Abstract
Rapid advanced technology of
IT in recent years results in increased generation of obsolete welectronic
devices. Proper management and recycling of such waste is very important due to
the presence of toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent
chromium and PBDE. The Korean government has been making efforts on increasing collection
and recycling rates of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by the extended
producer responsibility policy. While increased collection and recycling rates of
WEEE were observed in public sectors, the investigation on the mass flow of WEEE
in informal sectors (or private sectors) is still insufficient and largely
unknown. Therefore, this study focused on the estimation and analysis of the
mass flow of used and end-of-life TVs and computer monitors entering informal collection
and recycling sectors in Korea. Data required for the study were collected from
surveys of site visits to private recycling facilities and informal collection sectors
in Daejeon Metropolitan City, the national statistics published by the Korea Ministry
of Environment (Korea MOE), and the Korea Association of Electronics and Environment
(Korea AEE), and interviews with industry experts and local recyclers in the
informal sectors. Based on the results of this study, it is estimated that in
2011 approximately 62,265 tons of generated used TVs from households were
collected and sent to private collection points (or junk shops) by the
individual collectors and junk shop owners. Private local recyclers and dealers
accept large fractions of the collected TVs and then export them to overseas
for recycling and reuse. Approximately 38,616 tons of used computer monitors in
the same year were collected by the private collected. They are also exported
to overseas and private reuse markets. Only small fractions are being recycled
in private recycling facilities
