Biswajit Debnath

Waste electrical and electronic equipment management and Basel Convention compliance in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations account for one-quarter of the world’s land area, having more than 40% of the world’s population, and only one-quarter of the world gross national income. Hence the study and review of waste electrical and electronic equipment management systems in BRICS nations is of relevance. It has been observed from the literature that there are studies available comparing two or three country’s waste electrical and electronic equipment status, while the study encompassing the BRICS nations considering in a single framework is scant. The purpose of this study is to analyse the existing waste electrical and electronic equipment management systems and status of compliance to Basel convention in the BRICS nations, noting possible lessons from matured systems, such as those in the European Union EU) and USA. The study introduced a novel framework for a waste electrical and electronic equipment management system that may be adopted in BRICS nations and revealed that BRICS countries have many similar types of challenges. The study also identified some significant gaps with respect to the management systems and trans-boundary movement of waste electrical and electronic equipment, which may attract researchers for further research.

E-Waste Recycling as Criteria for Green Computing Approach: Analysis by QFD Tool

Green computing is an environmentally responsible approach to reduce electronic waste and power consumption that helps in use of computing resources efficiently. With the increase in use of computer and other electronic devices the energy consumption and carbon footprint are also increasing. E-waste recycling is one of the important approaches towards green computing. This paper focuses on the approaches of green computing and how it minimizes the environmental impacts of computers and other electronic devices effectively by e-waste recycling. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) analytical tool is used to find different parameters from primary research data those affect the e-waste recycling practice as green computing approach. The result will help the stakeholders in implementing green computing approach.

Sustainability of metal recovery from E-waste

The issue of E-waste disposal is concerning all the stakeholders, from policymakers to the end users which have accelerated the research and development on environmentally sound disposal of E-waste. The recovery of metals (gold, tantalum, copper, iron etc.) from E-waste has become an important focus. The mechanical recycling, thermo-chemical processes like pyrolysis, pyro-, hydro- and biometallurgical processes can play important roles in the Metal Recovery from E-waste (MREW) technology. For the industrial application of the MREW technology, it is important to analyze the sustainability. In this paper, two case studies have been presented on E-waste recycling industries in India and China. Based on the literature data, an attempt has been made to assess qualitatively the overall sustainability of MREW technology considering the three pillars, i.e., environmental, economic and social. Two conceptual frameworks with (Option-2) and without (Option-1) pyrolysis for integrated MREW units have been developed and the generalized energy and environmental impact analysis has been made using the principles of LCA. The impacts of two options have been compared. Option 2 has been found to be more efficient and sustainable. It has been realized that climate change, fossil fuel depletion, water depletion, eutrophication, acidification, fresh and marine water ecotoxicity are possible impact categories. The recommendations based on the generalized assessment are in good agreement with the findings of previous researchers on individual steps of MREW unit. The findings of this paper are expected to be beneficial to researchers and stakeholders for research directions and decision making on MREW.

Security Threat Analysis and Prevention Techniques in Electronic Waste

With the rapid growth of information and communication technology (ICT), an increasing number of electronic gadgets like computers, cell phones, entertainment electronics gadgets, and others are being sold to consumers, and when these gadgets stop functioning or become obsolete or unwanted by a user, they get converted to e-waste, also known as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This e-waste is either disposed of in landfills or recycled by burning and dissolution in strong acids. But all of these processes can cause hazards to the environment and human health. So, new approaches to manage e-waste effectively have been proposed and implemented to deal with the environment and human health hazards, which include reusing electronic components (EC) which are still functional within waste electronic gadgets via secondary markets. The parts of waste electronic gadgets that cannot be reused are recycled to recover the materials from them. In this paper, the security concerns arising due to reusing and recycling process through reverse engineering of waste electronic gadgets that can lead to piracy and cloning have been explored and possible existing solutions have been reviewed against the security concerns. On the other hand, since reusable ECs are entering the semiconductor industry supply chain through a secondary market, the supply chain security concerns that can arise due to mixing of a brand-new EC with old reusable ones are considered and possible existing solutions have been stated to address the problem. Also, the possibility of leakage of information from waste storage devices like hard drives has been considered and technique to prevent that has been inspected.

