Formal and Informal E-waste Collection in Mexico City

Tsydenova, Nina; Heyken, Merle

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-57886-5_5

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Similar observations have been made in Nigeria where migrant workers from Northern Nigeria are involved in e-waste activities [86]. In addition, migrants in Mexico engage in informal e-waste activities as their alternative sources of income [87]. Streicher-Porte et al [88] have also reported the activity of migration among Indian e-waste workers where migrant workers came from neighbouring Bangladesh, as well as other regions within India, such as West Bengal, Bilhar and Uttar Pradesh.…”

Section: Informal Activitiessupporting

confidence: 74%

Electronic Waste, an Environmental Problem Exported to Developing Countries: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY

et al. 2021

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Electronic waste (e-waste) is a rapidly developing environmental problem particularly for the most developed countries. There are technological solutions for processing it, but these are costly, and the cheaper option for most developed countries has been to export most of the waste to less developed countries. There are various laws and policies for regulating the processing of e-waste at different governance scales such as the international Basel Convention, the regional Bamoko Convention, and various national laws. However, many of the regulations are not fully implemented and there is substantial financial pressure to maintain the jobs created for processing e-waste. Mexico, Brazil, Ghana Nigeria, India, and China have been selected for a more detailed study of the transboundary movements of e-waste. This includes a systematic review of existing literature, the application of the Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, Response (DPSIR) framework for analysing complex problems associated with social ecological systems, and the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for evaluating the environmental impact of electronic devices from their manufacture through to their final disposal. Japan, Italy, Switzerland, and Norway have been selected for the LCA to show how e-waste is diverted to developing countries, as there is not sufficient data available for the assessment from the selected developing countries. GOOD, BAD and UGLY outcomes have been identified from this study: the GOOD is the creation of jobs and the use of e-waste as a source of raw materials; the BAD is the exacerbation of the already poor environmental conditions in developing countries; the UGLY is the negative impact on the health of workers processing e-waste due to a wide range of toxic components in this waste. There are a number of management options that are available to reduce the impact of the BAD and the UGLY, such as adopting the concept of a circular economy, urban mining, reducing loopholes and improving existing policies and regulations, as well as reducing the disparity in income between the top and bottom of the management hierarchy for e-waste disposal. The overarching message is a request for developed countries to help developing countries in the fight against e-waste, rather than exporting their environmental problems to these poorer regions.

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Section: Informal Activitiessupporting

confidence: 74%

Electronic Waste, an Environmental Problem Exported to Developing Countries: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY

et al. 2021

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“…Moreover, these analyses must consider region-specific variables, such as waste composition, biomethane potential, landfilling conditions, management and logistic processes, available infrastructure, stakeholder participation and public sector involvement, among others (Silva et al, 2021;Solé et al, 2018;Tsydenova et al, 2018;UN, 2007). For instance, despite the large number of LCA studies applied for the evaluation of MSW management systems, the vast majority have been conducted in developed countries (Khandelwal et al, 2019) and few have focused on countries in LATAM region (Bakas et al, 2018;Güereca et al, 2015;Mendes et al, 2003Mendes et al, , 2004Tsydenova, 2017;Tsydenova et al, 2018). Therefore, the training of technically skilled researchers and workers in the waste sector must be prioritized by LATAM countries.…”

Section: Technologicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mini review on the main challenges of implementing mechanical biological treatment plants for municipal solid waste in the Latin America region: Learning from the experiences of developed countries

et al. 2023

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Most of the municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the Latin America (LATAM) region is currently disposed of in landfills and dumpsites, which results in many negative environmental impacts. Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) is a strategy that combines the mechanical separation of recoverable materials with the biological stabilization of organic matter. MBT plants have proven to be a good alternative for the management of MSW and have been successfully implemented in developed countries for more than 30 years. However, the efficient introduction of these facilities in developing countries, such as those in the LATAM region, requires further feasibility studies. Therefore, this mini review seeks to offer significant insights into the main challenges that must be overcome to facilitate the implementation and operation of MBT plants, considering the unique technological, sociocultural, economic and political context of the LATAM region, through a comparison of the reported experiences of MBT plants in more developed countries with those in the LATAM region. The analysis herein indicates that key actions for the successful operation of MBT plants in the LATAM region include both the implementation of source separation as well as selective collection practices. Moreover, this work shows that other factors, like the establishment of valorization markets with safe working conditions for informal collectors, the development of intermunicipal cooperation schemes and the enforcement of strong regulatory frameworks for waste disposal specifications, are important contextual factors that have allowed the efficient operation of MBT plants in developed countries. Although the implementation of many of these practices will be challenging, such measures are necessary to increase the sustainability of MSW treatment practices in the LATAM region.

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“…Among these devices, it is possible to highlight mobile phones, due to their high volume of sales and the high degree of obsolescence [2]. These devices, by their composition, can be considered important sources of metals of high economic interest (copper, nickel, silver, gold, palladium and others) as well as a source of hazardous metals (lead, cadmium and others) [3][4][5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical study of gold recovery from ammoniacal thiosulfate, simulating the PCBs leaching of mobile phones

Kasper

Veit

García-Gabaldón

et al. 2018

Electrochimica Acta

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The high volume of sales and the high degree of obsolescence of mobile phones, together with the reduction of the natural reserves of the metals used in the composition of their printed circuit boards (PCBs), makes the recycling of these devices economically and environmentally attractive. Moreover, the search for the reduction of toxicity levels inherent to the gold leaching processes with alternatives to cyanide, such as thiosulfate is a priority. Thus, it is necessary to search for

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Formal and Informal E-waste Collection in Mexico City

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Electronic Waste, an Environmental Problem Exported to Developing Countries: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY

Electronic Waste, an Environmental Problem Exported to Developing Countries: The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY

A mini review on the main challenges of implementing mechanical biological treatment plants for municipal solid waste in the Latin America region: Learning from the experiences of developed countries

Electrochemical study of gold recovery from ammoniacal thiosulfate, simulating the PCBs leaching of mobile phones

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