New Insights into Electronic Waste Recycling in Metropolitan Areas

Summary Electronic waste (e‐waste) recycling is a critical sector for sustainable urban industrial systems. U.S. residents and businesses generate an estimated 3.2 million tons of electronic waste each year; most is not recycled and is generated in urban areas. However, adoption of state environment...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of industrial ecology Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 940 - 950
Main Authors Leigh, Nancey Green, Choi, Taelim, Hoelzel, Nathanael Z.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New Haven Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2012
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects
Business
Economic impact analysis
Electronic waste
Environment
Environmental management
Environmental regulations
Estimation
extended producer responsibility (EPR)
industrial ecology
Industrial organization
Industry
input-output model
Law
Management techniques
Metropolitan areas
Recycling
Recycling centers
recycling economics
Regulation
Resource recovery
Simulation
Studies
sustainable industrial systems
U.S.A
Urban areas
urban regions
Waste management
United States > US
INE, USA, Washington, Seattle
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Summary Electronic waste (e‐waste) recycling is a critical sector for sustainable urban industrial systems. U.S. residents and businesses generate an estimated 3.2 million tons of electronic waste each year; most is not recycled and is generated in urban areas. However, adoption of state environmental regulations for e‐waste recycling is increasing. Between 2003 and mid‐2011, 25 states passed e‐waste laws. There are a growing number of e‐waste collectors and certified processors in U.S. urban areas. While the landscape of e‐waste recycling is changing, there is little analysis on the economic impacts of this industry. The research presented here synthesizes e‐waste management policy developments and growth of the e‐waste recycling industry. We present an economic impact analysis at the metropolitan level through constructing an extended input‐output (IO) model that specifies an e‐waste recycling sector. In a case study, we examine changes in e‐waste recycling activities in the Seattle metropolitan area and provide simulation results of new regional economic impacts.
Bibliography:Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)
Materials Use: Science, Engineering, and Society (MUSES) - No. 0628190
istex:FB2D01CF3BA58A633FF56F755C131365162C0FC7
National Science Foundation (NSF)
ArticleID:JIEC525
ark:/67375/WNG-2F8542LZ-J
ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ObjectType-Article-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:1088-1980
1530-9290
DOI:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00525.x