ABSTRACT
The Switzerland Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1214 29.3 Handling, Management, and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Wastes:
The U.S. Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1214 29.4 General Requirements for Collection, Separation, and Disposal of Electrical and
Electronic Wastes Containing Particularly Hazardous Substances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1216 29.5 Practical Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1216
29.5.1 General Management and Disposal of Electronic Waste Appliances . . . . . . 1216 29.5.2 General Management and Disposal of Large
Electrical Waste Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1218 29.5.3 General Management and Disposal of Small Electrical Waste Appliances . . . . 1218 29.5.4 General Management and Disposal of Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Waste Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1219 29.5.5 General Management and Disposal of Universal Wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1220 29.5.6 Management and Disposal of a Speci c Electronic Waste: CRTs . . . . . . . . . 1223 29.5.7 Management and Disposal of Mercury-Containing Equipment
Including Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1223 29.5.8 Management, Reuse, Recycle, and Disposal of Vehicle Batteries . . . . . . . . . 1225 29.5.9 Management, Reuse, Recycle, and Disposal of Household Batteries . . . . . . . 1226 29.5.10 Management of Electronic Wastes: Waste Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1230 29.5.11 Nanotechnology for Mercury Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1230 29.5.12 Solidi cation (Cementation) Technology for
Hazardous E-Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1231 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1232
The disposal of electrical and electronic wastes around the world has not been very satisfactory. The rapid evolution of electrical, electronic, information, and communication technologies leads to an increased production of such wastes in the future. It is our ideal objective that we do not dispose of
best to create separate disposal paths for electrical and electronic wastes. Some electrical and electronic wastes contain hazardous, but recyclable components, in particular metals. These can be recovered at a justi able expense only if the appliances are collected separately and treated by suitable processes. In addition, there are often problematic legal and managerial issues on waste labeling, handling, packaging, transportation, and disposition. Different countries have established their national policies to solve the problems of hazardous wastes and universal wastes.1-11
Each country establishes its own ordinance on the handling, disposal, and general management of electrical and electronic wastes. The Swiss government has established the Ordinance on Return, Taking Back, and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Appliances (ORDEA), which forms the legal framework allowing the industrial and commercial sectors to establish tailored and ef cient return and recycling schemes.4 Switzerland’s Ordinance takes into account the regulations on cooperation between the country’s Federal Council and private sectors that the Parliament has included in the revised Law relating to the Protection of the Environment. Their ORDEA came into force on July 1, 1998. Its provisions are short and primarily regulate the following:
1. Users of electrical and electronic appliances must bring worn-out appliances back to the manufacturers, importers, or dealers or to specialized disposal rms.
