Effective and binding action is urgently required to protect the millions of children, adolescents and expectant mothers worldwide whose health is jeopardized by the informal processing of discarded electrical or electronic devices according to a new ground-breaking report fro...
DownloadIn the first three quarters of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 30% fall in electronic and electrical equipment sales in low- and middle-income countries, but only a 5% decline in high-income countries, highlighting and intensifying the digital divide between North and Sou...
DownloadThe toolkit report considers the need for an all-actors approach and for the fair, inclusive and timely application of the extended producer responsibility principle. Policymakers are invited to use this toolkit as a pragmatic guide to formulate and strengthen e-waste manageme...
DownloadThe thought paper focuses on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) derived from wireless infrastructure for mobile Internet connectivity, connected devices and data storage with examples from mobile networks, IoT and data centres. The aim of this paper is to raise a...
DownloadThis (UNU/UNITAR) SCYCLE published report summarizes a new integrated method for monitoring the export of used electrical and electronic equipment. The report was commissioned by the Dutch monitoring council (monitoringsberaad). The council was interested in the methodology an...
DownloadUNITAR/United Nations University present an in-depth review on the WEEE Collection Rates in the EU-28, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, which shows that the implementation mechanisms of WEEE legislation, such as the ‘all actors’ approach, a clearing house, and mandatory handov...
DownloadThe Global E-waste Monitor 2020 provides the most comprehensive overview of the global e-waste challenge, explains how it fits into international efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, and discusses how to create a sustainable society and circular economy. The rep...
DownloadThe Dutch WEEE Flows 2020: What happened between 2010 and 2018?” quantifies the 2018 Dutch WEEE Flows in 2018 manner comparable to the Dutch WEEE Flows study of 2010. The report presents the EEE POM, the WEEE Generated, the compliantly regulated WEEE Collection, and the WEEE F...
DownloadAn illustrated manual that aims to assist e-waste workers in improving their safety, health, and productivity and shows many low-cost ideas that e-waste workers can easily adopt by using locally-available materials. This manual consists of a 22-item action-checklist and ninete...
DownloadStEP, UNU, and UNEP IETC worked extensively on e-waste issues and made an attempt to look into the future of the problem in order to initiate policy level discussions on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Having insight into the future will help policymakers and industrie...
DownloadThis research work promotes decent work in e-waste management and furthers the international exchange and understanding of the issue. In the study, there is fact-finding evidence on the engagement of cooperatives, social enterprises and other types of organizations in the e-wa...
DownloadThis report provided an overview of some examples and experiences of effective WEEE management initiatives from around the world. These initiatives could serve as a basis for developing best practice in the sound management of e-waste and could be replicated in other parts of ...
DownloadThis Recommendation offers a description of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) system in dealing with e-waste. It expands on the different existing forms of EPR globally, not only in theoretical terms, but also with a practical view on their feasibility, challenges, an...
DownloadThese guidelines proposed a sound measurement framework that integrates available statistical data and non-statistical data sources into e-waste statistics to improve comparability between countries. The framework captured the most important elements of e-waste and is relevant...
DownloadThis report presents the development of a national policy and regulatory framework, including a strategy and action plan for electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) management in Malawi. It provides an overview of the current e-waste treatment and a forecast of e-waste volum...
DownloadRecommendation ITU-T L.1030 provides a management framework for e-waste to countries. It summarizes the different steps that countries need to adopt in order to put in place an e-waste management system. The different steps of the e-waste management system described in this Re...
DownloadThis module describes how the 2030 target of reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management can be achieved by considering proportion of urban solid waste regularly c...
DownloadThis article presents case studies of e-waste recycling scenarios and intervention approaches to reduce or prevent exposures to the hazardous substances in e-waste that may be broadly applicable to diverse situations. Drawing on parallels identified in these cases, this paper ...
DownloadCurrently, only a few countries have a uniform measurement system for waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste or WEEE). However, there is already substantial data available for both developed and less-developed countries that relate to e-waste statistics. In order t...
DownloadA big component of the CRT screens is the leaded glass. This report will show the weight of this glass that is predicted to become waste in 2018, 2023 and 2028 and it will show how much of this glass is still left in CRT screens around the world at those times. This data shoul...
