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Environmental and Economic Trade-offs in Consumer Electronic

Products Recycling: A case study of cell phones and computers


A. K. Bhuie1, O.A. Ogunseitan1, J-D. M. Saphores2, and A. A. Shapiro3,4
1
Program in Industrial Ecology, Department of Environmental Health, Science, and Policy, University of California,
Irvine; 2Dept. of Planning, Policy & Design, and Economics Department UCI; 3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena; 4Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, UCI
Tel: 949-824-9845; Fax: 949-824-2056; Email: abhuie@uci.edu

Abstract-Used consumer electronic products are the fastest especially as consumers discard old electronic products to
growing segment of the U.S. waste stream, and cell phones acquire newer and more powerful models.
(due to short life expectancies) are major contributors. Like The fastest increasing category of consumer
personal computers (PCs), a typical cell phone contains several electronic products is cell phones. Sales of cell phones have
hazardous materials including antimony, arsenic, beryllium, increased by more than 41% since 2000 in the US [6].
cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. Most of the persistent According to some estimates, approximately 250,000 tons of
toxicants in cell phones are found in the printed wire assembly used cell phones could be stockpiled by 2005 [6, 7].1 Even
and liquid-crystal display. It is estimated that a total of 700 though the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet
million cell phones and 325 million PCs could become Association (CTIA) reports that the growth in US cell phone
obsolete in the United States by 2005. In addition, 130 million subscriptions declined from approximately 27% in 2000 to
cell phones and 20 million PCs are retired each year; and more 9.4% in 2002, there are indications that the rate of increase in
than 500 million phones and 240 million personal computers cell phone subscription is about to increase again in the near
are stockpiled. However, the fate of retired cell phones differs future [8].
from that of retired PCs: approximately 70% of retired As they become obsolete, cell phones are often stored
collected cell phones are refurbished and resold (the remaining away before being thrown out in the trash [6, 7]. A similar fate
units are recycled or discarded) whereas only a small awaits PCs: on average; two to three obsolete computers may
percentage of PCs are ever used again. Considerable attention be stored in garages, closets or storage spaces [5, 9].
has been focused at State, national, and international levels to Government researchers estimate that three quarters of all
develop policies that minimize the environmental impacts of computers sold in US are stockpiled, awaiting disposal [4, 5].
electronic waste in general, but there is little consistency By 2005, one cell phone and one computer could become
between the strategies developed in different jurisdictions obsolete for every new cell phone and computer put on the
because trade-offs between economic costs and environmental market [7]. The small size of cell phones makes collection and
benefits are not well understood. This paper presents results of potential recycling of components more likely than for
a survey conducted to better understand the economics of cell computers. According to ReCellular Inc, the recycling
phone recycling. We find that the net cost to recyclers of collection rate of cell phones has increased dramatically.2 It is
collecting each cell phone ($6) far exceeds the estimated cost important to note, however, that the backlog of cell phones
to transport, sort, dismantle, refine, and dispose of hazardous does not seem to be decreasing, which creates potential
and non-hazardous wastes ($0.74) associated with discarded environmental risk [7]. By contrast, the recycling rate for PCs
phones. These results were compared with the collection and is still quite low i.e. 10-11%. In 1998, 20.6 million PC Central
processing cost of PCs for which recycling is typically not Processing Unit (CPUs) and 15.8 million Cathode Ray Tube
profitable. Our findings are informative for formulating better (CRT) monitors became obsolete, but only 2.3 million CPU
policies to manage the end-of-life of consumer electronic and 1.5 million CRT were recycled [10]. To formulate better
products. recycling policies, it is useful to investigate the factors that
most influence the net cost of recycling cell phones and
1. INTRODUCTION computers and to contrast the two. We used structured
Over the last two decades, the rapid pace of technological interviews and surveys to collect data from fifteen private US
innovation has resulted in a broad range of obsolete electronic electronic recycling firms throughout North America, focusing
devices from large household appliances such as refrigerators, on those who have signed a true stewardship electronic
washers and dryers, and air-conditioners to hand-held cellular recycling program in conjunction with members of the
phones, fluorescent lamp bulbs (tubes), stereos, and
computers. Studies conducted in Europe estimate that the 1
These are conservative estimates based on cell phone penetration in the total
quantity of electronic waste is increasing by 3% to 5% per year population. Penetration measures subscribers as a percentage of the total
- almost three times faster than the municipal waste stream [1, population, i.e. the total number of cell phones in use as a percentage of
2, 3]. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency population (Inform, 2002).
