The purpose of this study is to provide environmentally sound management on the import of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEEs) by investigating the hazardous elements, and the hazardous characteristics thereof, in this waste, and by reviewing the extant criteria causing them to exhibit an Annex III characteristic on Basel Convention. The investigation of imported WEEEs found that the importing volume has gradually increased since 2009 and 95.9% of imported WEEEs, which are mainly classified as Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and its scrap in 2015, is designated as restriction wastes. Also, it is important to designate and unify the hazardous element list and the characteristics of WEEEs because the analytical items and their test methods submitted in the test report are designated differently for each local authority. We confirmed that three kinds of criteria are applied to determine whether the target wastes are hazardous or not: the content criteria for 8 kinds of elements on import bans of wastes, the content criteria for 8 kinds of elements sufficient for allowing wastes to be imported, and the leaching criteria for 13 kinds of elements to classified as a specified waste. Among them, five elements (hexavalent chromium, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) are managed for the WEEEs in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to catalog the total contents of hazardous chemicals caused by hazardous characteristics of other elements (beryllium, antimony, etc.), as can happen to WEEEs.

Inappropriate recycling/disposal processes that are caused by the illegal transboundary movement of electronic wastes (e-wastes) can have harmful effects on the environment and public health because of these wastes’ harmful components. Therefore, we must understand the current situation regarding the domestic management of exported/imported e-wastes and examine the international requirements according to the Basel Convention. In this study, the current management situation of e-wastes in domestic and foreign countries and the present recycling processes of companies in Korea are investigated to draw improvements when e-wastes are exported or imported. Most imported e-waste involves waste printed circuit boards (WPCB) and their scraps (more than 95.7 % of the total e-waste volume in 2015) to recover precious metals such as copper, silver, gold, etc. To distinguish between waste and non-waste under the Basel Convention, six items (① market for used electronic and electrical equipment (UEEE), ② residual life and appearance, ③ functional tests, ④ evidence of UEEE deals, ⑤ evidence of contracts to a trade partner, and ⑥ packaging and loading conditions) and a decision flowchart are considered to classify whether the end-of-life equipment is waste.

전자폐기물의 발생량이 급증하고 있고, 전자폐기물로 인한 환경오염 혹은 자원낭비등과 같은 문제를 야기하고 있다. 따라서 전자폐기물 안에 포함된 중금속을 재활용할 수 있는 기술 개발이 필요하다. 한편, 채움재(콘크리트 혹은 모르타르)는 방사성폐기물의 차폐를 위해 사용되나, 방사성 차폐 성능을 확보한 재료를 적용하고 있지 않다. 따라서 채움재는 차폐성능에 관한 신뢰가 부족한 상황이다. 그러므로 본 연구에서는, 전자폐기물을 채움재의 잔골재로 적용하기 위하여 콘크리트의 역학적 특성을 평가하였다. 실험결과, 압축강도, 휨강도, 탄성계수 및 1μm 영역의 공극이 상당히 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났으나, 광물질 혼화재를 결합재로 사용하면 성능이 개선되었다. 따라서 전자폐기물은 채움재의 잔골재로써 적용이 가능할 것으로 판단된다.

