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ToolsOrlins, Sabrina and Guan, Dabo (2016) China's toxic informal e-waste recycling:Local approaches to a global environmental problem. Journal of Cleaner Production, 114 (15). pp. 71-80. ISSN 0959-6526
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Electronic waste or e-waste has been an increasingly severe problem over the last decade, and is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. China's inexpensive labour and manufacturing abilities have already made it "the world's factory" and for e-waste recycling it is no exception. Informal workers do the majority of e-waste collection and recycling in cities throughout China. E-waste recycling work provides livelihoods for migrant workers and the urban poor and has formed a well-established shadow economy. The improper dismantling and burning of e-waste for resource recovery exposes workers to toxins and heavy metals, and causes severe air, water, and soil contamination. The illegal global trade of e-waste makes it a transboundary environmental governance problem of local and global scales. This paper investigates informal workers' knowledge of the environmental impacts of e-waste, perceptions of their work and whether they would be receptive to government regulation of recycling work. It finds that informal recyclers interviewed lack environmental awareness of the dangers related to e-waste recycling and are unwilling to be regulated due to fear of losing jobs and profits through regulation. Weak e-waste legislation and social marginalization are also major barriers to protecting e-waste recyclers and the environment. Through a scalar analysis of environmental governance, this paper proposes strengthening the roles of small enterprises and inclusion of Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) and Government Organized NGOS (GONGOs) to work in the informal sector to find safer recycling solutions to fill the large gap between legislation and de facto practices.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | air pollution,china,e-waste,environmental impacts,informal worker,soil contamination,sdg 8 - decent work and economic growth,sdg 9 - industry, innovation, and infrastructure,sdg 11 - sustainable cities and communities,sdg 12 - responsible consumption and production ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/decent_work_and_economic_growth |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Global Development (formerly School of International Development) |
| UEA Research Groups: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | Pure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Feb 2016 08:12 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Oct 2022 01:20 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/56952 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.090 |
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