2
ReCellular Incorporated was established in 1991 to trade and refurbish
(USEPA) more than 4.6 million tons of electronic waste was wireless equipment, including cell phones and reconditioned mobile phones
disposed of in landfills in the US in the year 2000 [4]; this (http://www.recellular.net/brochure/about.asp).
amount is predicted to grow fourfold in the next few years [5],

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Computer Take Back Campaign, including Basel Action used primarily on printed wire assemblies, cables, and plastic
Network (BAN), and the Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition housings. Some brominated flame-retardants can be persistent,
(SVTC).3 Our findings are summarized below. bioaccumulative, and toxic; their other impacts are still being
evaluated [15, 16]. Like Pb, the use of Polybrominated
2. MATERIAL COMPOSITION Biphenyls (PBBs) and Polybrominated Diephenyls Ethers
Despite the relatively small size of individual cell phones (PBDEs) in electrical and electronic products sold in the EU is
(when compared to other electronic products) their disposal banned under the RoHS Directive beginning in July 2006. A
into the domestic waste stream is problematic because of their comparison of the material composition of cell phones and
potentially large numbers and their material composition; the desktop computer is given in Table 1.
hazardous materials they contain can pollute the air when The estimated number of cell phones retired per year
burned in incinerators or leach into soil and drinking water (100-200 million) in the US is based on the average economic
sources when buried in landfills. Many of these toxic life of a phone, which is currently approximately 1.5 years
substances, including antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), beryllium down from 3 years in 1995 according to Fishbein [6], who also
(Be), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and estimates that the US stockpile of retired cell phones could
zinc (Zn), can persist and bioaccumulate in the environment exceed 500 million by the end of 2005. This number assumes
[6, 7]. In particular, Pb (a suspected carcinogen) has adverse that more than 700 million phones will be retired in the US by
effects on the central nervous system, immune system, and 2005, which could generate up to 198,500 kg of Pb in the
kidneys, and it has been linked to developmental abnormalities waste stream. While 75% of the units may be stockpiled, the
[11, 12]. Its main application in cell phones and other other 25% (between 150 and 210 million units) could be
electronic products is in solder used to attach components to landfilled or incinerated. This represents a significant
each other and to printed wire assemblies [13]. Because of its potential source of PBBs, PBDEs, Pb, Al, Fe, Sn, Cu, Ni, Zn,
health effects, lead (Pb) has been banned (along with a few Ag, Si, and Hg in the waste stream. The new rule issued by the
other hazardous substances) starting July 1, 2006 from new US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow
electrical and electronic products sold in the European Union consumers to move their existing conventional home phone
(EU), through the Directive on Hazardous Substances in numbers to a cell phone could also cause more cell phones to
Electrical and Electronic Products (the RoHS Directive)4 [7]. be retired in the US, therefore creating more opportunities for
Table 1: Material composition comparison between cell pollution5. According to the US EPA [4], consumer electronic
phone and desktop personal computer products (including cell phones) are a fast growing segment of
Recent Cell Phone*, PC with CRT** Municipal Solid Waste. Recently, data released by the Central
(~ 0.08kg) (~ 26 kg) Valley and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control
Content (% of total weight) (% of total weight) Boards show that Pb is detectable in the leachate and
Plastics 46 23 monitoring wells of California landfills, although the exact
Lead (Pb) 0.9 7 sources have not been ascertained.6
Aluminum 9 14 To prevent environmental pollution, many
(Al) communities are prohibiting the incineration and the disposal
Iron (Fe) 8 21 of waste electronic equipment in landfills. In Europe, the
European Commission recently approved the Directive on
Tin (Sn) 1 1
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment. This
Copper (Cu) 19 7
legislation would require that manufactures take-back used
Nickel (Ni) 1 0.8
electrical and electronic equipment. Policies requiring
Zinc (Zn) 3 2.2 manufacturers to be responsible for the costs of managing
Silver (Ag) 0.9 0.02 electronic waste are under consideration. In addition,
Silica (Si) 4 25 Australia recently implemented a nationwide cellphone
Mercury 1 0.01 recycling program.7 In the U.S., a number of States including
(Hg) California, Massachusetts and Minnesota are considering
* Nokia Corporation; ** SVTC, 1999 [14]; (plastics contain legislation that would make manufacturers absorb the cost of
polybrominated flame retardants, and hundreds of additives and
managing waste electronic products, including cell phones [6],
stabilizers not listed separately).
