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UN system collaborates on electronic waste disposal
ITU and Secretariat of the Basel Convention to
protect environment from hazardous e-Waste
Geneva, 12 March 2012 – International collaboration to
promote environmentally sound management of e-waste was strengthened with the
signing of an agreement between the Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC)
and ITU aimed at protecting the environment from the adverse effects of e-Waste.
The rapid spread of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has raised
public attention on the negative effects arising from inadequate disposal and
waste management. Electronic waste, which contains toxic materials used in the
manufacturing process, can cause widespread damage to the environment and human
health. The ITU-SBC collaboration seeks to collect and recycle the hazardous
materials by introducing safeguards in the management of the waste of electrical
and electronic equipment (WEEE), or e-Waste.
Developing countries are expecting a surge in e-Waste, with mobile phone
waste expected to grow exponentially. Sharp increases of e-Waste have until now
not been matched with policy and regulatory mechanisms nor with infrastructure
to cope with the influx in developing countries. Currently, only 13 per cent of
e-Waste is reported to be recycled with or without safety procedures.
The issue of e-Waste as an emerging telecommunications policy and regulatory
issue has received recognition at the highest level in ITU. Key examples of
ITU´s activities in this area include:
- The adoption of Recommendation ITU-T L.1000, “Universal
power adapter and charger solution for mobile terminals and
other ICT devices”, which dramatically reduces production and
cuts the waste produced by mobile chargers.
- The adoption of Recommendation ITU-T L.1100, which details
the procedures to be employed when recycling rare metal
components included in ICT equipment.
- Designing e-Waste management strategies for environmental
protection; publishing and disseminating best practices; and
assisting countries in the drafting, adoption and implementation
of policies, laws, and regulations related to e-Waste
management.
At the level of global environmental policy, the Basel Convention on the
Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which
came into force in 1992, is the most comprehensive environmental agreement on
the management of hazardous and other waste. But many countries have not yet
successfully translated its provisions into their national legislation. Now,
with the signing of the ITU-SBC Administrative Agreement, efforts between both
UN mechanisms will be leveraged, maximizing value at the global level and
strengthening collaboration between telecommunication/ICT and environmental
policy makers for the global good.
“The ICT sector is already making significant progress in improving its
environmental performance and reducing e-Waste through improved best practices
and standards,” stated ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré. “The collaboration
with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention will allow the global community to
address this ever-increasing problem through a holistic approach, involving the
recycling industry as well as environmental policy makers.”
“The positive impact of ICT on development, particularly in developing
countries and countries with economies in transition is well recognized and
acknowledged,” said Mr Jim Willis, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam
and Stockholm Conventions. “However, ICT equipment has to be dealt with in view
of its entire life-cycle, and this includes the time when the equipment comes to
its end-of-life and becomes e-Waste. Collaboration between ITU and SBC will
further our shared objectives in support of sustainable development that
essentially includes environmentally sound management of waste.”
ITU and SBC have agreed to cooperate through regular dialogues and meetings;
exchange of information, practices, experiences and materials; coordination of
activities in areas of mutual interest, including development of green ICT
standards, international cooperation and capacity building; and execution of
supplementary activities, projects and programmes.
For more information, please contact:
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Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations
and Public Information
International Telecommunication Union
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Matthias Kern
Senior Programme Officer
Secretariat of the Basel Convention
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About Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and their Disposal was adopted in 1989 and entered into force in 1992. It
protects human health and the environment against the adverse effects resulting
from the generation, management, transboundary movements and disposal of
hazardous and other wastes. The Convention currently has 178 member countries
(Parties). http://www.basel.int
About ITU...