StEP White Paper lays out comprehensive standards for electrical and electronic equipment management at end-of-life

Governments, agencies and companies around the world are grappling with a growing e-waste problem and its accompanying threats of resource loss, worker and community exposure to hazardous materials and toxic chemicals, and environmental damage. However, without a unified set of comprehensive standards to address the collection, transport, storage and treatment of electrical and electronic equipment at end-of-life, the challenge proves insurmountable. To meet this challenge, the Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative has released a White Paper with recommendations for a comprehensive approach to responsible e-waste management to be included in a standard, or set of standards. StEP’s “Recommendations for Standards Development for Collection, Storage, Transport and Treatment of E-waste” offers a set of flexible common principles that form a foundation for all standards developed based on these guidelines. The paper also lays out specific requirements focused on the different stages of e-waste management that can be included as appropriate for the scope of the standard under development.  These recommendations are meant for adoption by leaders of organizations looking for best practices in e-waste management and for policy makers seeking guidance on the development of new regulations.

The Purpose of a StEP White Paper is to state and explain StEP’s position on e-waste related issues, to make scientific-based recommendations and to provide guidance to relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Because all StEP members endorse the conclusions made, all White Papers reflect a common StEP standpoint.

Nevertheless, this White Paper is not an official document developed or endorsed by the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes.

The full White Paper can be accessed here.