but the US is still lagging behind the EU or Japan8.
Brominated flame-retardants are another type of
hazardous materials present in both cell phones and computers;
these are added to plastics to reduce the risk of fire. They are

5
http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html
3
http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/recycle/pledge_signers.htm http://www.cellphonecarriers.com/home-portable-phone-numbers.html
4
http://www.epa.gov/epr/products/eintern.html; http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/NumberPortability/checklist.html
6
http://www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee/#Summary_of_the_WEEE_and_Ro http://www.cawrecycles.org/ (Poison PCs and Toxic TVs: 2002 update).
7
HS_Directives http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52375,00.html
8
http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/pubs/2002report.htm

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3. COSTS OF RECYCLING Some collection programs are free, but others ask the
The contrast between cell phone and computer recycling, consumers to pay the recycling fee [18]. The cost of properly
suggests that economic considerations are essential for the disposing of old computers and televisions could easily run
emergence and success of private-sector recycling efforts. $25 to $50 or more per unit [20]. By contrast, the collection
However, improper handling, weak regulations and ‘sham’ cost of cell phone ranges from $4 to $8 per unit and processing
recycling may increase environmental, public, and worker costs ranges from $0.70 to $0.75 per unit. A comparative
exposure to hazardous materials. In the past, poorly regulated assessment of costs associated with dismantling and discarding
recycling operations have resulted in toxic hazards and cell phones and PCs is provided in Table 2.
expensive clean-up costs [17]. One potential drawback of The overall recycling cost of cell phones ranges from
recycling is the apparent delay of environmental pollution and $8 to $10 per unit. The cost of refurbishing cell phones ranges
the transfer of the problem from one medium or location to from $15 to $30, but the resale price of refurbished cell phones
another: hazardous materials are simply moved into secondary reaches $40 to $50, resulting in a net profit to cell phone
products that will eventually require disposal. A more recyclers. These estimates vary according to the brand and
sustainable alternative would be to design products with non- condition of cell phones [7]. Most companies collect every
hazardous materials, but it may take several years to brand of cell phones; the top five phones in order of decreasing
implement this strategy. sale quantities are Motorola c60, Nokia 5125, Nokia 5190,
Computers are typically costly to recycle because of Nokia 8260, and Samsung 6100 [7]. Collected phones are
their design (metals may be mixed with plastic in various parts tested to determine whether they operate satisfactorily, and
for example) and their large number of parts. The abundance defective parts are repaired or replaced. Approximately 70% of
of plastics may also reduce the value of recycled materials collected phones are refurbished and donated or they are resold
(although cell phones contain proportionally more plastics than outside the US. The remaining 30% are recycled.