DownloadThis paper presents core legal principles based on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) that can be reviewed, contextualised, and adapted by decision-makers in countries that are developing legislation that will implement Extended Producer Responsibility programmes into the ...
DownloadIn the hope of supporting the Minamata Convention Parties in implementing its provisions in a more coordinated matter, the “Waste Mercury Perspective” report provides a forecast of the volume of waste mercury in electric and electronic products, and in a set of other non-elect...
DownloadThis Handbook provided guidance on the key aspects to be taken into account when designing, implementing and improving a legal, regulatory and policy framework on ICT/e-waste. The proposed framework is intended to facilitate the management of ICT/e-waste based on the concepts ...
DownloadThis Recommendation suggests approaches of circular economy (CE) for information and communication technology (ICT) goods and networks. It focused particularly on the next steps in improving circularity in the operators′ supply chain. It provides guidance on how operators coul...
DownloadThis report (deliverable report D2.5) presents the work within task “T2.2: Consolidate data for integration into CRM database”. The deliverable consists of this report, describing the methodology and highlights from the results, three annexes of Excel templates used in the wor...
DownloadA presentation on Elektronikschrott - nationale und internationale Perspektiven auf ein globales Problem by StEP und United Nations University.
DownloadThis report highlights the outcomes of the critical first steps in the project: to produce a system for defining, harmonizing and classifying data for all relevant products, waste streams, and their composition. CRM data are often stored in a variety of databases (DBs) with th...
DownloadThis manual provided governments and companies with an overview of the essential elements to establish, maintain and strengthen the environmentally sound management (ESM) of used and waste computing equipment being collected, refurbished, repaired, recycled, and recovered. The...
DownloadThis report provided the most comprehensive overview of global e-waste statistics and an unprecedented level of detail, including an overview of the magnitude of the e-waste problem in different regions. The report included up-to-date information on the amounts of e-waste gene...
DownloadBatteries, electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles and mining waste contain both significant amounts and a large variety of raw materials, ranging from base metals to plastics, as well as precious metals and critical raw materials (CRMs). The EU is reliant on imports for...
DownloadThis case study was developed taking into consideration Saint Lucia’s specific needs on the e-waste issue. The output developed by ITU-D Study Group Question 6/2 during the previous study period was taken into account during the development of the sample policy for Saint Lucia.
DownloadMany studies show that high levels of many toxic metals and persistent and bio-accumulative chemicals have been found in electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling sites and their surrounding environmental media. Both flame-retardant plastic housing materials and printed circuit b...
DownloadThis report describes the steps taken to deliver (an) innovative, robust and dynamic model(s) assessing the historic and current stocks and flows of in-use and end-of-life batteries (BATT), vehicles (ELV), and electric and electronic equipment (EEE) in EU28+2. Deliverable 3.3 ...
DownloadThis book promotes the importance of creating sustainable environments and reducing the exposure of children to modifiable environmental hazards. The wide scope of the SDGs offers a framework within which to work and improve the lives of all children. To this end, it encourage...
DownloadThe report investigated several ways to extend the useful lives of products: (1) by simply using products for a long(er) time, (2) by extending their use through design, maintenance and upgrades, and/or (3) by recovering broken products through repair, refurbishment or remanuf...
DownloadThis document is a summary of all PACE guidelines. It provides guidance on the environmentally sound management (ESM) of used and end-of-life computing equipment. It emphasizes reuse and recycling, with the aim of avoiding the final disposal of such used and end-of-life produc...
DownloadThis report presents the method and results of the inspection of containers and vehicles, and the review of import documents, associated with UEEE imports via the Tin Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC) and the Lagos Port Complex Apapa (LPCA), the two hubs for UEEE imports in Nige...
DownloadThe purpose of Deliverable 3.2 is to assess disposal trends of WEEE, BATT and ELV with an aim to better understand and quantify complementary flows of WEEE, BATT and ELV taking place outside of the officially reported collection systems. The purpose of this report is to ensure...
DownloadThis paper proposes a new value-based indicator to assess the performance of actors in the supply chain in terms of resource efficiency and circular economy. Using standard industry data from Statistics Netherlands, the resource efficiency of several Dutch industries were eval...
