1. FINANCING ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE COIN Open Consultations on Financial Mechanisms for Meeting the Challenges of ICT for Development, 8-9 October 2009, Geneva
Katharina Kummer Peiry
Executive Secretary
Secretariat of the Basel Convention

2. Topics Introduction A rapidly growing problem
Developing countries are hurt most
The two sides of recycling
Moving towards a win-win situation

3. INTRODUCTION IT advances Consequences
Rapidly increasing demand globally
Positive impacts on development
Faster, smaller, more responsive equipment
Consequences
Increasing turnover of products
Increasing quantities of obsolete products

4. Introduction PCs & MPs major IC equipment
Computing equipment lifespan decreased
1997: 4-6 years
2005: 2-4 years
In 1 decade ( ), 500 million PCs worldwide reached end-of-life ~ E-WASTE

5. A RAPIDLY GROWING PROBLEM
By 2005 (global estimate), 500 million (250,000 t) MPs stockpiled, waiting for disposal
Phones in USA
Estimated use by 2005, ca. 175 million
2.5 million phones collected for reuse/recycling
(<1% of discarded phones each year)

6. Separation of PCs and other E-waste on the road
Photo: Terazono (2006)
Usual scenery of print circuit board heating for removing IC-chips and Pb at Guiyu
Photo: Yoshida (2004)

7. A rapidly growing problem
E-waste the fastest growing portion of municipal waste streams
1% in USA
4% in EU
E-waste generation shows linear increase in many countries (future trends, )

8. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE HURT MOST
Industrialised countries introduced comprehensive take-back and recycling systems
Developing countries have nearly no control
Lack of legislation and enforcement
Lack of controlled take-back systems
Informal sector dominance
Illegal trafficking (false declaration)
Lack of awareness (gov. & public)

9. Open dumping of E-waste recycling residues and residential waste along the river at Guiyu
(Source: Terazono, 2006)
Natural burning

10. Developing countries are hurt most
Illegal e-waste export from developed countries in contravention of international and regional legislation
Basel Convention
EU Waste Shipment Regulation
African Bamako Convention
South Pacific Waigani Convention

12. International Actions
The Geneva Plan of Action (2003) encourages
“… government, civil society and the private sector … to initiate actions and implement projects and programmes for sustainable production and consumption and the environmentally safe disposal and recycling of discarded hardware and components used in ICTs.”

13. International Actions
Tunis Agenda for the Information Society (2005) reaffirms the commitment:
“…to using ICTs, as a tool to achieve the internationally agreed development goals and objectives, including the Millennium Development Goals, by … strongly encouraging ICT enterprises and entrepreneurs to develop and use environment-friendly production processes in order to minimize the negative impacts of the use and manufacture of ICTs and disposal of ICT waste on people and the environment. In this context, it is important to give particular attention to the specific needs of the developing countries.”

14. International Actions
Basel Convention COP-6 (2006)
Theme: “Creating Innovative Solutions Through the Basel Convention for the Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste”
World Forum on E-wastes: Ministers, corporate officials, civil-society representatives and other participants explored solutions for advancing the objectives of ensuring the environmentally sound management of e-waste
Nairobi Declaration on the ESM of E-Waste and Decision VIII/2 adopted. The Declaration serves as the overall mandate for a roadmap of actions on tackling the e-waste problem under the Convention

15. TWO SIDES OF RECYCLING E-waste has high recycling value
Source: EMPA
E-waste has high recycling value
Plastics
Ferrous metal
Non-ferrous metals
Precious metals
Special metals
E-waste recycling is economically viable & attractive

16. Two sides of recycling
Source: EMPA
E-waste recycling in most developing countries ~ informal sector
Africa, Asia-Pacific, etc.
involving large number of people
practices not env. sound
methods: burning, acid etching
no/poor OHS protection
almost no env. pollution control

17. Two sides of recycling EPR Policies in developed countries
Producers’ responsibility of e-products t/o life-cycle
Impetus to recycling industry in developed countries
Take back & recycling schemes, incl. in new e-products price
Currently only cover domestic market, at national & regional levels, esp. in OECD countries
Do not cover e-products exported to countries outside geographic scope of domestic EPR policies (loophole)

18. Two sides of recycling
Financial mechanisms for EPR policies at international level, global economy
important challenge for international community
could foster sound recycling and ESM of e-wastes globally

19. Two sides of recycling Pilot projects under implementation
To explore schemes for ESM of E-Waste in developing countries
TA programmes
UNEP
Secretariat of the Basel Convention
UNIDO, etc.

20. Two sides of recycling
SBC is facilitating partnerships in ESM of E-Waste, a.o. PACE, MPPI
PACE
Multistakeholder groups
Aims:
To find incentives and methods to divert EoL CE from burning and land disposal to commercial recycling/recovery operations
To develop technical guidelines
To promote SD for use, repair & refurbishment of PCs in developing countries and CwEiT

21. Two sides of recycling Challenge
Millions of x-poor people in developing countries living from valuable materials in EoL e-products or e-waste
Introduction of proper recycling system has to find a way
Involving informal sector
w/o harming health & environment
Source: EMPA

22. TOWARDS A WIN-WIN SITUATION
Technology for ESM of E-Waste exists, but, has to be linked to product life-cycle to become economically viable
Intro of life-cycle approach for e-products needs concerted efforts
All players (producers, users, recyclers, etc.)
Robust & sustainable financing system

23. Towards win-win situation
Prerequisites to lasting solution: env and health safety considered in
Production
Distribution
Use
Refurbishment and Recycling
Financing mechanisms

24. Towards win-win solution
Efforts to bridge digital divide, avoid health & environmental problems, incl. across the border
Life-cycle approach
Relevant international laws
Using ICT in ESM
Benefits to development of countries
Post-use benefits to job & income generation

25. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Secretariat of the Basel Convention
International Environment House
15 Chemin des Anemones
Chatelaine CH-1219
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Website: