Integrating the Activities of Informal and Formal Sector in E-Waste Management: Potential Benefits
and Challenges.

Abstract:- The usage of electronics has increased exponentially with the growth of information and communication technology which in turn have led to an abrupt rise in the volumes of e-waste generated globally. In developing countries, formal and informal recycling systems exist simultaneously. But the major portion of e-waste is processed by the informal sector using primitive methods. The workers in the informal sector do not have proper machinery, protective equipments and also lack training in handling e-waste efficiently. This necessitates the integration of informal waste sector into their formal counterparts to lessen the negative effects. The paper presents an overview of the issues associated with processing of e-waste by the informal sector and examines the relation between the informal and formal sector. It also investigates the potential benefits and key challenges of integrating the informal sector into formal systems so as to increase the recycling capacity thus decreasing the amount of ewaste polluting the environment and imperiling the human health.

Index terms: Informal sector, Recycling, Formal sector, Developing countries, E-waste.

I. INTRODUCTION

The rapid growth in technology, high obsolescence rate of products and increasing demand for new electronic products have led to the exponential growth of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) also called “ewaste” in countries around the world (Pinto, 2008). Solving the e-waste problem (StEP) defines E-waste as “a term used to cover items of all types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by the owner as waste without the intention of re-use” (StEP, 2014). E-waste contains a multitude of components both hazardous constituents and valuable resources. E-waste has become a growing global concern due to increasing mountains of e-waste and improper recycling and disposal of toxic elements like lead, cadmium, plastic, chromium, mercury present in it that have an adverse impact on the health and environment. Most of the metals like gold, silver, selenium, platinum, and other rare metals present in e-waste can be used in making new products (Pinto, 2008).
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