Aya Yoshida

Estimating the amount of WEEE generated in South Korea by using the population balance model

We estimated the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated in South Korea by using the population balance model (PBM) based on a lifespan distribution analysis. This is the first study to apply PBM to estimate WEEE generation in South Korea. The lifespan distribution analysis of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) was based on the results of a questionnaire survey of 1000 households, which were analyzed with the Weibull distribution. As a result, we could estimate the domestic service lifespan and lifespan distribution shape parameter for eight selected products. Using the lifespan distribution analysis and other data, such as the shipment volume and the number of products owned by households, we estimated the amount of WEEE generated for the eight selected items from 2000 to 2020. We found that 1.2 million air conditioners, 2.5 million televisions, 1.3 million microwave ovens, 1.2 million kimchi refrigerators, 17.0 million mobile phones, 1.7 million refrigerators, 2.0 million vacuum cleaners, and 1.4 million washing machines were generated as WEEE in 2010. We also compared our WEEE estimates with the number of items collected through the official WEEE recycling program from 2003 to 2009 and found that in 2009 washing machines had the highest collection rate (28%) and air conditioners had the lowest rate (7%).

Reuse of secondhand TVs exported from Japan to the Philippines

The trade of secondhand electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) from developed to developing countries has become a growing environmental issue owing to concerns about improper recycling of these goods in developing countries. We followed a 12-m cargo container of cathode-ray-tube color TVs exported from Japan to the Philippines in February 2008. We surveyed the number of TVs damaged in transport, as well as the number of malfunctioning TVs from this shipment. In addition, we present the results of interviews with 113 Filipino consumers who intended to buy secondhand EEE at nine secondhand shops in Metro Manila. Approximately 3% of the imported TVs were damaged upon arrival. The importer sold some of the units directly to local dealers, and kept the rest to repair, refurbish and resell. Approximately 40% of the imported TVs malfunctioned and needed repair in addition to basic reconditioning. Most interviewees indicated that they prefer to buy secondhand EEE because the prices are lower than those of brand-new products. Consumers indicated that they planned on using the product for an average of about 5years, but the actual period of use may be lower. Most end-of-life EEE in the Philippines is dismantled and recycled by unregulated companies and untrained individuals in markets or near landfill sites, and it is clear that a proper collection system and treatment methods are needed for e-waste. In addition to the material flow of secondhand TVs, we also discuss several economic aspects and appropriate control measures of the international reuse of secondhand TVs.

Effect of lead speciation on its oral bioaccessibility in surface dust and soil of electronic-wastes recycling sites

We measured bioaccessible lead (Pb) in simulated gastrointestinal fluids containing Pb-contaminated soil or dust from electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sites to assess the risk of Pb ingestion. The physiologically based extraction test (PBET) was used as in vitro bioaccessibility assay. Pb speciation was determined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The total Pb concentrations in dusts (n=8) and soils (n=4) were in the range of 1630-131,000 and 239-7800mg/kg, respectively. Metallic Pb, a common component of e-waste, was ubiquitous in the samples. We also found Pb adsorbed onto goethite and as oxides and carbonate, implying soil mixing and weathering influences. Pb phosphate and organic species were only found in the soil samples, suggesting that formation was soil-specific. We identified other Pb compounds in several samples, including Pb silicate, Pb chromate, and Pb(II) hydrogen phosphate. A correlation analysis indicated that metallic Pb decreased bioaccessibility in the stomach, while a Pb speciation analysis revealed a low bioaccessibility for Pb phosphates and high bioaccessibility for organic Pb species. The health risk based on bioaccessible Pb was estimated to be much lower than that of total Pb due to the lower concentrations.

Material Recovery and Environmental Impact by Informal E-Waste Recycling Site in the Philippines

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste) contains both valuable and hazardous substances and there is great demand for metal scrap. To better understand both material recovery and the environmental impacts by informal recycling of e-waste, and to find potential ways to improve the process, we carried out a field survey at an informal recycling site in the Philippines. We identified the Au recovery process used at the site and evaluated the layout of the recycling site. We collected 31 soil samples at the recycling site and analyzed the metal contents of each sample to clarify the metal distribution within the site. We determined that valuable substances (such as Au), as well as hazardous substances (such as Pb), were scattered throughout the soil at the informal recycling site. The results of our cluster analysis indicated that Au, Ag, Pb, and Sb were categorized in the same group. Improvements are needed in the metal recovery process and in hazardous substance emission control in the informal recycling.

Environmental life-cycle impacts and benefits of secondhand CRT TVs exported from Japan to the Philippines

The trade of secondhand electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) from developed to developing countries has become a growing environmental issue owing to concerns about improper recycling of these goods in developing countries. We followed a 40-foot cargo container of cathode-ray-tube color TVs exported from Japan to the Philippines in February 2008. We surveyed the number of TVs damaged in transport, as well as the number of malfunctioning TVs from this shipment. In addition, we present the results of interviews with 113 Filipino consumers who intended to buy secondhand EEE at nine secondhand EEE shops in Metro Manila. Exporter in Japan has collected used EEE through various sources: households, moving companies, hotels, and hospitals. When loading into a container, calculate the load rate which will be over 95% in order to prevent the physical damage of the products. At the time of cargo arrival, approximately 3% of imported products were damaged. Approximately half of imported TVs were malfunctioned; it needed further repairing besides reconditioning voltage and tuner. Based on questionnaire, we assumed that most of consumers in the Philippines prefer to buy secondhand EEE because of cheap price. Average usage years were predicted as 4-5 years. Environmental life-cycle impacts and benefits of Secondhand EEE trade are discussed. The lifetime in the importing country appeared to be the key factor to determining material intensity.

A Case Study on Lifestyles in the Southeast Asian Region from a Sustainable Consumption Point of View

Developing countries continue to struggle to achieve sustainable lifestyles, poverty alleviation, and economic development. Increasing the quantity and quality of consumption generally also means increasing emissions of greenhouse gases and other environmental impacts. The world has recognized the need to decouple economic development (i.e., elevation of the standard of living in developing countries) and resource consumption, but the way to do so remains unclear. The relationship between economic growth and environmental impacts is often discussed in the context of the Kuznets curve, which expresses the development path as an inverted U. One of the ways to decouple that has been discussed in this context is “leap-frogging,” in which developing countries skip (or “compress”) the period of higher environmental impacts in their developmental paths. Structural changes in a country’s industrial sectors are important in this context, including investment in infrastructure, investment in technological innovation, and investment in human resource development (education). The aim of this study was to explore ways to skip the so-called “dirty stages” of development and examine issues related to the “compressed development” concept in the Southeast Asian region, with a particular emphasis on the role of education. To this end, a case study was conducted in Thailand, a relatively newly developed country, in August 2016. A total of 15 individuals were interviewed in Bangkok and Chiang Mai about their current standards of living, social networks, views on education, and future aspirations. The interviewees were from urban and rural areas from five social and economic classes (SECs). Across regional and income categories, (1) people expressed the importance of education in pursuing better lives in the future; (2) people (especially those in the lower SECs) owned more household equipment than we expected, including smart phones, which allowed them access to social networking services and online news; and (3) family was reported as an important safety net, especially for people in lower SECs. In addition, current Thai social, political, and economic conditions influenced people’s perceptions of their “hopes for the future.”