Descripción del proyecto
Gestión de residuos electrónicos
Su teléfono viejo, su ordenador portátil roto y otros dispositivos y componentes electrónicos descartados están acumulándose rápidamente. Para 2021, se generarán en todo el mundo más de 52 millones de toneladas métricas de estos residuos electrónicos. Sin embargo, se está reciclando muy poco, y los datos recabados apuntan a que solo el 20 % de los residuos electrónicos figura en papel como recolectado y reciclado. El proyecto E-Waste Challenge, financiado con fondos europeos, investigará la gestión de residuos electrónicos en países de ingresos medios y bajos. Para ello, se centrará en la India y Sudáfrica, dos países en los que aún no se han analizado las políticas en materia de residuos electrónicos. Los resultados brindarán información y soluciones tanto a los responsables políticos europeos como a los no europeos.
Objetivo
Electronic waste (E-waste) or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world today. It is a complex stream of waste as it contains both hazardous chemicals and valuable/precious metal components. A major challenge for the research community, therefore, is to find effective (policy) solutions for addressing the environmental and health problems caused by E-waste management in low and mid-income countries while, at the same time, enhancing the recovery of precious metals to reuse these resources. During my Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, I will analyse why emerging economies adopt E-waste policies that seem inadequate and ineffective in their local contexts and identify alternative approaches. In a first step, I will develop a novel analytical framework to analyse the effectiveness of E-waste policies in emerging economies and, as a second step, I will seek to explain the degree of effectiveness of E-waste policies in India and South Africa. The research aims to make conceptual, empirical and policy-relevant contributions: I strive to contribute to the academic literature by developing a novel analytical framework that helps evaluate E-waste policies in non-Western countries. Current literature on E-waste is largely based on assumptions derived from Western policies, polities and societies. By analysing the cases of India and South Africa, my research will focus on two countries whose E-waste policy has hardly been analysed. The findings of the project will provide insights that both the EU and non-European policymakers can use in their decision- making. The EU has a keen interest in supporting non-EU countries tackle their E-waste challenges through effective policies, especially since parts of the E-waste that causes problems in those countries originates from the EU and is a direct result of European consumption. I will contribute to the understanding of how such EU support could be designed.
Ámbito científico
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Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
3000 Leuven
Bélgica