An Analysis of E-Waste Recycling Technologies from the Chemical Engineering Perspective

Technological advancements and changes in lifestyle have led to the generation of a behemoth amount of e-waste worldwide. The demand of new Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) is also increasing which is leading to rapid depletion of primary resources. Resource recovery and recycling of e-waste is the only option to keep things in balance. There are many technologies for e-waste recycling which are in practice, such as pyrolysis, gasification, leaching, biosorption. Reported literature includes stand-alone experimental works, sustainability analysis and systematic reviews of e-waste recycling technologies. Most of these recycling processes have some chemical engineering aspects which are inherent but yet overlooked in most of the cases. Studies envisaging the chemical engineering aspects of these technologies are scant. In this study, a detailed analysis of these e-waste recycling technologies from the chemical engineering perspective has been presented. Transport properties, kinetics, thermodynamics, etc., have been taken into consideration for carrying out the analysis. The findings of this paper will enable the researchers in this field for further process development.

Carbon Nanotubes as a Resourceful Product Derived from Waste Plastic—A Review

Generation of wastes increases exponentially with the advancement of lifestyle, and out of different types of wastes in this planet, a behemoth portion of the waste is constituted of varying polymers. Researches are going on to mitigate this threat of leviathan quantities of waste plastics around the globe. Landfilling and incineration are one of the ways to eradicate the problems related to waste polymers but the processes of landfilling and incineration are not that amenable techniques. The process of incineration favours the recovery of energy but both social and economic limitations associated with it has made the process quite incompetent. Hence, it is imperative to find a new way to mitigate this problem. In the past decade, researchers after strenuous investigations have found that recycling of plastics can be utilized as one of the cardinal ways to mitigate the threat of the large quantity of waste plastics. Additionally, it has also been revealed that wastes’ plastics can serve the purpose of being one of the consequential precursors of carbonaceous feeds that can be recycled under appropriate reacting conditions to produce carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of varying forms and qualities and also to meet the challenge of finite nature of fossil fuels. CNTs possess an exceptional chemical, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties which have attracted great scientific and technological interests to explore it for realistic and practical applications. CNTs with these unique properties have found numerous applications in various genres of science and technology innovations. Several methods have been developed and reported that is followed to synthesize CNTs of different forms under proper reacting conditions in the presence of suitable catalysts (nickel based, cobalt based, iron based, etc.). Different forms of CNTs are available among which the production of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) from waste polymers is feasible and satisfactory. Though there are various methods available for synthesis of CNTs, benchmark and feasible method for CNTs synthesis is yet to be reported. In depth, investigations are required to carry out to develop a feasible method that will utilize either virgin or waste plastics as the carbon precursors to synthesize CNTs, taking all the parameters under consideration influencing both the quality and quantity of it. The questions that need to find answer are—What are the parameters influencing the mechanism of growth of both the forms of CNTs (SWCNTs/MWCNTs) from plastics (virgin and waste)? How can the decomposition temperature be reduced to make the process not only efficient in terms of saving energy but also in terms of abjuring the formation of both dioxins and furans? How to make the process more feasible so that it can be a good alternative to improvise the quality of CNTs from wastes’ plastics? In this paper, a review has been presented discussing various methods available till date for synthesis of CNTs from virgin and waste polymers ranging from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate to polyvinyl alcohol. Finally, the paper proposes an optimal route for the production of CNTs from plastics. It is evident that the genre of converting low-valued materials to value-added products such as carbon nanotubes that can be explored for various applications is not only a promising route in terms of recycling technology but also in terms of sustainability

Analysis of E-Waste Supply Chain Framework in India Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

