Anna Chashchyna
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Title: CO2 emission equivalent as the climate change measure for the electronic waste: The laptop life cycle assessment for Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Biography
Biography: Anna Chashchyna
Abstract
The aim of the study is to provide a better knowledge of the electronic waste (e-waste) sector. This sector is explored in terms of structure, stakeholders, governance aspects and social impacts. We also try to examine what is the right thing to do with e-waste. The work examines the following specific questions: 1) What is the state-of-the-art of e-waste recycling in Canada and Newfoundland? 2) Who are the important stakeholders and what are their roles in this sector? 3) What are the governance issues enabling this sector operation? 4) What is the environmentally sound way to deal with e-waste? The study consists of a cover essay and two chapters. The objective of Part I is to provide an investigation of electronic waste recycling system in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada), Part II provides with a complete Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a laptop, with an emphasis on various treatment scenarios: Landfilling, recycling as e-waste, and recycling as metal, by CO2 equivalent. Part I presents the national and local e-waste flows, the sector structure, the actors involved and the existing governance issues of the e-waste management. Part II assesses CO2 emissions associated with every stage of laptop life cycle: Production – distribution – use – disposal; and compares laptop end-of-life scenarios by CO2 equivalent, thus trying to identify the waste management method of least environmental impact and most profit.