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Journal ArticleDOI

Informal electronic waste recycling: A sector review with special focus on China

01 Apr 2011-Waste Management (Pergamon)-Vol. 31, Iss: 4, pp 731-742
TL;DR: Information on informal e-waste management is gathered, a look at its particular manifestations in China is taken, and some of the main difficulties of the current Chinese approach are identified.
About: This article is published in Waste Management.The article was published on 2011-04-01. It has received 487 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Electronic waste & Extended producer responsibility.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper developed a theoretical model on the different types of institutional pressures motivating manufacturing enterprises to pursue green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and commensurate performance outcomes.

778 citations


Cites background from "Informal electronic waste recycling..."

  • ...From August 2008, WEEE related regulations have been stricter, but Chinese manufacturers have not been more active to cooperate with customers such as taking back used products due to existing informal recyclers and lack of a used products collection system due to their lack of understanding of the implications of this regulation (Chi et al., 2011; Ju et al., 2010)....

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  • ...…manufacturers have not been more active to cooperate with customers such as taking back used products due to existing informal recyclers and lack of a used products collection system due to their lack of understanding of the implications of this regulation (Chi et al., 2011; Ju et al., 2010)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A critical review of 222 published LCA studies of SWMS found that there is little agreement in the conclusions among them and recommend stakeholders in solid waste management to regard LCA as a tool, which allows identifying critical problems and proposing improvement options adapted to the local specificities.

553 citations


Cites background from "Informal electronic waste recycling..."

  • ...For example, more than 70% of the global e-waste flows to China, where informal electronic recycling is performed at the expense of public and environmental health (Chi et al., 2011; Vergara and Tchobanoglous, 2012)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
10 Aug 2012-Science
TL;DR: The most beneficial actions that could improve recycling rates are increased collection rates of discarded products, improved design for recycling, and the enhanced deployment of modern recycling methodology.
Abstract: Metals are infinitely recyclable in principle, but in practice, recycling is often inefficient or essentially nonexistent because of limits imposed by social behavior, product design, recycling technologies, and the thermodynamics of separation. We review these topics, distinguishing among common, specialty, and precious metals. The most beneficial actions that could improve recycling rates are increased collection rates of discarded products, improved design for recycling, and the enhanced deployment of modern recycling methodology. As a global society, we are currently far away from a closed-loop material system. Much improvement is possible, but limitations of many kinds--not all of them technological--will preclude complete closure of the materials cycle.

550 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It seems that hydrometallurgical route will be a key player in the base and precious metals recoveries from e-waste, along with purification and refining.

465 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The faster growth of e-waste generated in the developing than in the developed world presages continued expansion of a pervasive and inexpensive informal processing sector, efficient in its own way, but inherently hazard-ridden.

438 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the general characteristics of informal recycling are reviewed, highlighting both positive and negative aspects, and issues associated with integrating informal recycling into the formal waste management sector are discussed.

826 citations


"Informal electronic waste recycling..." refers background in this paper

  • ...In the recycling sector, the literature shows that informal waste recycling is carried out by poor and marginalized social groups who resort to scavenging and waste picking for income and survival (Wilson et al., 2006)....

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  • ...Therefore integrating the informal sector into waste management planning while working to improve efficiency and the living and working conditions of those involved is a preferred option (Wilson et al., 2006)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is obvious that the environment is highly contaminated by these toxic chemicals derived from the recycling processes, especially on tracking the exposure pathways of different toxic chemicals which may affect the workers and local residents especially mothers, infants and children.

719 citations

Posted Content
TL;DR: The authors provide a general overview of contributions to the literature on the informal sector, with a special focus on the PublicChoice approach, and compare these contributions across two institutionallydifferent types of countries: developed and less developed (developing and transition)countries.
Abstract: The main goal of this study is two-fold: (1) to provide a general overview of thecontributions to the literature on the informal sector, with a special focus on the PublicChoice approach; and (2) to compare these contributions across two institutionallydifferent types of countries: developed and less developed (developing and transition)countries. The paper focuses on the criteria used to define the informal sector, therelationship between the formal and informal economy, tax evasion, and PublicChoice analysis. It is stressed throughout this paper that the distinction between thetwo types of countries is of key importance.

673 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the contributions to the literature on the informal sector with a special focus on the public choice approach and compare these contributions across two institutionsally different types of countries: developed and less developed (developing and transition) countries.
Abstract: The main goal of this study is two-fold: (1) to provide ageneral overview of the contributions to the literature on theinformal sector, with a special focus on the public choiceapproach; and (2) to compare these contributions across twoinstitutionally different types of countries: developed andless developed (developing and transition) countries. Thepaper focuses on the criteria used to define the informalsector, the relationship between the formal and informaleconomy, tax evasion, and public choice analysis. It isstressed throughout this paper that the distinction betweenthe two types of countries is of key importance.

663 citations