Apr 8 2009
Electronic waste (e-waste) is a mixture of various metals, particularly copper, aluminum, and steel, which are attached to, covered with, or mixed with various types of plastic and ceramics. Discarded personal computers, cellular phones, televisions, medical equipment, and control instruments contain hazardous materials and become e-waste. Disposal of those materials has now become a focal point for both governments and the general public.
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) recently added five new webcasts on the topic to the Society’s Knowledge Resource Center. The webcasts are from the Green Materials and Processes for Managing Electronic Waste workshop and the Recycling and Electronic Wastes symposium presented at the TMS 2009 Annual Meeting & Exhibition in San Francisco. All five of the webcasts are free and consist of audio and slide presentations.
The presentations now available for download, individually or as a package, are:
- “Design for Environment: Application of Life Cycle Assessment to Electronic Products,” by Julie Schoenung, University of California, Davis.
- “Examining Consumer Preferences & Behaviors Related to Recycling,” by Hilary Nixon, San Jose State University, and Jean-Daniel Saphores, University of California, Irvine.
- “Green Recycling of EEE,” by Christina Meskers, Umicore Precious Metals Refining.
- “Integrated Metal Smelters: A Key Partner in Closing the Life Cycle of EEE,” by Christina Meskers, Umicore Precious Metals Refining.
- “The Policies and Science of Green Materials for E-waste Management,” by Dele Ogunseitan, University of California, Irvine.
Each of the webcasts addresses different issues directly related to e-waste, including designing greener electronics and life cycle assessment, the damage e-waste can cause to the environment, the impact of material recovery and the impact CO2 has in the process, and the regulations for recycling e-waste. Many developed countries now require e-waste to be reused, recycled, and recovered rather than be disposed of in landfills.