This document discusses environmental sound management of e-waste by the ICT sector. It outlines the challenges of increasing e-waste volumes, lack of standardized measures and regulations. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plays a key role in developing standards and recommendations to address e-waste. The ITU works to assist countries in developing e-waste policies and help companies reduce their environmental impact. Specific ITU recommendations cover issues like universal chargers, batteries, recycling procedures and labels to help reduce e-waste and promote sustainability in the ICT sector.

1. Environmental
Sound
Management
of
E-­‐waste:
The
role
of
the
ICT
Sector,
standards
and
the
global
environmental
agenda.
BY:
A L IS
DA NIE L A
T ORRE S. E NV IRONM E NTA L
E NG INEE R,
M SC.
IT U
RE SE A RCH
CONSU LTA NT
JULY,
2016
[SH A NG A I,
CH INA ]

2. Content
v ICT
Sector
Challenges
v ITU
Role
and
Leadership
v The Way Forward:
ICT
sector
leadership

3. ICT
Growth in
the last 15
years
Source:
ITU
-­‐ ICT
Facts and
Figures,
2015.
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-­‐D/Statistics/Pages/facts/default.aspx

4. 4
>15
kg/inh5
to
10
kg/inh<
5
kg/inh 10
to
15
kg/inh
Europe:
15.6
kg/inh
Oceania:
15.2
kg/inh
Africa:
1.7
kg/inh
Asia:
3.7
kg/inh
Americas:
12.2
kg/inh
E-­‐waste
generation
patterns
worldwide
Source:
UNU,
2015

5. Lack
of
standardized
measures
for
E-­‐waste
volumes
Restricted
access
to
recycling
technologies
Increasing
E-­‐waste
volumes
Different
regulatory
frameworks
Lack of
collaboration
among
stakeholders
Illegal
E-­‐Waste
traffic
flows
Global
E-­‐waste
management
challenges

6. E-­‐waste
market
growth
potential
by
2020
S O U R CE :
W OR LD
E -­‐W AS T E
M ANA G E M E NT
M A RK E T
-­‐ O P P O RT UNI TI E S
A N D
F O RE CA ST S ,
2 0 1 3
-­‐ 2 0 2 0

7. 7
Standards
as
tools
to
overcome
e-­‐waste
management
challenges
International
Treaties
&
Conventions
Supra
National
Laws (i.e Regional
Directives
(EU)
National
Laws
&
Regulations
Local
regulations
(waste,
env. Quality)
Policies,
Standards,
etc
If
there
is
no
regulations
or
clear
laws
on
e-­‐waste
management
Standards
play
an
important
role
to
cover
all
EEE
value
chain

8. Sustainable
manufacturing
practices:
§ Eco-­‐design
§ Choice
of
reusable
and
non-­‐toxic
materials
§ Prolonged
products
life-­‐cycle
Sustainable
E-­‐waste
End
of
Life
management
§ Recovery
&
Recycling
§ Final
Disposal
Source:
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-­‐technology/crazy-­‐e-­‐waste-­‐statistics-­‐explored-­‐in-­‐infographic.html 8
Importance
of
global
standards
“Standardsare the distilledwisdomof peoplewith
expertise in their subject matter and who know the
needs of the organizationsthey represent” (BSI)

9. International
Standardization
Bodies
Industry
Associations
&
Environmental
Agencies Recycling
Industry
Others
Stakeholders
and
promoters
of
Green
ICT
Standards
for
e-­‐waste
management
WEEELABEX

10. 2.
ITU
Role
and
their
Standardization
Leadership

11. § UN
specialized
agency
for
ICTs
§ unique
public/private
partnership
Members:
§ 193
Member
States
(Governments
and
regulatory
bodies)
§ Over
700
Private
Sector
(Sector
Members
and
Associates)
§ Over
90
Academia
International
Telecommunication
Union
-­‐ ITU
11Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

12. ITU
Connect
2020
Agenda:
Environmental
Sustainability
targets
Target
3.2:
Volume
of
redundant
e-­‐waste
to
be
reduced
by
50%
by
2020
Target
3.3:
Greenhouse
Gas
emissions
((GHG)
generated
by
the
telecommunication/ICT
sector
to
be
decreased
per
device
by
30%
by
2020
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

13. Standardized
Assessment
&
Baseline
Definition
E-­‐waste
Management
&
Policy
Program
Awareness
Raising
&
Outreach
Programmes
Build
with
e-­‐waste
statistics
&
specialized
reports
Definition
national
E-­‐waste
monitoring
mechanisms
and
ICT
Sector
EngagementDefinition
national
E-­‐waste
monitoring
mechanisms
and
ICT
Sector
Engagement
E-­‐waste
Target
Roadmap:
Schematic
approach
13Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