DownloadThis paper is a systematic review to evaluate the evidence of the health impact of hazardous waste exposure, applying transparent and a priori defined methods. Fifty-seven papers of epidemiological investigations on the health status of populations living near hazardous waste ...
DownloadConducting inventories of hazardous wastes and other wastes requires interplay between legislation development, compliance monitoring and enforcement, and the planning and implementation of disposal options to fulfill the principles of environmentally sound management of waste...
DownloadThe e-waste challenge is complex. The production, consumption, and disposal of electronics encompasses extensive supply chains and a variety of participants. `Sound, salient e-waste solutions that reduce adverse impacts and supports circular economy require a coordinated, syst...
DownloadThis article provides an overview of the scale and risks associated with the rapidly increasing hazardous waste stream. It reviews international efforts concerned with environmental hazards, especially those affecting children and recommends the need for international cooperat...
DownloadThe report analyses the environmental impacts and health effects associated with inadequate management of e-waste in order to identify risks and opportunities. Policymakers in the region should consider these risks and opportunities when designing new policies and regulations ...
DownloadThis report introduces to environmental crime, a new area of criminality, which is diversified and skyrocketed to become the world’s fourth largest crime sector in a few decades, growing at 2-3 times the pace of the global economy. It also refers to INTERPOL and UNEPs estimate...
DownloadThe report compares and contrasts the e-waste management systems in countries/ states where reuse is operating successfully (these countries/states include the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Belgium). It helps in identifying specific success factors a...
DownloadIn 2015, StEP network continued collaborating on projects in order to deliver e-waste solutions that will contribute to the circular economy knowledge base. It finalized a Business Plan Calculation Tool, one component of the StEP Toolkit. Recyclers will be able to use the calc...
DownloadThis report uniquely presents a summary of the e-waste statuses in East and Southeast Asia. It is arranged so as to allow direct comparisons where possible that can help further the development of e-waste management systems based on other countries experiences. It covers regio...
DownloadAs a result of the replacement of cathode ray tube screens (CRTs) by flat screens, the world is confronted with stranded end-of-life CRTs. CRTs contain 1 to 1.5 kg of lead per screen; mainly found in the funnel and neck glass for radiation protection purposes. The lead content...
DownloadMany uncertainties exist when analyzing e-waste related trade data, mainly due to a lack of proper registration in custom registries for e‐waste. Considering these drawbacks of applying trade data to identify the used EEE or e‐waste trade flows, this report aims to discriminat...
DownloadRecommendation ITU-T L.1102 describes printed label methods to provide information on rare metals contained in information and communication technology (ICT) goods and includes requirements specified in Recommendations ITU-T L.1100 and ITU-T L.1101 on the disclosure of rare me...
DownloadThese principles are intended to provide guidance to all stakeholders in developing countries developing solutions for e-waste management. As the input of the project is mainly based on e-waste systems in developing countries, the recommendations will best apply to developing ...
DownloadRecommendation ITU-T L.1002 defines requirements and provides guidelines on environmental aspects, of universal power adapter solutions (UPA) designed for use with portable information and communication technology ICT devices. It is complementary to Recommendations ITU-T L.100...
DownloadSupplement 4 to the L series of Recommendations provides a set of guidelines that countries can refer to when designing or adjusting their e-waste management systems. It provides guidance on policy/legal framework, collection mechanisms, financial mechanisms and engagement wit...
DownloadThe StEP-Business-Plan-Calculation-Tool supports entrepreneurs to set up an economically viable e-waste recycling business in an environmentally sound manner. It can be further helpful for policymakers to understand the present economic framework conditions for e-waste recycli...
DownloadThis report evaluates current transboundary shipment legislation and its influence on the movement of used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) destined for reuse and/or refurbishment, specifically addressing the electronic refurbishment industry’s point of view. The rep...
DownloadThis Supplement sheds light on e-waste management success stories in different countries. The Supplement covers different policies, legislation, initiatives, and different stakeholders' involvement (government, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and informa...
DownloadUNIDO and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia with financial support from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) have launched the E-waste Management Project in Ethiopia (EWaMP) to promote and upscale the management of E-waste in Ethiopia. The project was initiated an...
DownloadIn 2014, Latin America produced 9 percent of the world’s electronic waste1 (e-waste), the equivalent of 3,900 kilo tonnes2 (kt), according to a new report from the GSMA and United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). The study, “E-wa...
DownloadThis letter introduced to a project which aims to strengthen capacities for increased business opportunities in the electronics industry and create e-waste management skills and knowledge.
DownloadThis study supports the Commission in meeting the requirements of Article 11(6). Results of this study showed that the new recovery targets to be applied from 2018 onwards (based on EU6) maintain a similar level of ambition compared to the ones introduced from 2015 onwards (ba...
DownloadThis paper aimed at working out a proposal for an efficient and effective e-waste collection system in Ethiopia. Based on the assessment of four Ethiopian cities (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Hawassa and Jigjiga) the study lays the ground for a future national ewaste collection sys...
DownloadThe Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) project provides a set of recommendations to the European Commission to assist various stakeholders in countering the illegal trade of WEEE, also known as ‘e-waste’, within and from Europe. Funded by the Framework Programme (FP7), this ...
DownloadThe report analyses different examples of e-waste legislation and related financing mechanisms in different regions, highlighting their pros/cons, particularly on financing.
DownloadThis training module introduces to e-waste and the potential toxic hazards associated with end of life management of e-waste which includes disposal practices, material recovery, open burning and formal/informal recycling. Specifically, this module focussed on how, when and wh...
DownloadThis paper presented a methodology to forecast trends in the material composition of waste streams. To demonstrate the applicability and value of the proposed methodology, it is applied to forecast the evolution of plastic housing waste from flat panel display (FPD) TVs, FPD m...
DownloadThis publication is based on the latest research findings, and involvement from practitioners such as the formal waste sector, inspectors, law enforcement officers and prosecutors. It provides insight into the possible scale and features of the main drivers, along with case st...
DownloadThis research paper examines the labor, human health and environmental dimensions of e-waste management in China, analyzing both the formal and informal sectors. It identified the needs for synergizing policies and measures concerning environmental pollution control and labor ...
DownloadThis paper explores the large variety of policy options that have been implemented around the world and it draws some conclusions about the nature of responses to the e-waste problem and potential policy recommendations.
DownloadThrough this report, the extent to which certification schemes are currently used can be understood, It provided the basic requirements of a national and regional strategy for environmentally sound management of computer equipment waste; guidance to developing countries and co...
DownloadThese guidelines are adopted on an interim basis. It provided guidance on the application of the transboundary movements provisions to [transboundary movements of] waste electrical and electronic equipment (ewaste) and used electrical and electronic equipment (used equipment) ...
DownloadThis work supports the Commission in meeting the requirements of Article 7 and enhancing the collection and environmental performance of the WEEE Recast in practice. This is done by developing common methodologies for the calculation of the quantities of POM WG based on compre...
DownloadThere is global inconsistency in the understanding and application of the term “e-waste” in both legislation and everyday use. This has resulted in many definitions contained within e-waste regulations, policies and guidelines. This paper provides a non-legal definition of the...
DownloadThis Annual Report serves as an introduction to StEPs new wording and adjusted approach, Ít also covers accomplishments and milestones. It shall not serve simply as a report on progress made, but also as an invitation to StEP.
DownloadWaste from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, known as e-waste, is a rapidly growing global problem. E-waste contains valuable materials that have economic value when recycled. Unfortunately, the majority of e-waste is recycled in the unregulated informal sector ...
DownloadInformation and communication technology (ICT) goods, which consist of many parts and modules, are comprised of relatively small quantities of rare metals and larger quantities of major materials (e.g., iron, nonferrous metals, plastics, glasses, and engineering ceramics). The...
DownloadThe Global E-waste Monitor 2014: Quantified, Flows and Resources is the first publication and provided an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy about the size of the world’s e-waste challenge, ongoing progress in establishing specialized e-waste collection and treatment s...
DownloadTo address the issue of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) or e-waste in Uganda the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) aimed at the implementation of a manual e-waste treatment facility in Kampala, Uganda. As a first step, this report pres...
DownloadThis report provided StEP Initiative’s recommendations for a comprehensive approach to responsible e-waste management to be included in a standard or set of standards aimed at the responsible collection, handling, treatment and disposal of electrical and electronic equipment a...
