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Effect of Waste Legislation on TBM of EEE Destined for Reuse: Impact of E-waste Regulations on Reuse Organizations and Possible Future Direction
This 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 report is particularly concerned with the increased costs, and resultant reduction, of reusing UEEE that occurs as a result of such legislation. The report examines (i) current international legislation regarding transboundary shipment of e-waste; (ii) case study experiences from stakeholders in the electronics industry collected from survey and interviews; and (iii) various models and practices adopted by reuse organizations to handle the proliferation of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The report identifies three priority areas obstructing reuse organizations’ movement of UEEE across the globe: (i) discrepancies in legislation and enforcement between developed and developing countries; (ii) legislative limitations; and (iii) the valuation of UEEE. Based on these evaluations, the report proposes five key recommendations to resolve such issues: 1. The identification of specific policy amendments for the current transboundary shipment legislation; 2. The establishment of national e-waste and reuse policies within developed and developing nations; 3. The development of a comprehensive database to harmonise legislation between developed and developing countries; 4. The expansion of recycling and dismantling facilities in developed and developing nations using the informal recycling sector as a valuable element; and 5. The introduction of a regulated green, international e-waste transboundary channel. For the sake of expediency, these recommendations may be considered on either a regional or sub-regional level.