On the EPR Front Sheila Davis Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition August 2004

SVTC Mission Statement Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition does research, advocacy, and organizing to address human health and environmental problems caused by the rapid growth of the high-tech electronics industry. Our goal is to advance environmental sustainability and clean production in the industry, as well as to improve health, promote justice, and ensure democratic decision-making for communities and workers affected by the high-tech revolution.Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition

Did You Know? Water Use and Other Materials that are Associated with Semiconductor Production

A Semiconductor Wafer Image:

Source: “The 1.7 Kilogram Microchip:World Watch, 2003 A Semiconductor Wafer One mirco chip weighs 2 grams and: Uses 72 grams of chemicals to make 700 grams of elemental gases 32,000 grams of water 1200 grams of fossil fuels total mass of materials used to produce the 2- gram chip is 630 times that of the final product The amount of resoureces used to make a car is about 2X the weight

Materials Used

Waste Output

“Printed circuit boards contain heavy metals such as antimony, silver, chromium, zinc, lead, tin and copper. According to some estimated there is hardly any other product for which the sum of the environmental impacts of raw material, extraction, industrial, refining and production, use and disposal is so extensive as for printed circuit boards.” -CARE conference, Vienna 1994

Global High-Tech Production is Undergoing the Largest Industrial Expansion in History

Moore’s Law

Piles of E-Waste

300 Million Obsolete Computers by 2004 Plastic 4 billion lbs. Lead 1 billion lbs. Cadmium 1.9 million lbs. Chromium 1.2 million lbs. Mercury 400,000 lbs.

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products Prepared by Computer TakeBack Campaign in collaboration with Health Care Without Harm legislation_and_policy/hchw_procurement.cfm

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Basic Principles 1)End-of-Life Management 1)Upgradeability 1)Design for the Environment and Public Health 1)Manufacturing 1)Energy Efficiency

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products Materials of Concern (1) chlorinated plastics in cable wiring brominated flame retardants in PCBs heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in CRTs mercury in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or flat panel monitors.

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products Materials of Concern (2) teratogenic = linked to birth defects persistent = not easily excreted from the body bioaccumulative = magnifies up the food chain carcinogenic = cancer causing

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products Materials of Concern (3) reproductive toxin = linked to birth defects endocrine disruptor = disrupts the hormonal system mutagenic = causes mutations in cells

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products It is estimated that 70% of the heavy metals found in landfills (including mercury and cadmium) come from discarded electronic products

Health Impacts Mercury - damages brain, kidneys, fetus; travels easily in the food chain –PBT - persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic Cadmium - damages kidneys (PBT) Chromium VI - damages DNA Toners - carbon black - respiratory problems; may be carcinogenic

Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guidelines for Electronic Products Mercury and Exposure During Disposal Lighting in flat panel displays is a source of mercury. Mercury is a well-documented neurotoxin. Mercury contamination occurs during the transfer, landfilling, and incineration of solid waste. prevention/mercury/landfillfactsheet.cfm