Where does e-waste go when we recycle it the right way?

It is quite likely that we have some disused electronic or electrical device stored in a drawer or corner of our homes. Whether due to a technical failure that prevents them from working properly or simply because other equipment has replaced their function, these devices have a place in the home and, although many are unaware of it, they can harm our health.

However the recycling of waste electronic or electrical equipment (WEEE) offers a whole range of advantages for all agents in the value chain such as manufacturers, distributors and end users.

Protecting our integrity

The WEEE, the correct denomination of these elements, are all those devices that generate or conduct electricity or require a battery to function. As clearer examples we have high-end appliances such as televisions, cell phones, computer parts and peripherals, plugs, among others. For its manufacture, a series of components are involved, ranging from conventional plastic and glass to more complex ones such as heavy metals and chemicals.

Trade talked with Lucia Ruiz Ostoicformer Minister of the Environment, who was able to explain to us precisely what effects this type of input could have on human beings.

“Normally, when we have a team, the habit is to use it until it is exhausted. But, what happens is that these devices have highly polluting components. For example, in a television you not only have plastic but also harmful substances such as phosphorus, mercury, cadmium or bromine that could harm people’s health and pollute the ecosystem. Therefore, its final disposal must be very careful compared to other materials”he mentioned.

However, Ruiz pointed out that, in addition to this factor that is harmful to both the integrity of humans and the environment, keeping these devices in storage or incorrectly disposing of them is also a missed opportunity because the recycling from WEEE It has several benefits.

How is WEEE recycled?

Due to its very more elaborate nature, the recycling of kingwaste electrical and electronic equipment It is more complex than other subjects. Once it has been determined that the equipment has no further use or that it has already completed its life cycle, proceed as follows:

Advantages of correct recycling

In addition to the obvious care for the environment, Ruiz explains that the number of components that can be used from the WEEE It comes to benefit all participants in the value chain of the technology industry. “Materials like plastic, glass and of course metals can be reused by manufacturers to create new devices. There are manufacturers and distributors that offer a discount on the purchase of the new version of a cell phone like the iPhone, for example, if you bring your old equipment. WEEE management is closely related to a circular economy”says the former Minister of the Environment.

It is precisely for this reason that more and more companies are concerned that people dispose of their electronic devices correctly. “There is an interest in recapturing the products to do the corresponding disassembly, segregate components in the proper way and perhaps use it within their production systems. In this way, you do not have to continue extracting the same amounts of silver or copper but, with the already existing one, you can accumulate it and use it again “he explained.

The role of the state

With the importance of a correct process of recycling explained, it is important to point out the role that the Peruvian State has been playing in recent years to promote this activity given the alarming figures in this regard. In 2019, it was estimated that Peru generated about 205,000 tons of WEEE per year, which is equivalent to about 6.38 kg per person and it is likely that this amount has only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic with the purchase of more technological equipment. .

Ruiz mentions that, from 2000 to date, the country’s authorities have been responsible for enacting various laws and decrees with the main objective of controlling the production of WEEE in our territory and promoting the recycling of these components in Peru. Among them, the following stand out:

National Regulation for the Management and Handling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste (Supreme Decree No. 001-2012-MINAM)

Ministerial Resolution No. 200-2015

Special Regime for the Management and Handling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste (Supreme Decree No. 009-2019-MINAM)

Procedures for the Management of State Movable Property Classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment-RAEE (Directive No. 001-2020-EF)

Regulates the procedures for the management of state movable property classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment – WEEE, in order to prevent negative impacts on the environment and guarantee the traceability of the management of goods classified as WEEE.

As Ruiz points out, all these provisions of the State over the years involve the management of WEEE, promotes its regulation and recycling.

A great opportunity

The increase in the generation of WEEE in Peru must be treated with the pertinent importance since it can have a harmful impact on the ecosystems of our country. However, with what Ruiz explained, the recycling and correct disposal of this type of device also arises as an opportunity to create a circular economy that benefits the manufacturer, distributor, consumer and recycler. An activity brimming with opportunities.