E-waste in general termed as “Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipments (WEEE)” is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Rapid product obsolescence and short life cycles are key driving forces for this environmental problem. WEEE contains a high quantity of toxic and hazardous materials. E-waste management is a difficult task and requires environmentally safe and economical methods. Establishing a proper supply chain network for collection and segregation of e-waste is the most important step. The study develops as holistic supply chain framework to improve the sustainability of the e-waste management system in India considering the requirement of the e-waste processing plant. Specifically this paper addresses the following three questions—What are the issues and challenges in the supply chain framework considering the environmental criteria, legislative criteria and other stakeholder’s requirements? What are the areas needed to be improved considering the WEEE producer requirements? Which supply chain characteristics of a WEEE processing plant are needed to be strengthened? The study follows a case study approach. Firstly, a questionnaire was developed based on the primary research and a survey was followed. Secondly, the answers obtained from the field study were used to analyse using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and thirdly, the drawbacks were interpreted from the results of the AHP analysis. Finally, using the results, a sustainable supply chain framework was proposed. A number of researches are available in this field but works considering the requirements of different stakeholders are scant. Further few studies are available considering the supply chain of India. This research will be helpful for researchers and the stakeholders of e-waste management.

Estimation of E-waste Generation—A Lifecycle-Based Approach

The problem of e-waste disposal is a very well-known fact, and its generation is increasing exponentially every year. In 2015, 54 million tons of e-waste was generated, whereas it has been predicted that around 50 million tons of e-waste will be generated worldwide by 2018, by the UN report. Another source predicts that e-waste generation will be 72 million tons by 2017. This anomaly exists due to the different methodologies adopted in prediction of e-waste. The most common method used so far to calculate the amount of e-waste generated is as follows. The amount of EEE sold by manufacturers is collected first. The average lifespan of an EEE is known. Thus, applying the average lifespan of the EEE on the amount sold per year, the amount of e-waste is calculated. However, this method is not free from flaws since a sizable portion of the EEE, once the average lifespan is over, does not directly become e-waste. They land in the second-hand market and are resold, and are again used for more number of years. Hence, the process of becoming e-waste for these recycled products is delayed. Once an EEE leaves the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the lifecycle of an EEE begins. After a certain time of use, the user may discard it for several reasons, which then becomes Used EEE (UEEE). One can exchange this UEEE for a newer and upgraded models (or cash) via authorized or unauthorized resellers, in which case also the UEEE lands up in the second-hand market. The original user can also discard the product completely so that it lands up as e-waste. From the e-waste, precious metals are recovered through recycling process and the discarded parts mostly end up as landfill. In this paper, a model has been proposed based on the lifecycle of EEE. Based on this model, an attempt has been made to predict the amount of e-waste generation in India. Standard data available from the data bank of EU has been used for this purpose. The work has been carried out using Vensim software. The results have been compared with the real-life data.

Indian Agro-wastes for 2G Biorefineries: Strategic Decision on Conversion Processes

Biorefineries are globally contemplated as the viable platforms for the highly anticipated substitution of fossil-based economy by the bio-based economy. A biorefinery offers the advantage of converting a remarkable variety of biomass feedstocks to different types of biofuels and biochemicals. A great extent of rigorous effort is currently being made for the upgrading of existing biorefinery frameworks to fully attain the sustainability standards required to warrant their full-scale implementation. As a consequence of the mandatory inclusion of the sustainability goals into the biorefinery concept and the escalating concern on the ‘food-fuel conflict’, the second generation (2G) of biorefineries are garnering quick popularity over their first-generation counterparts. In India, there exist huge prospects of development of 2G biorefineries exploiting the abundant resources of the lignocellulosic agro-wastes. Indian agro-wastes display an extraordinary variety of lignocellulosic biomass and round-the-year availability in copious amounts. Unfortunately, due to lack of awareness and poor valorization, these valuable agro-wastes are often destroyed in mass scale for waste management instead of being utilized in a productive way. The major focus of the present chapter is to present a categorical classification of Indian agro-wastes based on their appearance in the supply chain. The adaptability of Indian agro-wastes towards 2G biorefinery has been assessed using their availability, thermochemical properties and composition of a few specific feedstocks, namely, rice straw, rice husk, wheat straw, oil seed press cakes, sugarcane bagasse, coconut shell, banana peels and stems. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been used to decide on the strategy of application of stand-alone biochemical or thermochemical processes and their hybrids for the conversion of different candidate feedstocks in the 2G biorefineries with respect to sustainability parameters.