현대 사회는 4차 산업혁명의 시대로 넘어가면서 그에 따른 전기전자 산업의 급속한 발전이 이루어지고 있다. 이에 따라 다양한 전기전자 기기의 생산/사용의 급증 및 소비자들의 소비 패턴의 변화가 발생하였고, 이로 인하여 수많은 전기전자제품이 중고로 전락하여 재사용 목적으로 수출되거나, 폐기물로 취급되어 재활용 목적으로 수출입 되는 현상이 국제적으로 증가하고 있다. 사용이 끝난 전기전자기기를 폐기물로써 재활용 목적으로 수출하는 경우에는 그 안에 함유된 유해특성 및 유해물질을 규제하는 국제협약에 따라 승인을 받을 필요가 있으나, 재사용 목적으로 중고품을 수출하는 경우는 국제협약에 근거한 수출승인을 얻을 필요가 없다. 문제는 폐기물이 중고품으로 둔갑되어 국제협약에 따른 수출승인을 받지 않고 수출될 경우, 이 수출품은 운송 도중에 사고가 발생할 가능성이 있고, 상대국에 반입된 폐기물이 상대국의 환경에 위해를 줄 가능성이 있으며, 협약 상 불법수출로 간주되어 수출품이 반출되는 등 국제적인 문제로 발전될 수 있다. 따라서 재사용에 적합하지 않은 전기전자기기가 재사용 목적으로 수출되는 일이 없도록 객관적으로 판단할 수 있는 지침 마련 및 이행이 중요하지만, 국내에서는 사용이 끝난 전기전자제품에 대해서 중고품 또는 폐기물로써 판단할 수 있는 구체적인 기준이 마련되어 있지 않다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 중고제품과 폐기물 간의 판단에 대해 국제 협약 및 해외 국가에서 마련되어 있거나 시행하고 있는 지침서를 면밀히 검토하는 한편, 국내 전기전자폐기물의 실태 및 정세를 파악하여, 국제 협약을 올바르게 이행하면서도 우리나라 현실에 맞는 지침(안)을 작성하고자 하였다.

In this study we conducted a material flow analysis (MFA) of the four major types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), namely refrigerators, TV sets, washing machines, and air conditioners, based on the most reliable data available from the Eco-Assurance System, other governmental sources, the literature, a field survey, and interviews. A MFA of six major components, iron, copper, aluminum, plastics, precious metals, and rare metals was also conducted. The estimated total generation of WEEE in 2013 amounted to 401.8 thousand tons, of which 3.8% (or, approximately 5% including printed circuit boards) was exported and 55.0% was recycled. The collection by the formal take-back system occupied 34.6% of the total generation, from which 83.9% was recovered as valuables. The six major components amounted to 299.7 thousand tons, among which 89.8% of iron, 91.4% of copper, 56.0% of aluminum, 27.1% of plastics, 37.1% of precious metals, and 6.2% of rare metals were recovered. A high positive correlation was found between the amount of WEEE flowing into the private recycling business and its economic value. Since the recovery ratio in the private sector was estimated to be much lower, while the potential environmental impact was higher, an optimal strategy was identified to enhance the collection by the public sector. Providing economic incentives should be an effective means to encourage private collection through the formal take-back system.

Environmental regulations on the management of waste electrical and electronic equipments (WEEE) have been strengthened in many developed countries. Improper management and disposal of such waste, especially in informal sectors, may pose serious threats to the environment and human health. In Korea, there are very few available statistical data regarding distribution flow and treatment of WEEE in informal sectors (i.e., unreported private collection and recycling facilities). In order to provide additional measures related to proper management of WEEE, there is an urgent need for a quantitative material flow study on the amount of the waste found in the sectors. This can be achieved by conducting a statistical analysis of the flow of WEEE in the sectors and by drawing significant results and implications of such analysis. In this study, the relevant data were collected from literature review and a number of field site visits to informal private collection and recycling sites with survey in Daejoen Metropolitan City. Statistical analysis of the survey related to the distribution of WEEE in informal sectors was conducted to determine the quantitative flow of WEEE in the sectors. According to the results of this study, 3.38 kg/person/year were introduced into informal sectors in 2013, while 2.48 kg/ person/year was recycled in formal sectors in 2012. This study implies that there are significant amounts of WEEE that are present and processed in the sectors, which are not regulated by government. Small private collectors of WEEE in informal sectors received approximately 60.6 unit/month on average. The results of this statistical study indicate that there are no significant differences among the factors such as the amount of treatment, the number of employee, and the degree of dismantle process. However, there is significant difference among the WEEE category large home appliance, small-sized home appliance, and audio-video equipment. Further study may be warranted to focus the flow of WEEE in informal sectors in more large scale in order to accurately determine the final destination and disposal of such waste in the environment.