PCs). Finally, inadequately protected recycling workers may Approximately 50% of refurbished cell phones are sold in
incur health risks due to exposures to hazardous materials. In Latin America, Africa, Russia, India, China, or Pakistan and
contrast, cell phones are relatively easier to recycle despite 20% are sold back in the US [7].
their content of toxic materials. The design of cell phones ReCellular, Inc. is the largest cell phones recycler,
facilitates disassembly and recycling [7]. But the main with an 80% market share in the U.S; it generates $25 to $30
difference between these two electronic products is the
million in annual revenues from sales of refurbished cell
existence of a viable market for reconditioned cell phones
phones and recyclable material from all sources. It collects
which provides recycling services free of charge to consumers
who subscribe to cell phone service. approximately 3 million phones per year. If 130 million
Several other characteristics of cell phones may phones are estimated to be retired per year and 75 million
explain the stability of markets for cell phones (and their pieces are stockpiled, then approximately 22 million units may
absence for PCs). First, cell phones have a fairly high value eventually be disposed of in landfills or burnt in incinerators
per unit weight compared to PCs, so they are relatively unless a major national policy is crafted in the near future
cheaper to transport. Second, cell phones can be used by because the stockpile of defunct phones is increasing [2, 7; see
Table 3].
Table 2: Cost comparison for collection and processing of
cell phone and personal computer (per unit) Table 3: Estimated number of cell phones retired per year
(2-years life-time) in the US
Cost (US $) Cell Phone** Computer***
Collection* 6.00 23.50 Year Use* (million) Retired* Stockpiled*
(million) (million)
Transportation 0.35 0.43
2001 193 96.5 72.38
Sorting - 3.50
2002 195 97.5 73.13
Dismantling 0.03 2.75
2003 197 98.5 73.88
Refining 0.32 7.87
2004 198 99 74.25
Dispose of non- 0.01 0.83
2005 200 100 75
hazardous waste
(Source: *INFORM, 2002) (Retired = Number of cell phone in use/2
Dispose of 0.03 5.00 year life-time; Stockpiled = 75% of retired cell phone)
hazardous waste
*Average (cell phone:$4 to $8; computer:$13 to $34) **Results from The largest and most successful cell phone collection
survey conducted with fifteen private US electronic recycling firms; programs in the US are the Wireless Foundation’s, Donate-a-
***(Boon et al., 2000) [19]. Phone program, and Verizon Hopeline program. They account
people with a low literacy level, which is not the case for PCs. for the majority of the cell phone recollected (nearly 2.5
There is currently a high demand for cell phones in many million phones from 1999 to 2003 [7]). Both Donate-a-Phone,
developing countries that were lagging behind in the and Hopeline rely on ReCellular. The other two smaller
installation of conventional communication equipment. programs, Collective Good, and Charitable Recycling collect a
The cost of collecting a PC consisting of a central small number of phones on their own (survey conducted for
processing unit (CPU) and a monitor currently ranges from this study) [7]. Wireless Recyclers, Collective Good, and
$13 to $34 per unit [18]. Consumers pay the collection fee. Charitable Recycling also provide customers with a rebate on a

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trade-in for an old cell phone with the purchase of a new one.9 pollutants are environmentally recalcitrant, thereby increasing
By contrast, four of the five major manufacturers of computers the risk of human exposure and ecosystem effects [3, 6, 22].
(IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, and Gateway), the Sony Recycling electronic products is currently less
Corporation, and the nationwide retailer, Best Buy, have common and typically more costly than storing or dumping
initiated independent recycling programs for PCs [18]. them. Recycling involves disassembling an electronic product
Hewlett-Packard and IBM PC recycling service, both allow into its components to recover individual constituents. This
consumers and businesses to recycle any manufacturer’s process can be completed by hand for lower volumes of
computer equipment for a fee. Dell Computer Corporation, material or it can be automated if larger volumes have to be
Compaq, and Gateway also give their customers the option to processed. In a typical PC, approximately 55 percent of
trade-in, recycle or donate old PCs in exchange for a rebate on materials are considered economically recyclable (see Table 4
a new product [20]. A recent study predicts that 150 million below).
