E-waste Crisis
The dark side of electronics
Circular Economy
Basel Convention on
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous Waste
E-waste recycling
100
This term refers to discarded electronic devices (computer monitors, t.v. etc) which are increasingly being shipped from wealthier nations to countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.
What is e-waste?
100
Despite the growing e-waste problem, Thailand’s government has struggled to regulate this aspect of the industry, often leaving informal operations unregulated.
What is e-waste recycling?
100
This economic system aims to keep materials in circulation through processes like reuse, refurbishment, and recycling, while regenerating nature and tackling global challenges like climate change and pollution.
What is the circular economy?
100
While many parties have ratified the Basel Convention, this major global power has only signed but never ratified the treaty.
What is the United States?
100
This project uses GPS tracking devices to follow e-waste, revealing what really happens when people dispose of their electronics.
What is the e-Trash Transparency Project?
200
Once a major destination for global e-waste, this Asian country banned its import in 2018, forcing companies to seek alternatives in Thailand and other nations.
What is China
200
DAILY DOUBLE: This Southeast Asian country has become a key destination for illegal shipments of e-waste, contributing to the region’s growing environmental crisis.
What is Thailand?
200
This traditional economic model involves extracting raw materials, producing products, and eventually discarding them as waste, often leading to environmental harm.
What is take-make-waste?
200
This addition to the Basel Convention allows countries to enter into separate bilateral agreements for the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, as long as they ensure environmentally sound management.
What is the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)?
200
This term refers to the practice where recyclers falsely claim responsible disposal but actually export e-waste illegally, often bypassing international regulations.
What is scam recycling?
300
Informal e-waste recycling methods often involve this highly toxic metal, which can cause neurological damage and other health problems.
What is lead?
300
This recycling center in Thailand has been criticized for improper handling of e-waste, and has been raided by the police and only fined $650 for each infraction.
What is New Sky Metal Recycling?
300
This is the process in the circular economy that focuses on maintaining, reusing, and remanufacturing products like a phone to retain their value, with recycling as a final step.
What is the technical cycle?
300
DAILY DOUBLE: As of June 2024, this number of UN member states had ratified the Basel Convention.
What is 188?
300
This organization placed 200 tracking devices in discarded electronics across the U.S., revealing that many ended up in Asia, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
What is BAN?
400
While intended to provide clean energy to rural communities without electricity, these products contribute to the e-waste crisis when their lithium batteries expire.
What are solar lamps?
400
According to the United Nations, this amount of electronic waste is produced globally each year as consumers frequently replace their electronics with the latest models.
What is 50 million tons?
400
This movement advocates for laws that allow consumers to fix their own devices, ensuring access to repair manuals, spare parts, and tools to extend product life.
What is the right to repair?
400
New amendments to the Basel Convention now require prior informed consent for the export of this type of waste.
What is e-waste?
400
DAILY DOUBLE: This state became the first to enact a law requiring the recycling of electronic devices, setting the standard for future e-waste legislation.
What is California?
500
DAILY DOUBLE: This company, which handled e-waste from solar companies like M-Kopa and Mobisol, went bankrupt in 2019 due to lack of funding and regulatory support.
What is Phenix Recycling?
500
If electronic waste is not incinerated at a high enough temperature, this toxic substance can infiltrate the food supply, causing cancer and developmental issues.
What are dioxins?
500
Draw the Butterfly Diagram
500
These three countries are prohibited from importing hazardous waste from the United States due to restrictions under Article 11 of the Basel Convention.
What are Malaysia, Costa Rica, and the Philippines?
500
This is the approximate number of electronic products owned by the average American household.
What is 24?