Draft Australian e-Waste Standard

The draft Australia/New Zealand standard "Collection, Storage, Transport and Treatment of Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment" (AS/NZS 5377) is available for public comment until 15 May 2012. The document covers computers and telecommunications equipment, as well as other electrical equipment. The contentious issue of estimating the rate of recycling is covered in appendix C of the document. Release of the draft is timely as my ICT Sustainability students at the Australian National University are studying e-Waste this week.

Scope

This Standard sets out principles and minimum requirements for the safe and environmentally sound collection, storage, transport and treatment of used electrical and electronic equipment in order to maximize reuse and material recovery, reduce or eliminate the amount of waste from this equipment going to final disposal operations such as landfill, safeguard worker health, and minimize harm to the environment. This Standard covers electrical and electronic equipment, as outlined in Appendix A, designed for a supply voltage not exceeding 1000 volts for alternating current and 1500 volts for direct current. ...


CONTENTS

SECTION 1 SCOPE, OBJECTIVE APPLICATION AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
1.1 SCOPE 5
1.2 OBJECTIVE 5
1.3 APPLICATION 5
1.4 DEFINITIONS 5
1.5 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 7
1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 8
1.7 RECEIVING, HANDLING AND STORAGE 9
1.8 RECORDS MANAGEMENT 10
1.9 DATA SECURITY 10
1.10 DISPOSAL TO LANDFILL 10

SECTION 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLECTION AND STORAGE FACILITIES
2.1 GENERAL 11
2.2 LICENSING 11
2.3 ACCESS 11
2.4 SIGNAGE AND INFORMATION 11
2.5 STORAGE AND HANDLING 11
2.6 BROKEN OR DUMPED MATERIAL 12
2.7 STOCKPILING 13

SECTION 3 REUSE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
3.1 GENERAL 14
3.2 PREPARING FOR REUSE 14
3.3 HARVESTING OF REUSABLE EQUIPMENT 14
3.4 HARVESTING REUSABLE ASSEMBLIES, COMPONENTS AND PARTS 15
3.5 LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND EXPORT OF USED EQUIPMENT, ASSEMBLIES, COMPONENTS AND PARTS FOR REUSE 15
3.6 RESIDUAL WASTE FROM REUSE ACTIVITIES 15

SECTION 4 REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION
4.1 GENERAL 16
4.2 OBJECTIVES OF TRANSPORTING USED ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 16
4.3 GENERAL TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS 16
4.4 DOMESTIC TRANSPORTATION 16
4.5 EXPORT REQUIREMENTS 16
4.6 IMPORT REQUIREMENTS 17

SECTION 5 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TREATMENT
5.1 GENERAL 18
5.2 PROCESSING AND HANDLING 18
5.3 TRACEABILITY 23
5.4 DOWNSTREAM PROCESSORS AND SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT 23
5.5 RECYCLING AND RECOVERY RECORD MANAGEMENT 23

APPENDICES
A ITEMS DESIGNATED AS ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 24
B MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE PROCESSING, END USE AND METHOD OF DISPOSAL FOR USED ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 29
C DETERMINATION OF RECYCLING AND RECOVERY RATES 35 ...

From: Collection, Storage, Transport and Treatment of Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment, AS/NZS 5377, draft Australia/New Zealand standard