by OEMs
• Recycled content purchases, leasing, etc. for
  state agencies

17
Grants

• Small grants available Spring 2001 for
  residential collection programs.
• Try fee based drop off event
• Try free drop off event
• Survey attendees
• Calculate costs

18
Short term question that is most important

• Who should pay?
• Consumers
• Government Entities
• Federal Govt.
• State
• Local Governments
• Electronic Product Manufacturers

19
More Information

• View this presentation online at
• http//www.p2pays.org
• Siting a facility in North Carolina
  http//www.p2pays.org/rbac
• John Blaisdell, NC DPPEA [phone] or
  john.blaisdell_at_ncmail.net