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  • 1.
    Hedlund-Åström, Anna
    et al.
    KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Machine Design (Dept.), Machine Elements.
    Björklund, Anna
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering.
    Umair, Shakila
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC.
    Life cycle cost and environmental effect analysis for a Ro-Pax superstructure in composite material2008Conference paper (Refereed)
  • 2.
    Umair, Shakila
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Informal Electronic Waste Recycling in Pakistan2015Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    The aim of this thesis was to study governance aspects of informal electronic waste recycling and to provide better knowledge of the business in terms of structure, stakeholders, governance aspects and social impacts.

    The thesis consists of a cover essay and two papers appended at the end of the thesis. The cover essay summarizes the papers and puts them in context. The objective of Paper I is to study the business of informal electronic waste recycling in Pakistan and highlight its governance issues. Paper II assesses the social impacts of this business using UNEP-SETAC Guidelines.

    The thesis examines these specific questions: Q1) What is the current situation of informal e-waste recycling in Pakistan? Q2) Who are the important stakeholders and what are their roles in this business? Q3) What are the governance issues enabling this informal business? Q4) What are the social impacts for individuals and society arising from this business?

    Paper I presents the international and local e-waste flows, business structure, the stakeholders involved and the existing governance issues of the business. It shows weak enforcement of legislation, the complexities emerging with numerous stakeholders, the profitability of informal recycling, little concern for the health damaging exposure for workers from poorest and most vulnerable people in society, and the lack of awareness of the hazards involved results in several governance issues. The paper also highlights how this business lacks characteristics of good governance, which makes it a challenge to control this business.

    Paper II assesses the social impacts of informal e-waste recycling in Pakistan using UNEP/SETAC guidelines for conducting a Social Lifecycle Analysis (SLCA). It showed that this business has positive impacts relating to societal issues and individual/family economics, and in the economic development of Pakistan but otherwise most impacts were negative. The findings of Paper II fill an important data gap and can be integrated with data on other stages of ICT product lifecycle to produce a full SLCA of such products.

    Download full text (pdf)
    Thesis
  • 3.
    Umair, Shakila
    et al.
    KTH.
    Anderberg, S.
    Potting, J.
    Informal electronic waste recycling in Pakistan2016In: The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management, ISSN 1088-1697, Vol. 42, no 3, p. 222-235Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is growing dramatically all over the world. The fast growth and diffusion of ICTs, their early obsolescence and short life have made electronic waste (e-waste) to the fastest growing waste stream in the world. This waste stream is valuable and highly toxic at the same time, and therefore it requires proper handling. Most e-waste currently ends up in developing countries, like Pakistan, where it is usually recycled informally. Informal recycling involves crude processes, which harm the environment and have severe impacts on the health of recycling workers. This paper analyses the e-waste flows and the informal recycling system in Pakistan, and related governance challenges. Based on field studies in three major cities in Pakistan, we investigate why the e-waste flows keep entering the country, the routes through which they end up in the informal recycling, the actual recycling processes, and identify the various stakeholders and their roles. The analysis illustrates the poor governance that results from weak enforcement of legislation, the complexities emerging with numerous stakeholders, the profitability of informal recycling, little concern for the health damaging exposure for workers from poorest and most vulnerable people in society, and the lack of awareness of the hazards involved. The paper highlights how this business is a market driven entity without priority for proper e-waste handling, which is also hampered by lacking characteristics of good governance, which make it a challenge to control this business.

  • 4.
    Umair, Shakila
    et al.
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Anderberg, S.
    Potting, Josepha
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Informal electronic waste recycling in PakistaManuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
  • 5.
    Umair, Shakila
    et al.
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC.
    Björklund, Anna
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Ekener, Elisabeth
    KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms). KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC.
    Social impact assessment of informal recycling of electronic ICT waste in Pakistan using UNEP SETAC guidelines2015In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling, ISSN 0921-3449, E-ISSN 1879-0658, Vol. 95, p. 46-57Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    New and improved Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is being produced every day. With every new product on the market, an older product becomes obsolete. These obsolete products are being added to the world's fastest growing waste stream, ICT electronic waste (e-waste). This is formally recycled in developed countries, stockpiled, landfilled or shipped to developing countries, such as Pakistan, here it is recycled informally through crude processes (e.g. manual dismantling, burning, dumping and dipping in acids to extract gold and other precious metals). This study assessed the social impacts of informal e-waste recycling in Pakistan using data obtained in a detailed on-site inventory of the processes directly involved in informal e-waste recycling. The inventory and assessment were conducted according to United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) guidelines on Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA). The results presented in this paper fill an important data gap and can be integrated with data on other stages of ICT product lifecycle to produce a full SLCA of such products.

  • 6.
    Umair, Shakila
    et al.
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC. KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Björklund, Anna
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC. KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Ekener, Elisabeth
    KTH, School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC), Centres, Centre for Sustainable Communications, CESC. KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Sustainable development, Environmental science and Engineering, Environmental Strategies Research (fms).
    Social Life Cycle Inventory and Impact Assessment of Informal recycling of Electronic ICT Waste in Pakistan2013In: ICT4S 2013: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Sustainability, ETH Zurich, February 14-16, 2013 / [ed] Lorenz M. Hilty, Bernard Aebischer, Göran Andersson, Wolfgang Lohmann, Zürich, 2013, p. 52-58Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In order to meet the growing needs of information and communication technology, companies are producing new and improved products every day. With every new product in the market another product becomes obsolete. These obsolete products are being added to the world’s fastest growing waste stream. 20-50 million computers become waste each year. It has been estimated that 20% of electronic waste is formally recycled, while 80% is shipped to developing countries where it is recycled informally through crude process. It’s manually dismantled, burned, dumped and dipped in acids to extract precious metals. One such nation which is at the receiving end of this waste stream is Pakistan. This business has become a very profitable business and requires very little expertise to conduct these crude procedures. These activities do not just add toxics to the environment but has great social and health impact on its workers. There lies a great need to study the impacts of these processes on environment, workers, community and the society. In order to study this, a detailed on-site inventory and assessment of informal electronic waste recycling has been conducted using the UNEP guidelines on Social Life Cycle Assessment. This study shows that apart from income generation and recovery of various metals and materials, informal recycling has drastic impacts on its workers and the local community.

1 - 6 of 6
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