Transnational Flows of E-Waste and Spatial Patterns of Recycling in China

Abstract

Two geographers residing in Beijing discuss the inflows, processing, and consumption of electronic waste-a topic largely neglected in the current literature on globalization. Based on extensive interviews with electronics producers and recyclers in China, the paper explores the global flows of e-waste and concentration of related recycling in coastal China. The authors suggest that recycling activities (authorized as well as illegal) grew in tandem with the dramatic increase in electronics production during the last decade. They note that the country's recycling sector has played a significant role in rural industrialization and local economic development, albeit in conflict with the objectives of environmental protection. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F20, L63, O17, O19. 6 figures, 23 references.

Mapping international flows of electronic waste

“…One of the few explicitly geographical analyses of e-waste is Tong and Wang's (2004) research into the localization of the formal and informal e-waste processing industry in China (see also Tong 2004). These authors document the rapidly increasing rate of import of e-waste materials into China and show that the spatial distribution of authorized importers of this material is concentrated around existing production zones in the Pearl River Delta, Shanghai and Beijing.…”

E-Waste Recycling: Where Does It Go from Here?

“…Electronics manufacturers are also concentrated in these regions, which provides a market for use of recycled materials from e-waste. On the other hand, government-promoted exports have stimulated domestic manufacturers to respond quickly to technological advances, 23 further increasing the demand for materials.…”

“…As many as 13 000 local and migrant workers are employed by over 1500 family based firms. 23 The per capita net income for rural residents in Qingyuan of Guangdong, where one of the largest e-waste recycling centers (Longtang; Figure 1, right) is located, was ∼¥6400 yr −1 (∼$1000 USD yr…”

“…2 Guangdong Province of South China and Zhejiang Province of East China (Figure 1, right) are two regions with the most intensive e-waste recycling activity, mainly due to their convenient locations for importation. 23 Importation of ewaste has increased in coastal China, almost coincidental with the rapid expansion of the regions' electronics industry during the last few decades. Electronics manufacturers are also concentrated in these regions, which provides a market for use of recycled materials from e-waste.…”

Following things of rubbish value: End-of-life ships, ‘chock-chocky’ furniture and the Bangladeshi middle class consumer

“…Discarded consumer goods become captured within other networks which work to move them eventually either to sites of secondary processing, treatment and revaluation, often in Africa, India or China, or to sites of 'disposal' such as the landfills and incinerators of western Europe or the dumps of Africa and China (BAN, 2002(BAN, , 2005. Thus, discarded clothing, consumer durables, electronic goods, paper and plastic, move to West Africa (European Environment Agency, 2009;Tranberg Hansen, 2000), Southern China (Iles, 2004;Lepawsky and McNabb, forthcoming;Tong and Wang, 2004) and South and North India, there to be 'recycled' into yet further commodities (Norris, 2004a(Norris, , 2004b), many of which will return in another guise to be purchased by western consumers.…”