Assessing the Landfill Disposal Implication of Discarded Electronic Equipment

A major emphasis in the drive by many organizations and governments to recycle discarded electronic equipment is the concern over the fate of potentially hazardous or toxic chemicals when disposed. In the United States and other areas of the world, much of this equipment is disposed in landfills. Research conducted at the University of Florida has been used by the United States environmental protection agency (EPA) and individual states as justification for rule- or policy-making for CRT management and recently work sponsored by the EPA was published that described the hazardous waste characteristics for other electronic devices. In both of these cases, devices that contained lead were often found to be toxicity characteristic hazardous wastes (unless otherwise exempted). But additional work found that the content of the device (e.g., amount of plastic vs steel) played a large role in whether lead leached at sufficient concentrations to be hazardous. States are considering the appropriate regulatory and policy initiatives that must be undertaken to address electronic equipment. Many electronic devices are exempt from regulation as a hazardous waste, as they are generated as a result of household activities. Local and state governments are thus faced with the need to determine whether additional measures should be implemented to collect and recycle these devices. Such programs demand funding which may be in short supply in communities wrestling with funding other recycling programs. Many communities find themselves having to answer is "what is the true risk posed by the disposal of discarded electronic devices in landfills?" A summary of the results of the prior research and new research from the simulated landfill experiments is presented. This information provides possible implications for state or regulatory rule making and information that will give electronic equipment manufacturers a better understanding of how to assess potential impacts of new products on the disposal system