The e-waste cut was one of the main drivers of yesterday’s proposal by European Union lawmakers to impose a universal charger for mobile phones and other devices. But there are still many other factors that need to be put in place for the measure to make a significant difference in the global e-waste problem.
Crowded, unused and discarded chargers add up to about 11,000 metric tons of e-waste in Europe annually, according to the European Parliament. They hope to reduce this battery by eliminating the need for different chargers for different devices, so in a couple of years, most new cell phones will probably have to come with a USB-C charging port. to sell in the EU. The switch to USB-C will help consumers save up to € 250 million a year “on unnecessary charger purchases”, says the EU.
The move is not expected to have a major impact on the massive amount of e-waste that accumulates
The measure is not expected to have a major impact on the massive amount of e-waste that accumulates around the world, experts tell The Verge. However, the decision could have a more symbolic meaning. It’s an example of how tougher regulations can force Big Tech to change its wasteful habits.
“It’s an important step, but it’s definitely not solving the problem of e-waste,” said Ruediger Kuehr, head of the office of the United Nations Training and Research Institute in Bonn, Germany, and manager of the Cycle Program. Sustainable (SCYCLE).
Part of the problem is the sheer magnitude of the devices that eventually become electronic waste, of which chargers make up a small fraction. “[11,000 metric tons] It may sound like a lot, but it’s very small, “says Josh Lepawsky, a professor at Newfoundland Memorial University who researches e-waste.” In terms of presenting itself as a solution, even a partial solution to e-waste, I think it’s a stretch, “says Lepawsky.
Globally, 54,000 metric tons of chargers are wasted each year, according to Kuehr. That’s just about 0.1 percent of the total 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste generated annually, according to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 that Kuehr co-authored.
Whether the new EU standard would eliminate even the 11,000 metric tons of shippers that are dumped in Europe every year is a difficult decision. The new mandate, which is expected to be formally approved by the European Council and the European Parliament by the end of the year, also applies to chargers for other electronic devices: including tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras, portable video game consoles and portable speakers.
The success of the measure in reducing e-waste depends very much on a wild card: human behavior, says Sara Behdad, an associate professor at the School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering at the University of Florida. “The question is whether we use this standardized part to make it easier for users to consume more, or whether we use standardization to encourage reuse, repair, and recovery?” says Behdad.
The success of the e-waste reduction measure depends heavily on a wildcard
In one scenario, if standardizing chargers reduces manufacturing costs because it increases efficiency, there is a risk that lower prices may encourage people to buy more chargers. They may want to buy one for each room, says Behdad, and that could turn into more e-waste.
On the other hand, Behdad points out, parts standardization is generally considered a way to facilitate the repair and recycling of any electronic device. Old chargers are not usually repaired or reused. They’re more likely to languish in someone’s trash can or end up in the trash. If they arrive at a recycling center, they are usually paired with other household electronics and shredded. Once crushed, any valuable material can be recovered.
The most desirable material found in chargers, says Kuehr, is copper. And if recyclers decide to prioritize recycling chargers, standardization could make it easier for them to build infrastructure to classify chargers and improve the quality of the material they recover.
In the meantime, there could be a rough transition from old devices to a universal charger. There is a possibility that there will be a temporary increase in e-waste if people first remove devices that do not meet the new standard. The mandate is expected to take effect in 2024, by the end of the year. The standard will also apply to laptops, but this transition will take longer: 40 months after the standard comes into force.
Kuehr is confident, however, that there will eventually be at least some reduction in e-waste after the transition period. “With any innovation, first there’s a step back before you take several steps forward. I think it’s pretty similar here as well,” Kuehr says.
In the short term, Kuehr and other e-waste experts say it is a big problem that EU lawmakers have cracked down on e-waste by introducing new regulations. For years, the EU has tried to push companies to voluntarily switch to a universal charger. Although there has been progress in this regard, Apple is a clear atypical with its Lightning accessories. European lawmakers now seem willing to handle a stick instead of carrots to get everyone involved.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge, but has previously turned down the mandate. “We are concerned that strict regulation requiring only one type of connector will stifle innovation rather than encourage it, which will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” the company said in a statement to the media in September. However, Apple could avoid the new rule, if rumors are true that it has considered making new phones that only charge wirelessly. The USB-C standard so far applies to devices that are charged via a wired cable. (To learn more about Apple Lightning cables, see this story by Jon Porter of The Verge.)
“Apple needs to embrace its innovation and focus on society’s problem, which is e-waste,” says Scott Cassel, CEO and founder of the nonprofit Product Stewardship Institute, which advocates for policies that require companies treat their products responsibly. once consumers are done with them.
“Hallelujah, It’s been a long time coming”
Europe has been quick to implement such “extended producer responsibility” policies, serving as a model for a mosaic of similar policies that some states have adopted in the US. Cassel is optimistic that the EU’s new step on chargers could indicate similar, or potentially even wider, changes to other parts of the world that will reduce e-waste.
“The EU has tried voluntary initiatives. It didn’t work. And so it shows a strong need for political will to address this global problem, “he said. laces? ”