computers will be recycled by 2005, but an equal quantity may The total revenue generated from the sale of
also be landfilled [21]. recovered material in a typical desktop PC is approximately
$34. However, when labor, transportation, and residual
4.ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC disposal costs are included, it is not economical to recycle PC,
CONSIDERATIONS unless a subsidy can be justified based on the avoidance of
The disposal of cell phones and computers differs in their environmental costs. Environmental benefits from recycling
implications for waste management because of their different are, however, difficult to quantify. By contrast, in spite of their
sizes and hazardous materials content [6, 22]. To keep waste small size, recycling cell phones is profitable because of the
electronic products out of landfills and encourage recycling, a existence of an active resale market.
cost-effective strategy must be implemented. Whereas the
environmental success of a recycling program depends on Table 4: Recoverable components in a desktop computer
external costs avoided, its financial success hinges on the costs Component Percent (%) Value ($)
of collecting, sorting, and processing materials and on the Plastics 23.00 11.73
revenues from selling recycled materials [22]. For financial Aluminum 6.30 9.11
viability, recycling costs should be covered by the revenues Steel 20.50 4.18
from recycled materials, plus any subsidy to compensate for Gold 0.001 6.27
landfill space saved and pollution avoided (after disposal and Silver 0.02 1.03
during the avoided extraction of virgin materials). Several end- Lead 6.30 1.93
of-life options could be considered: (1) reuse of the entire Cadmium 0.01 0.01
product, (2) reuse of individual components, and (3) reuse of Mercury 0.0022 0.00
constituent materials. Recycling does not have to be a closed
Total 56.13 $34.26
loop where the materials initially used for the production of Source: North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
electronic product are returned back to new electronic Resources [23].
production. For example, keeping Pb in circulation reduces the
need for mining virgin Pb; and through reuse, landfill disposal 5. POLICY OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
can be avoided. Although Pb in electronics accounts for less Many US electronic companies and the industry’s main trade
than 4.2% of the total amount used in the US, it is estimated associations continue to argue against government-imposed
that a substantial portion of the Pb content of landfill leachate bans on hazardous material constituents in consumer electronic
originates from electronic products [11]. There are no products, but they have not committed to eliminating them
comparable data on the fate of discarded electronic products from their products [6]. Some European countries, as well as
on Pb emissions from incinerators, but the impact from this Japan and Australia, have already passed legislation
source is likely to be significant. Targeting Pb in some, but not establishing national manufacture take-back programs for cell
all, electronic products is controversial because it singularly phones, however, no efforts was made to reuse cell phones or
complicates the recycling of retired electronic products, to recover components for reuse [6]. In the US, only
thereby creating the need to have two separate recycling California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota are considering
processes (one with and one without Pb) [3, 6, 22]. legislation that would make producers responsible for the costs
Cell phones contain many toxic substances, including of dealing with their used electronic products. The legislative
several persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals listed on the experience of several states indicates that banning some
US EPA’s “Waste Minimization List of Persistent, electronic products from landfills is possible, but fees imposed
Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals” [3, 6]. As on new products to fund take-back and recycling programs
shown in Table 1, the composition by weight of plastics in cell tend to be perceived as additional taxes, and none have been
phones is 46% as compared to only 23% for computers. The passed so far [6, 7]. Therefore governments need to cooperate
percentage of PBTs is of concern for cell phones because these with electronics manufactures and non-government
organizations to design preventive strategies which drastically
limit the disposal of defunct products into landfills and their
9 burning in incinerators. Finding ways to reduce program
www.wirelessrecycling.com
expenses and to increase recycling revenues are among the

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most viable strategies [7]. A well designed take-back program who are conscientious about environmental health. The second
would ideally provide incentives for manufacturers to design objection is valid: there are some big swings in the price of
products that contain fewer toxic components and are easier to recycled metals: yearly changes of 20%, 30%, and even 40%
disassemble, reuse, and recycle. For example, Hewlett- are not uncommon. In addition, except for nickel, a downward
Packard’s (HP) customer take-back and recycling program is trend was observed for the price of recycled aluminum,
the most comprehensive printer cartridge and hardware return copper, iron, and zinc from 1997 to 2001.11 Public intervention
program in the world. This program maximizes material may be needed to stabilize these markets.
