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Author: | Mayers, C.K. France, C.M. Cowell, S.J. |
Title: | Extended producer responsibility for waste electronics: An example of printer recycling in the United Kingdom |
Journal: | Journal of industrial ecology
2005 : SUMMER, VOL. 9:3, p. 169-189 |
Index terms: | environmental economics environmental protection life cycles electronics industry responsibility recycling waste materials United Kingdom legislation European Union |
Language: | eng |
Abstract: | Under the EU legislation (known as "WEEE Directive", here as: WEEE), producers are required to organize and finance the take-back, treatment, and recycling of waste material and achieve mass-based recycling and recovery targets. This legislation is part of a growing trend of extended producer responsibility for waste. Based on an example of printer recycling in the United Kingdom (UK), this study uses life-cycle assessment and costing to investigate the possible environmental effects of the WEEE. For a total of 4 waste management scenarios and 9 environmental impact categories explored, results are varied with no scenario emerging as best or worst overall compared to landfilling. The level of environmental impact depend on the type of material and waste management processes involved. In addition, under the broad mass-based targets of the WEEE, the pattern of relationships btw. environmental impacts, recycling rates, and treatment and recycling costs may lead to unplanned and unwanted results. |
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