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Final Report: P3 Design of a National Electronics Product Reuse and Recycling System

EPA Grant Number: SU831815
Title: P3 Design of a National Electronics Product Reuse and Recycling System
Investigators: Caudill, Reggie J. , Albayeros, Fernando , Bernal, Marelis , Blackboume, Yvette , Cohen, Maurie , Davis, William , Hernandez, Jennifer , Ortiz, Javier , Tricamo, Stephen
Institution: New Jersey Institute of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Nolt-Helms, Cynthia
Project Period: September 15, 2004 through September 14, 2005
Project Amount: $9,900
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet (2004)
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Description:

Objective:

Material and resource conservation are critical to sustainability; and, the ability to efficiently and effectively recover old products for reuse and recycle is an essential element in these conservation efforts. In California alone, it has been estimated that 10.000 computers and televisions become obsolete every day; and, with over 50 million more of these products sold annually, the problem is growing rapidly.

The overall objective of the project is to design a system for electronics recycling that is cost effective, operationally efficient, and operates in an environmentally safe manner. The specific objectives for this initial phase I effort are as follows:

Societal concerns are inherently coupled to e-waste in myriad ways, including exporting issues, new product iimovation, and land use. Economic considerations go well beyond costs and benefits. The electronics industry is a major sector of the economy; consequently, care must be taken not to jeopardize, but to enhance, the vitality and viability of this important industry. In addition, electronics reuse and recycling directly impacts the environment by keeping material from entering the waste stream while reducing the need for virgin materials. People, prosperity and the planet are all fundamentally linked to the project.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

The cost methodology developed for the Seattle-Tacoma study was expanded to include curbside collection options, directly estimate processing costs, and update the unit cost values. The cost per pound is important in determining the operational efficiency of a facility and in reflecting the potential economic performance of the system. For the case study considered, the average cost per pound was calculated to be approximately S0.31, which is close to other estimates and within the range of costs estimated in Minnesota, Massachusetts and California. The results from the Essex County, New Jersey case study were extrapolated to the national level in order to get an estimate of the required infrastructure and costs for a national electronics recycling program. The results show that over 570 million pounds (285,000 tons) of old electronics will be collected and processed each year nationally. For the estimated $0.31 per pound, this corresponds to a total cost of over $175 million annually

Conclusions:

Societal concerns are inherently coupled to the e-waste issue as consumers generate demand for new products in the marketplace, households become storage areas for obsolete products on their way into the waste stream, and in one way or another, people will pay the cost associated with the recycling program. In this study the focus is on economic implications and environmental concerns.

Diverting electronics from land-fill. With a national electronics recycling system in place, over 570,000,000 of old electronics will be diverted from the land fill.

Reducing the amount of lead and other hazardous materials from landfills. The project’s impact can be quantified in terms of reduced environmental impact andlor in terms of improved environmental health. The amount of lead and mercury from Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT’s) was estimated for each state and geographic region.

Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies:

The NJIT team is not requesting funding for Phase II however, the team believes its initial phase was extremely successful in identifying the scope and boundaries to the design problem proposed. The primary strategy to finalize the detailed design and analysis of a national electronics product reuse and recycling system is described below in terms of six major tasks. Each of these tasks involves research to better understand the P3 implication in each area, to select appropriate analysis tools and techniques, and collect data to support the design and analysis process; development activities to adapt this knowledge and information to the P3 design challenges for the system; and, implementation efforts to assure the final design achieves success from all perspectives including technical soundness, economic viability, and full stakeholder acceptability.

  1. Infrastructure and Operational Scenario Builder: Various collection scenarios will be considered for the case study area ranging from single, large drop-off facilities to a highly-distributed set of micro-collection facilities co-located at existing retailers, charities and municipal facilities. In addition to fixed drop-off facilities, some of the scenarios may include special collection events at parking lots and other locations in the study area. Consideration of other infrastructure elements, e.g., consolidation points, transportation strategies and processor locations, and potential policy implications will be included.
  2. Service Area and Collection Volume Estimator: Population databases (e.g., Census 2000) may be used in conjunction with the area highway network to map locations, determine population and the number of households within the service areas and calculate travel and transport distances. For each collection site in a scenario, an estimate of e-waste expected to be collected will be determined from which the facility and operational requirements and associated costs can then be calculated. Various approaches to forecasting product obsolescence and estimating e-vaste generation will need to be explored by the design team.
  3. Material Flows and Operations Simulation: A discrete event product/vehicle flow simulation may be useful in depicting process delays, designing facilities and estimating vehicle queuing at system collection sites. From these calculations and other operational and facility data, the energy consumption and greenhouse gas impact of each scenario can then be estimated.
  4. Collection, Transportation, Consolidation and Processing Cost Model: A set of cost models will need to he developed that directly estimate capital costs, operational fixed costs and operational variable costs. With these general models, the incremental and marginal costs for providing electronics collection at existing facilities or newly constructed facilities can be determined. Cost drivers can he determined and linked to operational and convenience factors leading to opportunities for cost reduction and operational improvements.
  5. Financing Strategies and Policy Implications: Various options for financing the system, ranging from advanced recovery fees paid by the customer at the time of purchase to end-of-life fees paid at the time the product is dropped off at a collection site, should be explored. Each alternative has significant policy implications from both an environmental and societal perspective, as vell as a political perspective that must be understood and evaluated.
  6. Design Criteria Evaluation and Assessment of Sustainability: Evaluation of design criteria related to cost, efficiency, effectiveness, convenience, environmental soundness and sustainability, and flexibility will be used to assess each scenario. Program design is an iterative process in which lessons learned and analysis results from other scenarios can be used to modify designs and improve the balance between the design criteria.

Supplemental Keywords:

Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, Ecology, cleaner production/pollution prevention, reuse, electronics industry, pollution prevention design tool, household electronics, outreach and education, computers and electronics, recycling, pollution prevention
Relevant Websites:

http://www.njit.edu/ exit EPA

Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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