recovery and ensures that electronics are recycled. Each Based on the discussion above, the following options are
month, HP reuses or recycles more than 1.58 million Kg of recommended for consumer electronic products recycling [6,
returned electronic hardware equipment in its US and 7, 18]:
European product recovery centers, where they accept • Provide more information to the public about the
computers and printers from all manufacturers. HP, however, potential environmental and economic consequences
had to overcome several logistic and regulatory barriers to of improperly disposing of electronic waste.
implement its recycling program, partly because it faced • Establish and promote local electronic collection
different regulatory requirements from different jurisdictions. events at public spaces such as malls or post offices
Standardization of regulatory procedures across geographical while other schemes (take-back programs and deposit
and political boundaries will improve the implementation of refund systems) are phased in.
product take-back and recycling programs worldwide. This • Study the creation of deposit-refund systems for
applies equally to recycling cell phones and computers [24]. electronic products. Compare with the creation of
Providing discounts on new phones or phone service in discounts and rebates by firms for customers who
exchange for returned equipment can stimulate consumer trade in their used electronic products.
participation in take-back programs. In Austria, customers • Establish and implement “Eco-Efficiency Materials
receive free lottery tickets when they return their spent Labeling” e.g. listing toxic constituents of electronic
batteries. Take-back programs are not yet popular for PCs, products to support effective end-of-life management
however. In the private sector, take-back programs may be procedures and policies.
more attractive for cell phones than for PCs because cell • Increase trash surveys to prevent hazardous materials
phones are typically used as loss leaders to sell telephone from being disposed in landfills and increase
services whereas PC manufacturers have little involvement in monitoring and enforcement of disposal laws.
software and other services. • Encourage the re-design of electronic products that
In addition, manufacturers can facilitate recycling and are more easily refurbished and recycled.
reuse by incorporating these considerations in the early design • Fund research into designing electronic products that
stages of a product. To reduce waste and raw materials use, a do not contain hazardous substances as defined by the
product’s life cycle needs to be assessed to optimize current standards established by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act.
disassembly, components re-used, recycling and disposal at the
• Pass content laws that insure a market for recycled
end of life. Although it may seem initially more costly,
materials and stabilizes their price, thus allowing the
implementing such an approach may in fact benefit
recycling industry to develop and to reach financial
manufacturers by appealing to “green” consumers [24, 25]. stability.
Deposit/refund schemes are another attractive way to • Create a system to track loads of electronic waste and
boost recycling rates. A deposit/refund system imposes an up- discourage their shipment to developing countries
front charge for potential damages caused by improper where no infrastructure is in place to properly recycle
disposal but consumers who “do the right thing” by returning toxic materials.
used products are rewarded with most (or all) of their initial
deposit. Deposit/refund systems have been used with great ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
success for beverage containers, for example [6, 7, 27]. The industrial ecology research group gratefully acknowledges
Studies show that the recycling rate of cans and bottles is three the financial support provided by the National Science
times higher in states with deposit/refund systems than in Foundation award number DMI-0223894, and by
states without such systems [27]. However, some electronics interdisciplinary research award number TS-30856 from the
manufacturers have objected to the deposit/refund system for University of California Toxic Substances Research and
two reasons: (1) deposit/refund system would decrease the Teaching Program. Additional support was provided by the
demand for their products by increasing their prices; and (2) Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellowship Program from AT&T
the volatility of the price of recycled materials makes it Foundation. The authors are grateful to people interviewed for
difficult to have a viable electronic recycling industry.10 The this study, including representatives of the individual cell
first objection seems misplaced if administrative costs can be phone recyclers. Special thanks to Julie Schoenung for
kept in check because the deposit serves to internalize insightful suggestions.
potential environmental costs and it is returned to consumers
11
Price volatility (1997-2001); Value $ (thousands)/Kg: Al (6032.55 –
10
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/recycle/ 4539.44); Cu (3457.19-1954.06); Fe (9539.84-5331.09); Pb (1122.33-
1062.21); Ni (474.99-601.25); Sn (104.22-96.50); Zn (496.03-360.75).

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