14. Study
Group
5 – Environment
and
Climate
Change
Working
Party
3 – ICTs
and
Climate
Change
Question
13
-­‐ Environmental
impact
reduction
including
e-­‐waste
ITU-­‐T
Study
Group
5
14Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

15. Question
13/5:
Environmental
impact
reduction
including
e-­‐waste:
Main
Tasks
Assist
countries
to
develop
policies
on
e-­‐waste
management
Help
companies
becoming
more
sustainable
and
socially
responsible
Develop
international
standards
on
life-­‐cycle
management
of
ICT
equipment
Carry
out
research
and
development
Raise
awareness
15Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

16. Highlights
on
ITU-­‐T
Recommendations
Power
supply
series
Batteries
E-­‐waste
management
16Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

17. Power
supply
series
Recommendation
ITU-­‐T
L.1001
Universal
power
adapter
and
charger
solution
for
mobile
terminals and
other
hand-­‐
held
ICT
devices
Recommendation
ITU-­‐T
L.1000
External
universal
power
adapter
solutions
for
stationaryICT devices
External
universal
power
adapter
solutions
for
portable ICT devices
Recommendation
ITU-­‐T
L.1005
Test
suites
for
assessment
of
the
universal
charger
solution
Recommendation
ITU-­‐T
L.1002
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

18. Power
supply
series
UNIVERSAL
CHARGER
82,000
tons
e-­‐waste
/year
CO2
Emissions
reduction:
13,6
million
tons
CO2/year
POWER
ADAPTER
300,000
tons
e-­‐waste/year
Energy
&
CO2
Emissions
reduction:
25%
to
50%
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

19. Battery
series
§Recommendation
ITU-­‐T
L.1010:
Green
batteries
solution
for
mobile
phones
and
other
hand-­‐held
information
and
communication
technology
devices.
§Extends
the
lifetime
of
handsets
§Reduces
global
resources
consumption
§Eliminates
toxic
materials
To be
considered
by
developers/manufacturers
to
reduce
the
future
environmental
impact
of
battery
use.
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

20. ITU-­‐T
L.1100
Procedure
for
recycling
rare
metals
in
ICT
goods
ITU-­‐T
L.1101
Measurement
methods
to
characterize rare
metals
in
ICT
goods
by
using
XRF
and
ICP-­‐MS
measurement
methods.
ITU-­‐T
L.1102
Printed label
methods
to
provide
information
on
rare
metals
contained
in
ICT
goods.
E-­‐waste
management
series
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

21. Fields
of
Work
ØSustainable
models
for
e-­‐waste
management
by
private
corporations
ØAssessment
on
quantities
of
E-­‐waste
in
developing
countries
ØCircular
Economy
ØImplementation
guidance
for
ICT
SME
supply
chains
due
diligence
on
conflict
minerals.
ØEPR
Guidelines
for
Sustainable
E-­‐waste
Management
in
developing
countries
Source:
ITU
SG5.
2016.
ITU
CONTACT:
cristina.bueti@itu.int

22. 3.
The
Way
Forward
for
the
ICT
Sector

23. E-­‐waste
Management
Sustainable
Development
Goals
Waste
management
is
transversal
to
several
SDGs,
especially
due
to
avoid
pollution

24. E-­‐waste
Management
Circular
Economy
Principles
Ø Less
material
demand
Ø Eco-­‐design
Ø Waste
into
resources
Ø Generation
of
green
jobs
Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-­‐economy/index_en.htm

25. To
contribute
to
cover
legal
&
regulatory gaps
for
E-­‐
Waste
management
To
support
sustainable
economic
models
for
E-­‐
waste
management
To
promote and
foster
sustainable
recycling
technologies
To
facilitate sustainable
management
across
E-­‐
waste
lifecycle
To foster
and
apply
the
Extended
Producer
Responsibility
(ERP)
principle
To
implement
E-­‐waste
management
standards
and
eco-­‐design
principles
ICT
Sector
Role
Environmental
sound
management
of
E-­‐waste

26. Thank
you
BY:
ALIS
DANIELA
TORRES. ENVIRONMENTAL
ENG
MSC.
ITU
RESEARCH
CONSULTANT
JULY,
2016
[SHANGAI,
CHINA]
Email:
alisdaniela.torres@outlook.com
@alisdaniela