DownloadAs a follow up to the working paper The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge (1), this paper provides further insight on the e-waste sector, focusing on labour challenges and opportunities to leverage working conditions through the promotion of cooperatives and o...
DownloadRecommendation ITU-T L.1010 defines a minimum set of parameters necessary to identify green battery solutions that should be considered by developers/manufacturers to reduce the future environmental impact of battery use. The provision of so-called green batteries is to extend...
DownloadSupplement ITU-T L.Suppl.5 has been developed to provide information for the practical implementation of the life-cycle approach in companies, facilities and plants as well as distributors, including chapters on best practices with a specific focus on material usage and select...
DownloadThis paper discusses the provisions of the Basel Convention that concern e-wastes, and it further examines the potential impact of the Draft technical guidelines on transboundary movements of e-waste and used electrical and electronic equipment, in particular regarding the dis...
DownloadThis report informs policymakers about how the recycling of metals can be optimized on an economic and technological basis along product life cycles in the move towards sustainable metals management. The report discusses how to increase metal-recycling rates – and thus resourc...
DownloadThe goal of this report was to enable a better understanding of the e-waste system in China, including actors, projects, policies and other factors, and to facilitate further discussion, project initiation and communication among organizations working on e-waste in China.
DownloadThis green paper describes, quantifies and analyzes the global trajectory of discarded electrical and electronic equipment. In addition, the paper reviewed the key international, regional and national regulations and guidelines that govern the transboundary flows of this mater...
DownloadIn response to the lack of specific data and little awareness from public health on the effect of e-waste on children's health, the WHO department of Public Health and Environment (PHE) developed a specific plan of action. This initiative includes raising awareness of and comm...
DownloadFollowing the launch of a new initiative by WHO addressing electronic waste and child health, the United Nations University (UNU), which hosts the Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative, and WHO carried out an on-line survey with a wider body of experts. This survey ai...
DownloadThe Guidelines for National Waste Management Strategies: Moving from Challenges to Opportunities – a joint effort of the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research – sets a conceptual and methodological framework for nationa...
DownloadThis edited volume provides a forum for young scholars to present their research and contribute to the international debate of challenges and solutions for global e-waste management. The book contains research that was presented at the NVMP-StEP E-waste Summer School Series 20...
DownloadIn this report, StEP covered design aspects, with special attention to design for disassembly, design for re-use and design for end of life. With smart product design, products can be more easily disassembled and materials liberated at pre-processing phases of the value chain....
DownloadThe report provides patent based evidence on the available technologies and the patenting trends in the area of electronic waste (E-waste) recycling and material recovery, while it is intended to provide background and supporting information to the Partnership for Action on Co...
DownloadSolving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have established a formal partnership focusing on the development of a sound e-waste management system for Ethiopia. In service of this goal, this study was carried out ...
DownloadThis guideline promoted greater reuse of computing equipment, through environmentally sound refurbishment and repair and the environmentally sound management of any discarded equipment or components. Extending the life of computing equipment generally results in the best envir...
DownloadThe framework for ESM of hazardous wastes and other wastes was developed to identify what countries should do at the national level and collectively as parties to the Convention to address the challenges of implementing ESM of wastes in a systematic and comprehensive manner. I...
DownloadThis report provides an overview of the parties involved in the collection and recycling of WEEE, as well as the challenges they face due to the new EU Directive. It addresses the first knowledge gap by presenting a method for the calculation of the (W)EEE generated, as well a...
DownloadThis paper addresses how to enhance e-waste estimates by providing techniques to increase data quality. An advanced, flexible and multivariate Input-Output Analysis (IOA) method is proposed. It links all three pillars in IOA (product sales, stock and lifespan profiles) to cons...
DownloadThis guideline describes the chain of steps that should be taken in order to ensure environmentally sound management in material recovery facilities that recycle electronics, and to encourage operators at each step to know about, work with, and take their responsibility for hu...
DownloadZeroWIN (Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks) is a five-year project (2009–2014) under the European Commission’s Seventh Research Framework Programme. The ZeroWIN project has developed effective strategies for waste prevention through industrial networks. Ten industrial ...
DownloadThe population exposed to potentially hazardous substances through disposal and recycling of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment is increasing. This paper summarises the evidence for the association between exposure to e-waste and outcomes related to exposures such...
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