Global increase in the demand for the new Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) results in the rapid increase of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (or electronic waste). Significant efforts on developing diverse WEEE recycling policy and programs such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), WEEE directive, and the restriction of the use of hazardous substances (RoHS) directive are being made by many developed nations. This study focuses on determining priority among proposed WEEE recycling policy research projects by a number of experts from academia, institutions and recycling industry using quality function deployment (QFD) method to better manage and recycle WEEE in Korea. In order to develop effective WEEE recycling policy, a total of 12 different WEEE recycling policy research projects were proposed by a total of 11 experts related WEEE recycling. Reliability and validity evaluation of the proposed projects were conducted, along with SPSS statistical software. By using the QFD method, a survey regarding potential problems, suggestions, and difficulties at several WEEE recycling facilities were conducted and evaluated. Evaluation of the proposed projects was made by house of quality (HOQ). In this study, proposed research projects with higher importance index include WEEE collection system, development of WEEE recycling guideline, and establishment of WEEE generation/collection/recycling national database. The QFD method employed in this study can be effectively used as a decision-making process tool in WEEE recycling policy and road map.

The brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been used in many household products such as plastics of electronicequipment, furniture, textiles to increase their flame ignition resistance. Among the mixtures of BFRs, polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) have been widely usedas commercial additive during the last decade. This study has been performed to investigate the concentration of BFRsin waste electrical and electronic equipment which has potential threat on environment and human health. We analyzedPBDEs, TBBPA and HBCD in 18 products from 2 TV manufacturing companies, 19 parts from 3 refrigerators, shreddedplastic from recycling center, 3 other plastics from recovery process, and 43 small electronics using heating source. Theconcentration of PBDEs in TVs ranged from 306mg/kg (manufactured since the year of 2000) to 145,027mg/kg(manufactured in 1983~1997). The concentration range of PBDEs in rear housing is greater than those of front cover.The concentration of TBBPA were detected from 30 to 201mg/kg and HBCD was not detected (ND) in all samples ofTV. The PBDEs concentrations in plastics of refrigerator waste were detected from ND to 445mg/kg, the concentrationof PBDEs in upper housing cover is higher than those of other parts. The concentration of PBDEs in small electronicswas not detected in most products but HBCD and TBBPA were detected several hundred ppm in 1mixer and severaldozen of ppm in 1mixer, 1 coffee port and 2 electronic rice cookers, respectively. Based on the concentrationcharacteristics of BFRs in waste electrical and electronic equipment, we will be established the environmentally soundstrategies for the management policies of the waste containing BFRs.

In this study, we analyzed Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) contained in TV covers of 15 and refrigerator components of 9 produced in Korea. In the TV front covers, 70 ~ 2,296 mg/kg of PBDEs were detected and in the back covers, the PBDEs detection was as follows: 128,773 ~ 158,104 mg/kg for TVs produced between 1983 ~ 1997, and 42 ~ 41,625 mg/kg between 2000 ~ 2005, which indicates that PBDEs content started to substantially decrease from 2000. When comparing these figures with those from other countries, we found that the front covers of televisions contain lower levels of PBDEs than those produced in Japan and back covers had similar or higher levels. The concentrations of the components of the refrigerator samples ranged from N.D. to 445 mg/kg. By comparing isomer patterns of PBDEs obtained from the products and those reported to be found in the environment, this study estimated distribution characteristics of PBDEs and the correlation between their pollution sources and the environment. The results showed that deca-BDE used in TVs has an impact on the environment, for example, indoor dust and sediment in rivers. We suggest that in order to prevent hazardous substances contained in electrical and electronic products from continuously circulating in the environment, the E-waste should be managed in terms of waste treatment and that the XRF screening method is appropriate to regulate the contents of toxic substances in an economic and effective way.