Management Policy for Laboratory Electronic Waste from Grave to Cradle

Abstract

The emerging technological advancement of electronics attracts consumers to continuously update their gadgets (e.g. smartphones and their smart accessories, smart TVs, etc.). Indeed, the growth of electronic production coupled with shorter life span contributes to the alarming rapid transition of electronics to electronic waste (e-waste). The latter describes all electrical and electronic products that are close to or have exceeded the end of their useful life, as well as outdated electronics in the case of developed countries. In the higher education sector, particularly in engineering, laboratory e-waste consists of outdated computers, oscilloscopes, signal generators, printed circuit boards (PCBs), etc. This work, therefore, proposes a management policy for the e-waste of engineering laboratories in universities, whereby outdated or discarded electronic laboratory equipment in the developed countries can be utilised in educational institutions of developing countries. The proposed grave-to-cradle e-waste management enables repair and maintenance of the to-be rescued electronics through laboratory learning activities at either end. Not only would this pioneer policy lead to the reduction of e-waste, but it would also cater for sustainable education and a global transition towards a circular educational economy. The challenges and opportunities for such a policy will be investigated in terms of public (i.e. students, technicians, academics and policy makers) acceptance and engagement in the UK in comparison to that of developing countries in Africa.