E-Jewelry: Repurposing e-waste

Page 1

RE-Purposing

byYahayra Rosario-Cora / Course Principles of Sustainable Design

Macro situation of e-waste

e Waste

EUROPE

USA

KARACHI; Pakistan

DELHI; India

GUIYU; China

ACCRA; Ghana LAGOS; Nigeria

53 million tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2009, but only 13 % of it was recycled. Global revenue for e-waste recovery were roughly $5.7 billion for 2008, and are expected grow to $14.6 by 2014 [ABI Research, 2010] in the article a program to certify electronic waste recycling rivals an industry

The evolution of materials used in personal computer [Pc & Laptops] by Amanda Maonchamp, EIA

E-Waste Properties:

30%

Design Idea The idea to encapsule e-waste inside glass is to give a new meaning and value to the precious metals found in hazardous materials. Encapsuling the e-waste inside glass is an opportunity to reduce the amount of toxic material destined to landfills.

29. 3 % Tin

25%

24.9 % Silica

Enclose or encapsule e-waste in glass as a way to reuse hazardous material without any harmful effect to humans and the environment. Additionally, upcycling the encapsulated material increases the value over the time.

23 % Plastic

e-MATERIAL

20.1% Iron

20%

WEIGHT one computer 15%

14.2% Aluminum

Origin of the idea:

10%

7% Copper 6.3% Lead

5%

Note: Cadmium, chromium, antimoni & beryllium were less than 0.1%

Global programs to recycle e-waste:

“E-waste is one of the fastest growing types of waste. Much of it ends up dumped in Africa and Asia.” Greenpeace “What you can do to help?” Greenpeace

2.2% Zinc 1% Tin

Envrionmental Protection Agency [EPA] Responsible Recycle [R2] Set of guidelines for accredited certification programs to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices.

Hey! Why leave it there?

e-Steward

Cradle to Cradle :: Waste Equals Food “Provide a second, third or more life to a material”

Identify Core Function

“Globally responsible way to recycle electronics” Categories to disposal e-waste:

Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator [CEQG]

Small Quantity Generator [SQG]

Redesign for Innovation

Evaluate Material Health & Recyclability

Optimize Life Cycle Design

Large Quantity Generator [LQG]

Opportunities to;

Give

“The responsabile way to address irresponsible recycling is to help educate and encourage good practice, not to ban all the trade.” Mr. Harris in the article “A program to certify electronic waste recycling rivals in industry U.S. plan.”

Sold computers on a secondary market

Identify computer manufactures that have trade- in programs

Process to recycle e-waste

Separation of “precious material”

Define Life Cycle Scenario

Technical Metabolism

Definition according to GreenBlue [http://www.greenblue.org/cradle_flows.html]

A technical nutrient is a material, frequently synthetic or mineral, that remains safely in a closedloop system of manufacturing, recovery, and reuse [the technical metabolism], maintaining its highest value through many product life cycles.

Biomimicry “Biomimicry is the conscious emulation of life’s genius and innovation inspired by nature.” Janine Benyus

Identify computer retailers that have trade-in programs

Inspiration :: Amber stone

Metals inside the following components; A. Batteries

Technical Metabolism

It was created by the resin of living trees, the stones are often found with interesting inclusions, such as insects, seeds, feathers and bubbles.

- Contain heavy metals

B. Circuit Board - Contain heavy metals + highest precious metals Metals in a Circuit Boards Gold

80g to 1,500g

40 to 800 times the concentration of gold contained in a gold ore mined in the USA

Copper

160kg to 210kg

30 to 40 times the concentration of copper contained in a copper ore mined in the USA

Proposed Life Cycle

1980 - Noranda Inc., of Canada investigated methods to make their smelters profitables. “[...] finding indicated that the concentration of metals in average computer and other lectronic scrap may be more than twice that found in ores.”

Places to drop e-waste in Savannah, Georgia Chatham County has an e-Cycling to collect any brand of old computer-related equipment—computers, computer monitors, keyboards, mice, printers or other peripherals to a designated site for collection and recycling.

Spider Diagram Evaluation 5 4

Labor

Cradle to Cradle

2 1

Recycling activities consisting of collection and separation

Non-hazardous

Zero-Waste Design

Electrical equipment dumped Encapsulated electrical equipment

Melt

Waste

Sales + Trade in

e-waste event Waste

Toxicity

Users

New meaning + New Value

Hazardous

N+EW_Stools by Rodrigo Alonso

Tiles + e-waste by Yahayra Rosario

Retailers

Shape

Resource efficiency

3

Put into a mold

Separation of precious metals

6

Others ideas to encapsule e-waste

Cut as need it

Obsolete Computer [or electronic equipment]

Proposal; Reuse this e-waste material to put into the recycled glass

Collect recycled glass


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