Essay Electronic Waste (E-Waste) – Management Assignment Help

Assignment Task:

Research Project Context:

Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing trash streams globally. In 2018, roughly 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste was generated with only 20% recycled/re-used through appropriate channels. In many cases, informal processing of e-waste poses significant health and environmental hazards especially in developing economies. The impending boom in connected ‘internet-of-things’ (IoT) devices will add further pressure on already stretched systems.

At the same time, e-waste presents an opportunity for businesses to recover expensive and scarce resources such as precious metals, rare earth, and other critical materials. It is estimated that e-waste is worth $62.5 Billion annually, three times more than the annual output of the world’s silver mines. However current technologies, business models, and policy frameworks are not well adapted to enable the recovery of these resources.

The concept of a Circular Economy has gained traction as a way of developing a holistic, system-wide approach to the issue of waste, recycling, and sustainable development. It encompasses much more than just recycling by addressing the entire lifecycle of devices. Designers, manufacturers, investors, traders, miners, consumers, policymakers and others will all have a role to play. 

Research Project objective:

This project will utilize circular economy concepts to generate recommendations for APEC economies on addressing e-waste and thereby help contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Research question (600-700 words):

This task requires you to answer the following question:

Public Policy:

• Provide best-practice examples of policy frameworks that support the adoption of circular e-waste solutions (in general and in Vietnam specifically)

Need to explain:

• what circular economy is (introduction)
• what sustainability is (introduction)
• Vietnam as a frontier market and policy frameworks regarding e-waste
• Examples of policy frameworks supporting circular e-waste solutions (in general markets and in Vietnam)
• APEC role