Managing E-waste in East Asia: Exploring Green ICT Solutions for Circular Electronics

Abstract

Electronic waste, also known as EEE or e-waste, is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. E-waste poses several challenges, mostly due to its continuously growing volume and severe environmental and health negative effects, and therefore requires an appropriate environmentally sound management. However, managing e-waste is problematic, mainly because not all countries have regulations or policies governing e-waste disposal, especially developing countries. This lack of regulatory frameworks leads to inadequate and unsafe disposal practices, resulting in detrimental consequences for the environment and the society. Moreover, despite the international legal framework created in order to tackle this issue, e-waste management is still not adequately addressed. Transboundary illegal movements of e-waste occur both within and between continents, with the East Asian region playing a crucial role in this phenomenon as it generates and imports significant volumes of e-waste. To tackle this issue in the long run, we need to adopt a circular economy approach. Our current scheme of production, consumption, and disposal is no longer sustainable, and we need to shift towards a circular economy for electronics. To support this transition, digital solutions, and more specifically green ICT solutions, are crucial, and East Asia has been at the forefront of the development and adoption of green ICT solutions. This thesis aims to examine e-waste management practices, with a special focus on East Asia, and explore the potential of green ICT solutions to promote environmentally friendly and sustainable management in the context of a circular economy for electronics.