Transcript Technology Update

Sydney Region
Options for Recycling and Re-Using computers:
Sydney Region
Background
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are an integral part of our lives
and our schools. School communities have invested in these technologies for many
years and since 1996 the NSW government has provided computers to schools
under two central programs:
1. The Computers in Schools Program (CISP)
155,000 new computers to NSW public schools between 1996 and 2004
2. Technology for Learning (T4L)
100,000 new computers to NSW public schools between 2005 and 2008
Some schools also received computers as part of the Computer Technologies for
Schools project (CTFS – second hand stuff)
Moore’s Law
The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that the
number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year
since the integrated circuit was invented. In subsequent years data density has
doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of
Moore's Law.
Sydney Region
The environmental impact
The computer industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the
world. It is also an industry with rapid product obsolescence and therefore, has
become a primary source of producing discarded electronics or (E-waste). E-waste
consists of a wide range of hazardous materials including lead, cadmium and
mercury.
Most old computers, if disposed of under normal channels, will end up as landfill or
in incinerators. If E-waste is used as landfill or incinerated, toxins will leach into the
ground water from landfill and incinerators will pollute the air by emitting toxic
chemicals when E-waste is burnt.
Sydney Region
The environmental impact #2
Computer monitors consist of a picture tube or cathode ray tube that converts
electrical signals to visual images. Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) consist of large
amounts of lead which protects users from radiation. It is estimated that on
average a monitor contains about 2-4 kilograms of lead. It has been found that
CRTs are the largest source of lead in municipal waste.
Twenty two percent of the world’s production of mercury is now being used in the
electronic industry and a substantial proportion of this is used by the computer
industry. Mercury is found in switches, flat panel monitors and circuit boards.
The largest source of cadmium in municipal waste comes from rechargeable
batteries which are commonly used in computers. Cadmium is also used in the
manufacture of semiconductors and resistors.
Brominated flame retardants are used in the manufacture of the plastic housing
used in computers and electronic circuit boards.
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The environmental impact #3
Hexavalent chromium is used for corrosion protection of untreated galvanized
plates in computers.
Beryllium is widely used in the motherboards and the finger clips because of its
good heat and electrical conductivity and the improvement in tensile strength.
A considerable part of computers is made up of plastics. On average about 5.5
kilograms of plastic is used in an ordinary desktop computer. The most commonly
used plastic has been poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) and is mainly used in computer
cabling and housing.
There is a growing trend to replace CRT computer monitors with flat panel liquid
crystal displays (LCDs) which are generally used in laptop computers. These
displays use a fluorescent tube that contains mercury to illuminate the LC screen.
Sydney Region
The environmental impact #4
A considerable part of computers is made up of plastics. On average about 5.5
kilograms of plastic is used in an ordinary desktop computer. The most commonly
used plastic has been poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) and is mainly used in computer
cabling and housing.
There is a growing trend to replace CRT computer monitors with flat panel liquid
crystal displays (LCDs) which are generally used in laptop computers. These
displays use a fluorescent tube that contains mercury to illuminate the LC screen.
Sydney Region
The environmental impact #5
Lead
Found in: circuit boards, monitors, cathode-ray tubes
Effects: Harms the body by disrupting enzyme systems delivered by other metals
important to the body such as iron, calcium and zinc
Mercury
Found in: circuit boards, batteries, florescent lights, monitors, computer
thermostats
Effects: Exposure to high levels can permanently damage the brain and kidney and
can harm a feotus
Cadmium
Found in: monitors, batteries
Effects: Breathing air with high levels of cadmium over a long period of time can
cause kidney disease, lung damage and increase the chances of lung cancer.
Source: Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A South Australian Perspective, July 2000
Sydney Region
The environmental impact #6
Australian Landfill estimates
In 2004, up to 15 000 tonnes of computer waste is sent to landfill each year,
according to the NSW Department Of Environment and Conservation.
A report for the Federal Department of Environment and Heritage in 2001;
concludes that in 2006 Australians will send 1.8 million computers into storage and
dump 1.6 million in landfill.
www.sdeh.gov.au/industry/waste/electricals/computer-report/executivesummary.html
Sydney Morning Herald. ICON, 3-4 April 2004
Sydney Region
Options for Schools
1. Alternative use of the computer
Simple applications only, usually standalone
OASIS terminal (Intel computer)
Thin Client (Intel computer)
2. Re Use
Decommissioning of the computer and donation to another school or an authorised
agency
3. Recycling or Reprocessing “end of life “ management options.
Recycling
A process by which computer equipment otherwise destined for landfill disposal is
collected, reprocessed, or remanufactured and used to make a product.
Sydney Region
ReConnect Computer ReUse Program
The NSW Government has initiated a program that will see unwanted
working computers from Government agencies refurbished and distributed
to disadvantaged educational institutions, individuals and community
groups.
The six vendors are: CTC@NSW, Client Computers, Newtrain Inc,
Technical Aids for the Disabled, Wesley Uniting Employment, Work
Vending Connect.
It is estimated that over the next three years, more than 29,000 computers
will become redundant inside NSW Government departments for
placement through the program.
Sydney Region
ReConnect Computer ReUse Program
The following minimum standards have been set in consultation with the
collaborative organisations.
Working CPU with a clock speed of at least 233 MHz;
Minimum of 32MB RAM;
Minimum of a 2GB Hard Drive;
Inclusion of all required components in working order ie, Monitor (at least 800 x
600 resolution), Keyboard, Mouse, Floppy Disk Drive, CD ROM and associated
cables/plugs;
Inclusion in the CPU of all component parts including the Hard Drive, RAM, CDROM, and Sound Cards and Modem (if applicable);
Hard disk drives must be cleaned.
Donors are asked to not:
Drill holes or otherwise damage the hard drive;
'Cannibalise' the CPU for the Hard Drive, CD-ROM, RAM, Sounds Cards, Modem or
other components.
Sydney Region
ReConnect Computer ReUse Program in Sydney Region
Process for schools
Schools follow audit guidelines and remove computer equipment from their assets
register. Equipment can be classified as either beyond economic repair or surplus to
requirements
Computer hard drives are decommissioned (wiped)
Schools complete an inventory of decommissioned computers and IT equipment
using the spreadsheet provided: SRSurplusHW.xls
Inventory can be viewed by other schools via Sydney Region website (intranet).
Swaps/donations organised by schools. Schools to advise RO of changes to
inventory
Inventory is then adjusted and then made available to Reconnect
Reconnect to collect suitable equipment
Recyclers to collect equipment not wanted by ReConnect. There may be a fee
involved in this collection.
Sydney Region
Reference sites
NSW Environmental Protection Authority
www.epa.nsw.gov.au
Waste from electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) report
www.environment.sa.gov.au/epa/pdfs/weee.pdf
www.computerbank.org.au
www.recyclingnearyou.com.au
www.cleanup.com.au
www.dec.nsw.gov.au
www.planetark.com
www.workventures.com.au
The Basel convention: an international treaty forbids the export of toxic waste.
www.basel.int
Sydney Region
Sydney Region
Sydney Region
Sydney Region
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