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Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) represents 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic government and the market economy. With active relationships with some 70 other countries and non-governmental organizations, it has a global reach. Best known for its publications and its statistics, its work also addresses economic and social issues. The OECD plays a prominent role in fostering good governance in the public sector and in corporate activity. It helps governments ensure the responsiveness of key industries with sectoral monitoring. By identifying emerging issues and advocating policies that work, the OECD helps policy-makers adopt strategic viewpoints.

The OECD also produces internationally agreed upon instruments, decisions and recommendations to promote rules on subjects where multilateral agreement is necessary for individual countries to make progress in a globalized economy.

The United States is a member country of the OECD.

Goals of the OECD are:

• To advance environmentally sound recycling of hazardous and other wastes
• To "level the playing field" among OECD countries

OECD Environmental Sound Management (ESM) Program Characteristics

• Broad program for recyclers
• Focus on importing facilities but also domestic recyclers
• Encourage use of third-party certification
• Not mandatory, but countries report on progress

OECD ESM Program Components

1) Council Act/Recommendations - recommendations to countries on waste issues, such as enforcement and inspections

2) Core Performance Elements of Environmentally Sound Management - general best practices for the recovery of waste, including the initial transport, storage, treatment and subsequent storage, transport and disposal of residues. The best practices also provide the basis for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of recoverable wastes, facilities managing waste, and serve as the foundation for waste stream specific guidelines

3) Waste Stream Specific Guidelines - Guidelines for Personal Computers - specific best practices guidelines for facilities that manage personal computers.

The following are more details of each of these components.

1. OECD Council Recommendation

Countries should:

• Have adequate regulations & enforcement
• Have mechanisms for monitoring & controlling compliance with national & international rules
• Ensure facilities use advanced techniques
• Encourage information exchange between producers, generators & recyclers
• Integrate core performance elements into national policies
• Ensure implementation of Waste Stream Specific Guidelines
• Provide incentives for facility implementation of OECD ESM Program

2. OECD Core Performance Elements

Facilities should:

• Be properly authorized/licensed (permitted)
• Have an environmental management system (EMS) in place that includes:
  • Measurable objectives/targets
  • Regular review of progress
  • Collection & review of environmental health and safety data
  • Regular audit/inspection program
  • Periodic facility report on progress
  • Simplified procedures for small firms
• Sufficiently protect workers & the environment
• Have adequate monitoring, record keeping, and reporting of:
  • Compliance with safety requirements
  • Effluents and emissions
  • Incoming, stored, outgoing waste and materials
• Have an adequate training program
• Have an adequate and up-to-date emergency plan
• Have a closure/post-closure plan
  • Includes adequate financial guarantee

3. Waste Stream Specific Guidelines

Both OECD & Basel Convention Technical Guidelines are relevant

• OECD Technical Guidance on Reuse & Recycling of personal computers
  • www.oecd.org/env/waste
  • www.indianarecycling.org/toolkit.htm
• Basel Convention has guidelines on ESM for plastics and is working on metals recycling
  • www.basel.int

OEDC Waste Stream Specific Guidelines – Personal Computers Scope

• Used personal computers (PCs) and laptops
  • CPUs, monitors, printers, etc.
• Scrap from production
• Used PCs for evaluation of reuse potential
• Materials management focus
  • Refers to “used and scrap PCs” rather than using “waste” and “hazardous waste” definitions
• Does not address upstream issues (such as Design for the Environment)

OECD PC Guidelines – Facility 

• Needed controls are dependent upon nature or risks (including size of operation)
  • Refurbishment: lower risks, thus fewer controls
  • Dismantling and raw material recovery: greater risks, thus greater controls
• Flexibility needed in the application of Core Performance Elements

OECD PC Guidelines – Substances of Concern

• Metals:  lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury, lithium
• Chlorinated and brominated compounds
• Antimony and barium
• Batteries
• Of concern in the European Union (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive):
  • Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)
  • Arsenic in Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
  • Liquid Electrolytes

OECD PC Guidelines – Specific Components        

• Processing options and proper handling:
  • Circuit boards
  • Batteries and capacitors
  • Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs)
    • Phosphors
    • Getter (electron gun)
  • Flat panel displays and laptops
  • Insulated wire
  • Ferrous and non-ferrous metals
  • Plastics

OECD PC Guidelines Example – Circuit Boards

• When removing chips - solder melting
  • Fumes:  use of vacuum hoods
• Shredding or burning printed wire boards
  • Capture dust and fumes
    • Air handling systems
    • Personal protection
• Proper burning of plastics
  • Danger of creation of dioxins/furans
  • Time and temperature controls

OECD PC Guidelines Example – Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Glass

• Use in new CRT glass
  • Steps in CRT dismantling
    • Removal of vacuum
    • Removal of phosphors
    • Separation of glass types
• Worker protection from dust
• Input to lead or copper smelter
• Dismantling and removal of plastics
• Slag disposal

Use of leaded glass in construction materials, blasting grit or other abrasives would not meet ESM standards.

OECD PC Guidelines – Transport

• Importing facilities must optimize opportunities for REUSE or material recovery, considering technology and cost
  • Otherwise, does not meet ESM standards
• Within OECD, transboundary shipments of hazardous waste governed by OECD control system
  • Some OECD countries now apply control systems to all used PCs
• Removal of hazardous components not necessary prior to transboundary movement; but, strict controls apply.

 

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